Legal Immigration Glossary
Common Immigration Applications
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AR11
Change of address form
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DS-156
Non-immigrant visa
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DS-260
Immigrant visa
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I-90
Renewal or replacement of permanent residence card (green card)
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G-639
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)
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I-129F
Petition for fiance
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I-130
Petition for alien relative (immediate family members)
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I-131
Travel document
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I-360
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)
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I-485
Adjusting status to a Lawful Permanent Residence
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I-589
Asylum application - filed within one year of arrival to the U.S.
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I-601
Waiver for Ground of Inadmissibility
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I-601A
Unlawful Presence Waiver
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I-751
Petition to remove conditional residence (green cards for 3 years if you are not married to your spouse for more than 2 years before applying for said spouse)
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I-765
Employment authorization
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I-821
TPS (temporary protected status)
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I-821D
DACA renewal application - deferred action for juveniles
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I-864
Joint sponsor - if an individual does not meet the 150% poverty guidelines for a petition they must get a joint sponsor to make up the difference. This assures that the immigrant will not become a public burden.
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I-918
U VISA application (victims of domestic violence) 3 years with work authorization, then the immigrant can apply to adj status (i485) to become a lawful permanent resident
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N-400
Naturalization (citizenship application) - Must have been an LPR for 5 yeas (or 3 years if married to a USC)
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N-600
Application for naturalization certificate, children (under 18 and unmarried) whose parents have naturalized)
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SIJS
Special immigrant juvenile status proceedings (unaccompanied minors)
Helpful Acronyms
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USCIS
United States Customs and Immigration Services
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DOJ
Department of Justice
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DOJ ACCRD
Department of Justice accreditation
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LPR
Lawful Permanent Residence (green card)
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USC
United States Citizen
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EWI
Entered without inspection (illegally)
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EAD
Employment Authorization Document
About Accreditation
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Department of Justice Accredited Representative
A non-attorney who has demonstrated to the DOJ that they have enough education and experience in immigration law to provide immigration legal services.
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Partially Accredited
Can counsel immigration clients, complete immigration forms, and represent clients at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) interviews.
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Fully Accredited
Can do everything that a partially accredited representative can, plus allows representation before both DHS and EOIR (the Immigration Court and BIA).