Immigration Glossary
Plain-language definitions for 38 immigration and USCIS terms. From visa types to enforcement agencies to processing terminology.
Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)
A foreign national authorized to live and work permanently in the United States, commonly known as a green card holder.
Green Card
The informal name for the Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), which serves as proof of lawful permanent resident status.
Asylum
Protection granted to foreign nationals already in the United States who meet the definition of a refugee and are unable or unwilling to return to their home country due to persecution.
Refugee
A person outside the United States who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of nationality because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
A temporary immigration status granted to nationals of designated countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions.
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)
An administrative program providing temporary protection from removal and work authorization to certain noncitizens who were brought to the U.S. as children.
Parole
A discretionary authority allowing DHS to permit certain noncitizens to enter or remain in the United States temporarily for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, without formal admission.
Withholding of Removal
A mandatory form of protection that prohibits the United States from removing a noncitizen to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened on account of a protected ground.
H-1B Visa
A nonimmigrant work visa for foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent.
Diversity Visa (DV Lottery)
An annual lottery program providing up to 55,000 immigrant visas to nationals of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.
Nonimmigrant
A foreign national admitted to the United States temporarily for a specific purpose such as tourism, study, business, or temporary employment.
Naturalization
The process by which a lawful permanent resident becomes a United States citizen.
Adjustment of Status
The process of changing immigration status to lawful permanent resident (green card holder) while physically present in the United States.
Visa Bulletin
A monthly publication by the Department of State showing the availability of immigrant visa numbers for each preference category and country of chargeability.
Priority Date
The date that establishes an immigrant's place in the visa waiting line for a green card, typically the date the petition was filed.
Labor Certification (PERM)
A process by which an employer demonstrates that no qualified U.S. workers are available for a position before sponsoring a foreign worker for permanent residence.
Pipeline Score
A proprietary efficiency rating (0-100, A-F) that grades USCIS field offices on immigration processing performance.
Consular Processing
The procedure by which an immigrant visa applicant outside the United States obtains a green card through a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
Visa Retrogression
The movement of a priority date backward in the monthly Visa Bulletin, effectively pausing or reversing a green card applicant's progress toward permanent residence.
Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative)
The USCIS petition that a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident files to establish a qualifying family relationship with a foreign national beneficiary for immigration purposes.
Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker)
The USCIS petition that an employer (or self-petitioner in certain categories) files to classify a foreign worker for an employment-based immigrant visa.
Form I-765 (Employment Authorization Document)
The USCIS application that certain noncitizens file to obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which grants the legal right to work in the United States.
Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification)
The federal form that all U.S. employers must complete for every employee to verify identity and authorization to work in the United States.
E-Verify
A free web-based system administered by USCIS that allows employers to electronically confirm the employment eligibility of newly hired employees by comparing Form I-9 information against federal records.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
The federal law enforcement agency within DHS responsible for immigration enforcement, deportation, and customs investigations.
CBP (Customs and Border Protection)
The federal agency responsible for securing U.S. borders, processing travelers at ports of entry, and enforcing immigration and customs laws at the border.
Removal (Deportation)
The formal process of expelling a foreign national from the United States for violating immigration law.
Notice to Appear (NTA)
The charging document that initiates removal proceedings against a noncitizen by formally notifying them of the charges and requiring them to appear before an immigration judge.
Cancellation of Removal
A discretionary form of relief that allows certain noncitizens in removal proceedings to have their removal canceled and obtain lawful permanent resident status.
Expedited Removal
A fast-track removal process that allows immigration officers to quickly remove certain noncitizens without a hearing before an immigration judge.
Credible Fear Interview
A screening interview conducted by a USCIS asylum officer to determine whether a noncitizen in expedited removal has a credible fear of persecution or torture and should be allowed to seek asylum.
287(g) Program
A federal program that deputizes state and local law enforcement officers to perform certain immigration enforcement functions under ICE supervision.
Secure Communities
A federal information-sharing program that automatically checks the fingerprints of individuals booked into local jails against federal immigration databases.
Voluntary Departure
An alternative to formal removal that allows certain noncitizens to depart the United States at their own expense within a specified period, avoiding the penalties of a formal removal order.
USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
The federal agency within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for processing immigration and naturalization applications.
EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review)
The DOJ component that houses the federal immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals, which adjudicate removal and other immigration cases.
BIA (Board of Immigration Appeals)
The highest administrative appellate body in the immigration system, located within DOJ's EOIR, which reviews decisions of immigration judges and DHS officers in certain matters.
Asylum Officer
A specially trained USCIS officer within the Asylum Division who adjudicates affirmative asylum applications, conducts credible fear and reasonable fear interviews, and handles other protection-based screenings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a refugee and an asylee?
Both seek protection from persecution, but refugees apply from outside the U.S. through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, while asylum seekers apply from within the U.S. or at a port of entry using Form I-589. Refugees are pre-screened and admitted with refugee status; asylees must prove their case after arrival.
What is a Pipeline Score?
The Pipeline Score is our proprietary 0-100 rating (A-F grade) for USCIS field offices based on processing time vs national average (40%), approval rate (30%), and backlog trend (30%). Higher scores indicate faster, more efficient processing.