Immigration 101
Immigration Terminology
Master the Language of U.S. Immigration
Your go-to guide for understanding the key terms and concepts in the immigration process, explained simply and clearly.
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Adjustment of Status: Allows eligible individuals in the U.S. to apply for a green card without leaving, changing from a temporary visa or non-immigrant status to permanent resident status.
Affidavit of Support: A legal document showing a sponsor’s commitment to financially support an immigrant, ensuring they won’t need public assistance after moving to the U.S.
Asylum: Protection granted to individuals in the U.S. who fear persecution in their home country due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or social group.
Biometrics: Physical identifiers (fingerprints, photos, signatures) collected by immigration authorities as part of the application process to confirm identity and perform background checks.
Border Patrol: A law enforcement agency responsible for securing U.S. borders, preventing illegal immigration, human trafficking, and the smuggling of drugs and goods.
Cancellation of Removal: Relief that lets certain non-citizens avoid deportation by proving long-term U.S. residence, good moral character, and that their removal would cause exceptional hardship.
Consular Processing: The method by which an immigrant visa application is completed outside the U.S., typically at a U.S. embassy or consulate in the applicant’s home country.
Country of Origin: The country from which an immigrant or refugee originated before arriving in the U.S. for residency or asylum purposes.
Conditional Resident: A person granted a two-year green card based on recent marriage to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, requiring renewal for permanent residency.
Continuous Residence: Requirement for certain immigration benefits, meaning an applicant has lived in the U.S. continuously for a specific time before applying.
Deferred Action: Temporary relief from deportation, granting individuals permission to stay and work in the U.S. for a designated period, often renewable.
Deportation: The formal removal of an individual from the U.S. due to violations of immigration or criminal laws.
Detention Center: A facility where individuals are held by immigration authorities while awaiting deportation or immigration court decisions.
Diversity Visa Lottery: A program offering visas to people from countries with low U.S. immigration rates, allowing them to become permanent residents if selected.
Dual Citizenship: Holding citizenship in two countries, allowing individuals to enjoy rights and fulfill responsibilities in both.
Employment Authorization Document (EAD): A work permit allowing immigrants to work legally in the U.S. while holding a specific status or pending an application.
Expedited Removal: A swift deportation process for certain undocumented immigrants at the border, without a hearing, based on specific criteria.
Family-Based Immigration: A process for U.S. citizens or permanent residents to sponsor certain family members for a green card.
Fiancé Visa (K-1 Visa): Allows a U.S. citizen’s foreign fiancé to enter the U.S., with the condition they marry within 90 days.
Green Card: A document granting lawful permanent residency, allowing individuals to live and work permanently in the U.S.
Green Card Holder: A lawful permanent resident in the U.S. with authorization to live and work permanently but not a full citizen.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): An agency enforcing immigration laws, responsible for apprehending, detaining, and deporting undocumented immigrants.
Immigrant: A person who moves to the U.S. intending to reside permanently, often seeking to become a lawful permanent resident or citizen.
Immigrant Visa: A visa allowing individuals to live permanently in the U.S., often obtained through family sponsorship, employment, or asylum.
Inadmissibility: A status barring individuals from entering the U.S. due to specific health, criminal, or immigration violations.
Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR): An immigrant granted the right to live and work permanently in the U.S., typically holding a green card.
Naturalization: The process by which a lawful permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen after meeting residency and other requirements.
Non-Immigrant Visa: A temporary visa for individuals visiting the U.S. for specific purposes, such as tourism, business, or study.
Overstay: When a non-citizen remains in the U.S. beyond their visa’s expiration, risking penalties, deportation, and future entry bans.
Parole: Temporary permission for a person to enter the U.S. without a visa, typically for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130): Filed by a U.S. citizen or resident to sponsor a foreign family member for a green card.
Port of Entry: A designated U.S. location where immigration officers process travelers entering the country.
Priority Date: The filing date of a visa petition, determining the applicant’s place in line for visa processing based on quota limits.
Public Charge: An immigration rule considering whether an applicant might depend on government assistance, affecting admissibility.
Refugee: A person outside their country who cannot return due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on specific grounds.
Removal Proceedings: Legal process in immigration court determining whether an individual will be deported from the U.S.
Residence Requirements: Time-based requirements immigrants must meet, proving they’ve lived in the U.S. continuously before applying for certain benefits.
Re-Entry Permit: Allows a green card holder to travel abroad for up to two years without losing residency status.
Special Immigrant Visa: A visa available for certain qualifying groups, such as translators for the U.S. military, facing danger due to their role.
Sponsor: A U.S. citizen or resident who takes financial responsibility for an immigrant, often required for family-based green cards.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS): Grants temporary U.S. residence to nationals of certain countries experiencing conditions that prevent safe return.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): The government agency managing immigration benefits like green cards, citizenship, and work permits.
Visa Bulletin: A monthly publication indicating which immigrant visa applications can move forward based on category and filing date.
Visa Waiver Program: Allows citizens of certain countries to enter the U.S. for short visits without a visa.
Voluntary Departure: Allows certain non-citizens to leave the U.S. voluntarily within a designated period, avoiding deportation records.
Waiver of Inadmissibility: Permits certain applicants to enter or stay in the U.S. despite being deemed inadmissible.
Work Visa: A visa allowing foreign nationals to work temporarily in the U.S., often requiring employer sponsorship.
Form I-485: The application for Adjustment of Status to obtain a green card while remaining in the U.S.
Form N-400: The application for U.S. citizenship through naturalization.
Immediate Relative: A close family member of a U.S. citizen, such as a spouse or child, eligible for special immigration priority.
Employment-Based Immigration: The process through which individuals obtain U.S. residency through specific job categories, often with employer sponsorship.
Alien Registration Number (A-Number): A unique identification number assigned to immigrants by U.S. immigration authorities.
Adjustment Applicant: An individual applying to change their immigration status to lawful permanent resident within the U.S.
Asylee: A person granted asylum protection due to a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country.
Derivative Beneficiary: A family member who gains immigration benefits based on the primary applicant’s petition.
Employment Authorization: Permission granted to certain non-citizens, allowing them to work legally in the U.S.
Removal of Conditions: Process allowing conditional residents to apply for a permanent green card, typically after two years.
Form I-864: An Affidavit of Support, showing a sponsor’s financial commitment to support an immigrant applying for residency.
Immigration Judge: A judge presiding over immigration court, making decisions on cases like asylum and deportation.
Legal Entry: Entry into the U.S. at a recognized port of entry with proper inspection and authorization from immigration authorities.
Consulate: A U.S. government office abroad where non-citizens apply for visas and other immigration services outside the U.S.
Entry Without Inspection (EWI): Entering the U.S. without going through official immigration inspection, often making it harder to adjust status later.
Form DS-260: The online immigrant visa application used in consular processing for applicants outside the U.S. seeking permanent residence.
Notice to Appear (NTA): A document issued by immigration authorities to start removal proceedings, requiring the individual to appear in immigration court.
Petition: A formal request, usually from a U.S. citizen or resident, to sponsor a foreign national for an immigration benefit like a visa or green card.
Temporary Visa: A visa allowing short-term stays in the U.S. for purposes such as tourism, study, or work, without granting permanent residency.
Travel Document: An official document allowing certain immigrants to re-enter the U.S. after traveling abroad without losing their status.
Unauthorized Immigrant: A person who resides in the U.S. without legal immigration status, often due to entering without permission or overstaying a visa.
U.S. Embassy: A diplomatic office of the U.S. government located in a foreign country, handling consular services like visa processing.
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act): Provides protections for certain immigrants who are victims of abuse, allowing them to apply for immigration relief independently.
Waiver: Permission granted to overlook certain inadmissibility factors, allowing someone otherwise ineligible to enter or stay in the U.S.
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals): A program providing temporary protection from deportation and work authorization to certain undocumented individuals brought to the U.S. as children.
Form I-94: A document issued upon entry to the U.S., recording an individual’s arrival, departure, and authorized period of stay.
Fiancé(e) Petition (Form I-129F): A petition filed by a U.S. citizen to bring their foreign fiancé(e) to the U.S. for marriage within 90 days.
Immigrant Petition: A request filed to sponsor a foreign national for a U.S. visa or green card, often by family or an employer.
Labor Certification: An employer’s application to prove no qualified U.S. worker is available for the job, a requirement for certain employment-based green cards.
NVC (National Visa Center): The office handling visa applications after USCIS approval, managing the process for applicants outside the U.S.
Public Charge Rule: A rule considering whether an applicant may rely on public assistance, affecting their eligibility for certain immigration benefits.
Visa Number: A unique number assigned to each immigrant visa, based on annual caps for family and employment-based categories.
Priority Processing: An expedited immigration service allowing certain applications to be reviewed faster than standard processing times.
Removal Defense: Legal strategies used to contest deportation in immigration court, often including evidence and arguments for staying in the U.S.
Advance Parole: A document allowing non-citizens to return to the U.S. after traveling abroad without jeopardizing their pending immigration application.
Alien Smuggling: The act of knowingly helping unauthorized individuals enter the U.S., which is a serious criminal offense under immigration law.
Birth Certificate Translation: A required translation of a foreign birth certificate for immigration applications, which must be accurate and certified.
Continuous Presence: A requirement showing uninterrupted residence in the U.S. for a specific time, affecting eligibility for certain immigration benefits.
Employment-Based Preference Category: Categories for employment-based immigration, giving priority to individuals with specialized skills, job offers, or extraordinary abilities.
Form I-131: An application for travel documents, including Advance Parole and Re-Entry Permits, used by certain visa holders and green card applicants.
Master Calendar Hearing: An initial immigration court hearing to schedule and outline the basic issues of a removal case.
Notice of Action (Form I-797): An official notice from USCIS informing applicants of updates, decisions, or receipt of applications or petitions.
Lawful Status: A designation showing an individual is legally in the U.S. under an approved immigration status, like a visa or green card.
Prima Facie Case: A showing of initial eligibility for a specific immigration benefit, enough for further processing or temporary approval.
SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System): A database tracking students and exchange visitors in the U.S., used by schools and the government.
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: An immigration status for certain minors who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned, providing a pathway to permanent residency.
STEM OPT Extension: An extension of Optional Practical Training (OPT) for certain foreign students with STEM degrees, allowing additional time to work in the U.S.
Unauthorized Work: Employment without proper authorization, often affecting future immigration benefits and applications.
Unlawful Presence: Time spent in the U.S. without legal status, which can lead to future entry bans after a certain period.
Withdrawal of Application: An option to end an immigration application voluntarily, sometimes to avoid penalties or as a strategic choice.
Administrative Closure: Pausing an immigration case without deciding on it, often used to clear immigration court backlogs or await future eligibility.
ICE Hold: A request by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold an individual in detention, often for pending deportation.
Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): A USCIS notice warning applicants of potential denial, allowing them to submit additional evidence to support their case.
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