From Jennifer Leavitt-Wipf,
Your Guide to Immigration Issues.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Definition: When an immigrant enters the U.S., the country that they are an original national of, and from where they are coming, is the country of chargeability. The USIC described it as the independent country to which an immigrant entering under the preference system is accredited for purposes of numerical limitations.

Pronunciation: kun-tree of char-ja-bill-it-ee

Also Known As: country an immigrant is originally and legally from

Examples: Tikka has lived in Canada for eight years, but as a Thai woman, her country of chargeability when she enters the U.S. is Thailand.