AAO |
Administrative Appeals Office (formerly the Administrative Appeals Unit (AAU)) |
AC |
Associate Commissioner (of INS)
|
AC21 |
|
ACE |
Accelerated Citizen Examination |
ACPA |
Assistant Chief Patrol Agent
|
ACWIA |
American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 |
AD |
Approval Date |
ADD |
Assistant District Director. Also, ADDE (Examinations); ADDI (Investigations); ADDM
(Management) |
ADIT |
Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunications system (ADIT photos are no longer used) |
AEDPA |
Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 |
AFACS |
A-Files Accountability and Control System
|
AFAIK |
As Far As I Know
|
A - File |
Alien File
|
AG |
Attorney General of the United States
|
AILA |
American Immigration Lawyers Association
|
AILF |
American Immigration Law Foundation |
ALC |
Alien Labor Certification |
ALJ |
Administrative Law Judge |
AMIS |
Asset Management Information System |
A - Number |
Alien Number |
AO |
1. Administrative Officer
2. Asylum Officer
3. Adjudication Officer |
AOC |
Asylum Officer Corps |
AOIC |
Assistant Officer-in-Charge |
AOS |
1. Adjustment of Status (USCIS definition)
2. Affidavit of Support (Dept of State definition) |
ARC |
Alien Registration Card (also called Permanent Resident Card or Green Card) |
A/S |
|
AP |
1. Advance Parole
2. Administrative Processing
|
AR |
Administrative Review |
ASC |
Application Support Center (fingerprinting location) |
ASVI |
Alien Status Verification Index |
AVLOS |
Automated Visa Lookout System
|
AWO |
Affirmance Without Opinion |
BALCA |
Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals |
BAR |
Board of Appellate Review |
BCA |
Bureau of Consular Affairs
|
BCC |
I-186 or I-586 Nonresident Alien Border Crossing Card |
BCIS |
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (now USCIS) |
BEC |
Backlog Elimination Center |
BIA |
Board of Immigration Appeals |
Biometrics |
Fingerprints, signatures, photographs and other material used to personally
and uniquely identify a person |
BIT |
Bilateral Investment Treaty
|
BOP |
Bureau of Prisons; also, Burden of Proof |
BP |
Border Patrol |
CAT |
United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or DegradingTreatment or Punishment |
CBP |
(U. S.) Customs and Border Protection |
CCA |
Child Citizenship Act
|
CFR |
Code of Federal Regulations
|
CGFNS |
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools
|
CIJ |
Chief Immigration Judge |
CIS |
1. Central Index System
2. Citizenship and Immigration Services (more commonly known as USCIS)
3. Center for Immigration Studies
|
CLAIMS |
Computer Linked Application Information Management System
|
CLN |
Certificate of Loss of Nationality
|
CMT |
Crime of Moral Turpitude (also known as Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude (CIMT)) |
CO |
1. Certifying Officer (of DOL)
2. Consulate Officer
|
COA |
Class of Admission
|
COB |
Country of Birth
|
COC |
Country of Citizenship
|
ConOff |
Consular Officer
|
CORAP |
Central Office of Refugee, Asylum and Parole
|
COS |
Change of Status |
CP |
|
CPR |
|
CPT |
Curricular Practical Training |
CR |
Conditional Resident
|
C/S |
Change of Status
|
CSC |
|
CSPA |
Child Status Protection Act |
CUSA |
|
CWOP |
|
D&D |
Detention and Deportation |
DAO |
1. District Adjudication Officer
2. Deputy Adjudications Officer
|
DCF |
|
DCPA |
Deputy Chief Patrol Agent |
DD |
District Director
|
DDD |
Deputy District Director
|
DED |
Deferred Enforced Departure |
DFS |
Designated Fingerprint Service |
DHS |
Department of Homeland Security
|
DO |
1. District Office
2. Deportation Officer |
DOB |
Date of Birth
|
DOD |
Date of Defense
|
DOE |
Date of Entry
|
DOJ |
Department of Justice |
DOL |
Department of Labor |
DORA |
Dallas Office Rapid Adjustment of Status |
DOS |
Department of State |
DOT |
Dictionary of Occupational Titles |
D/S |
Duration of Status
|
DSO |
Designated School Official
|
DV |
Diversity Visa Lottery Program
|
EAC |
Eastern Adjudication Center (now Vermont Service Center)
|
EAD |
|
EAJA |
Equal Access to Justice Act
|
ENFORCE |
Enforcement Case Tracking System
|
EOIR |
Executive Office for Immigration Review
|
EOS |
Extension of Stay |
ER |
Expedited Removal |
E/S |
Extension of Status or Stay |
ETA |
Employment and Training Administration |
EVD |
Extended Voluntary Departure |
EVL |
|
EWI |
Entry Without Inspection |
EWIC |
Essential Worker Immigration Coalition |
FAM |
Foreign Affairs Manual |
FAQ |
Frequently Asked Questions |
FARES |
Fees and Applications Receipt and Entry System |
FCCPT |
Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy |
FCN |
Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation |
FCO |
File Control Office |
FED. REG. |
Federal Register |
FGM |
Female Genital Mutilation |
FMG |
Foreign Medical Graduate |
FOIA |
Freedom of Information Act |
FP |
|
FR |
Federal Register |
FSN |
Foreign Service National |
FSO |
Foreign Service Officer |
FTA |
Free Trade Agreement |
FTO |
Free Trade Officer |
GAL |
General Administration Letter of DOL |
GC |
|
GEMS |
General Counsel Management System |
GPO |
Government Printing Office |
Greencard |
|
HB |
House Bill |
HQ |
Head Quarters |
HR |
House Report |
HRIFA |
Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act |
IA |
Immigration Agent |
IBIS |
Interagency Border Inspection System |
ICE |
(U.S. ) Immigration and Customs Enforcement |
ICMS |
Investigations Case Management System |
ID |
Interview Date |
IDENT |
Automated Fingerprint Identification System |
IE |
Immigration Examiner |
iEAD |
|
IFM |
Inspector’s Field Manual |
IG |
Inspector General |
II |
Immigration Inspector
|
IIO |
Immigration Information Officer
|
IIRAIRA |
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (also IIRIRA) |
IJ |
Immigration Judge
|
ILT |
AILA’s Immigration Law Today
|
IMBRA |
International Marriage Brokers Act
|
IMFA |
Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments Act
|
IMHO |
In My Humble Opinion
|
IMMACT90 |
Immigration Act of 1990
|
IMO |
In My Opinion
|
INA |
Immigration and Nationality Act |
INFOPASS |
Online appointment system to take an appointment with local immigration officer
|
INS |
Immigration and Naturalization Service (now USCIS)
|
INSERTS |
Immigration and Naturalization Service Early Research and Transmittal System
|
INSPASS |
INS Passenger Accelerated Service System
|
INTCA |
Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994
|
INV |
Investigations |
IO |
Immigration Officer
|
IR |
1. Interpreter Releases
2. Immediate Relative
|
IRCA |
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 |
IRS |
International Revenue Service |
IVACS |
Immigrant Visa Applicant Control System |
IV |
Immigrant Visa
|
LAPR |
Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence
|
LAU |
Legalization Appeals Unit
|
LAW |
Lawfully Authorized or Admitted Worker
|
LCA |
Labor Condition Application
|
LC |
|
LIFE |
Legal Immigration and Family Equity Act of 2000
|
LIN |
Northern Service Center (now Nebraska Service Center)
|
LPR |
|
LWOP |
Leave WithOut Pay
|
LUD |
|
MRD |
Machine Readable Document |
MSC |
Missouri Service Center (National Service Center) |
MS&D |
Maintenance of Status and Departure bond |
MTINA |
Miscellaneous and Technical Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1991 |
MTR |
Motion To Reopen |
NACARA |
Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act |
NACS |
Naturalization Automated Casework System |
NAFTA |
North American Free Trade Agreement |
NAILS |
National Automated Immigration Lookout System |
NATZ |
Naturalization |
NBC |
National Benefits Center |
NBCOTA |
Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other Technical Amendments Act of 1998 |
NBCOT |
National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapists |
NOA |
Notice of Action. The notice that you receive after filing an application with USCIS. |
NOIF |
Notice of Intent to Fine |
NC |
Name Check |
ND |
Notice Date. The when your application was entered into the USCIS database. |
NG |
NewsGroup |
NIV |
|
NIW |
|
NOF |
Notice of Findings |
NOID |
Notice of Intent to Deny |
NOIR |
Notice of Intent to Revoke |
NRC |
National Record Center |
NSC |
|
NSEERS |
National Security Entry Exit Registration System |
NTA |
Notice to Appear |
NVC |
National Visa Center |
OARS |
Outlying Area Reporting Station |
OCAHO |
Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer |
ODP |
Orderly Departure Program |
OES |
Occupational Employment Statistics |
OI |
Operations Instructions |
OIC |
Officer-in-Charge |
OIL |
Office of Immigration Litigation of DOJ’s Civil Division |
OMB |
Office of Management and Budget |
O*NET |
Occupational Information Network |
ONO |
Office of Naturalization Operations (now ISD)
|
OOH |
Occupational Outlook Handbook (DOL) |
OPT |
Optional Practical Training |
O/S |
Out of Status, or overstay |
OSC |
Order to Show Cause; also, Office of Special Counsel |
OTM |
Other than Mexican |
PA |
1. (Border) Patrol Agent
2. Privacy Act |
PCC |
|
PD |
|
PERM |
|
PISS |
Pre-INS Submission Syndrome |
PLC |
|
POE |
|
PP |
|
PR |
|
PRC |
Permanent Resident Card (also called an Alien Registration Card or Green Card) |
PT |
Practical Training |
QDE |
Qualified Designated Entity |
RAW |
Replenishment Agricultural Worker |
RC |
Regional Commissioner of USCIS |
RD |
1. Receipt Date. The date application received by USCIS
2. Regional Director of USCIS |
RFE |
Request for Evidence |
RFI |
Request for Initial Evidence |
RIR |
Reduction in Recruitment Labor Certification Procedure |
RN |
Registered Nurse |
RO |
Responsible Officer of J- 1 Exchange Visitor Program |
ROW |
Rest Of the World |
RSC |
Regional Service Center |
RTD |
|
RVIS |
Remote Video Inspection System |
SAO |
Security Advisory Opinion |
SAO |
Supervisory Adjudication Officer |
SA |
Special Agent |
SAW |
Special Agricultural Worker |
SB |
Senate Bill |
SC |
|
SDAO |
Supervisory District Adjudications Officer |
SENTRI |
Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection |
SEVIS |
Student and Exchange Visitor Information System |
SIE |
Supervisory Immigration Examiner |
SII |
Supervisory Immigration Inspector |
SIO |
1. Supervisory Immigration Officer;
2. Special Inquiry Officer(former title for Immigration Judges)
|
SK |
Specialized Knowledge for L Visa
|
SO |
Significant Other
|
SRC |
Southern Regional Center (now Texas Service Center)
|
SR |
Senate Report
|
SVP |
Specific Vocational Preparation |
SSA |
Social Security Administration |
SSN |
|
SWA |
State Workforce Agency
|
TA |
Trial Attorney |
TAG |
Technical Assistance Guide No. 656—Labor Certifications (1981) |
TAL |
Technology Alert List |
TCN |
Third Country National |
TPCR |
Transition Period Custody Rules |
TPS |
Temporary Protected Status |
TN |
Trade NAFTA |
TSA |
Transportation Security Administration |
TSC |
|
TWOV |
Transit Without Visa |
UNHCR |
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |
UPL |
Unauthorized Practice of Law |
US-VISIT |
United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program |
USA PATRIOT Act |
Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Requiredto Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 |
USC |
1. U.S. Code
2. U.S Citizen |
USCIS |
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) |
USCS |
U.S. Customs Service |
VAWA |
Violence Against Women Act |
VB |
|
VD |
Voluntary Departure |
VO |
Visa Office |
VOLAG |
Volunteer Agency |
VSC |
|
VTC |
Video Teleconferencing |
VWPP |
Visa Waiver Pilot Program |
VWP |
|
WAC |
Western Adjudication Center (now California Service Center) |
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