Class of Admission DT: Origin, Rights, and Renewal

The class of admission DT on a Green Card identifies the holder as a Displaced Tibetan who became a lawful permanent resident under Section 134 of the Immigration Act of 1990. Congress set aside exactly 1,000 immigrant visas for qualifying natives of Tibet, and the DT code on your card records that this specific provision was the legal basis for your status.¹ It is an administrative label. It does not limit your rights, and a DT holder has the same legal standing as any other permanent resident.²

Where the DT Code Comes From

DT stands for Displaced Tibetan. Section 134 of the Immigration Act of 1990 created a one-time allocation of 1,000 immigrant visas for natives of Tibet who had been living continuously in India or Nepal since before the law’s enactment on November 29, 1990.¹ The visas were distributed over a three-fiscal-year period beginning in 1991 and were exempt from the usual annual caps on immigrant admissions.

The statute defined “native of Tibet” broadly. It covered anyone born in Tibet as well as the sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters of someone born in Tibet.¹ The State Department handled distribution and was directed to give preference to applicants who were not firmly resettled in India or Nepal and those considered most likely to resettle successfully in the United States.

Because the allocation was finite, no new DT visas are being issued. The code now appears only on existing Green Cards and on naturalization records tied to that original group and their derivatives.

What the Number After DT Tells You

The number after “DT” records how the person entered permanent resident status. DT1 means the individual arrived in the United States as a new immigrant with a visa issued abroad. DT6 means the person was already physically present in the country and adjusted status from within.³ Many DT6 holders originally entered on humanitarian parole before applying for the Green Card.⁴ The difference is procedural and does not affect rights or benefits.

The program also covered immediate family members, each with a distinct code:

DT2 and DT7 identify the spouse of a principal DT holder (DT2 for new arrivals from abroad, DT7 for those who adjusted status inside the United States).
DT3 and DT8 identify a child of a principal DT holder, following the same abroad-versus-adjustment split.

Derivative status counted against the same 1,000-visa allocation and carries the same permanent resident rights as the principal’s DT1 or DT6.¹

Rights That Come With a DT Green Card

A Green Card marked with any DT code gives you the same legal standing as every other permanent resident. You can live anywhere in the United States, work for any employer willing to hire you, and access federal benefits on the same terms as other lawful permanent residents.⁵ The code explains how you got your status. It does not create a separate tier of residency.

You can travel internationally with a valid Green Card. If you expect to be outside the United States for more than a year, apply for a re-entry permit on Form I-131 before you leave. Absences of a year or more without a re-entry permit can lead USCIS to treat your permanent residency as abandoned, and shorter absences can raise questions if USCIS believes you did not intend to keep the United States as your permanent home.⁶

Naturalizing From DT Status

DT holders naturalize through the same process as any other permanent resident. The standard route requires five years of continuous residence after receiving your Green Card, with physical presence in the country for at least 30 months of that period.⁷ If you are married to a U.S. citizen and have lived together in marital union for the whole period, the residency requirement drops to three years, with at least 18 months of physical presence.⁸

You apply on Form N-400. The current filing fee is $760 by paper or $710 online.⁹ Beyond the residency and physical presence requirements, you need to show good moral character, pass an English test covering reading, writing, and speaking, and pass a civics exam on U.S. history and government. Medical exceptions to the English and civics tests exist for applicants with qualifying disabilities.¹⁰

If you travel abroad often, watch the continuous residence clock. Absences of six months or longer can disrupt it. If you expect to be outside the country for a year or more and want to preserve your eligibility timeline, file Form N-470 before you leave.⁶

The DT Code Stays on Renewal

Green Cards expire every ten years, and you renew by filing Form I-90. Your class of admission does not change on renewal. The new card will still carry your DT designation because the code reflects the original legal basis for your permanent residency, and that basis does not change regardless of how many times you replace the physical card. The same DT designation will appear in USCIS records when you apply to naturalize, with no negative effect on the case.

1
GovInfo. Immigration Act of 1990, Public Law 101-649 – Section 134
2
OHSS. Immigrant Classes of Admission
3
USCIS. Adjudicator’s Field Manual – Chapter 23 Appendix, Class of Admission Code Symbols
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1182 – Inadmissible Aliens – Section (d)(5)(A)
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Rights and Responsibilities of a Green Card Holder (Permanent Resident)
6
USCIS. International Travel as a Permanent Resident
7
GovInfo. 8 USC 1427 – Requirements of Naturalization
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1430 – Married Persons and Employees of Certain Nonprofit Organizations
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-400, Application for Naturalization
10
USCIS. I am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years