Introduction
In recent years, changes to immigration policy have made it increasingly difficult for individuals and families seeking permanent residency or citizenship. The impact of these changes has been significant, with many experiencing long wait times, increased fees and costs, and a lack of transparency in the process.
To understand the relationship between the legal immigration process and the increase in undocumented migrants entering the US recently, we went to the source and surveyed 503 individuals who have tried — successfully and unsuccessfully — to immigrate to the US from Mexico through legal means.
The findings below illuminate the nuances of this issue, and shed light on the greatest points of friction in the immigration process.
Findings
![](https://marble.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Q4-Visa-Afford-Legal-Assistnxe.png)
Were you able to afford professional legal assistance for the U.S. Visa application process? 18.48% reported No.
![](https://marble.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Q7-Visa-Process-Unfair.png)
Did you feel that the process was fair or unbiased? 74.75% reported Yes.
![](https://marble.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-Long-Visa-Process.png)
![](https://marble.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-Many-Times-Applied.png)
How many times have you or anyone you know had to apply before getting a U.S. Visa?
![](https://marble.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-Much-Spent-Visa-787x1024.png)
![](https://marble.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Q9-Chart.png)
![](https://marble.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FinancialBurden-Visual.png)
![](https://marble.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Q6.Chart_.png)