Ellis Island served as the United Statesā principal immigration station during the peak years of European immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before the introduction of immigrant visas in the 1920s, most European immigrants did not need advance permission to enter the United States; they generally purchased passage on a steamship and were inspected upon arrival. At Ellis Island immigrants underwent medical and legal examinations, and the vast majority were admitted, often within a few hours. Only about 2 percent were denied entry. After World War I, new immigration laws imposed quotas and required prospective immigrants to obtain visas from U.S. consulates abroad, shifting much of the screening process overseas.
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