Legal Immigration Glossary

Common Immigration Applications

  • AR11

    Change of address form

  • DS-156

    Non-immigrant visa

  • DS-260

    Immigrant visa

  • I-90

    Renewal or replacement of permanent residence card (green card)

  • G-639

    FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)

  • I-129F

    Petition for fiance

  • I-130

    Petition for alien relative (immediate family members)

  • I-131

    Travel document

  • I-360

    VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)

  • I-485

    Adjusting status to a Lawful Permanent Residence

  • I-589

    Asylum application - filed within one year of arrival to the U.S.

  • I-601

    Waiver for Ground of Inadmissibility

  • I-601A

    Unlawful Presence Waiver

  • 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)

  • I-765

    Employment authorization

  • I-821

    TPS (temporary protected status)

  • I-821D

    DACA renewal application - deferred action for juveniles

  • 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.

  • 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

  • N-400

    Naturalization (citizenship application) - Must have been an LPR for 5 yeas (or 3 years if married to a USC)

  • N-600

    Application for naturalization certificate, children (under 18 and unmarried) whose parents have naturalized)

  • SIJS

    Special immigrant juvenile status proceedings (unaccompanied minors)

Helpful Acronyms

  • USCIS

    United States Customs and Immigration Services

  • DOJ

    Department of Justice

  • DOJ ACCRD

    Department of Justice accreditation

  • LPR

    Lawful Permanent Residence (green card)

  • USC

    United States Citizen

  • EWI

    Entered without inspection (illegally)

  • EAD

    Employment Authorization Document

About Accreditation

  • 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.

  • Partially Accredited

    Can counsel immigration clients, complete immigration forms, and represent clients at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) interviews.

  • Fully Accredited

    Can do everything that a partially accredited representative can, plus allows representation before both DHS and EOIR (the Immigration Court and BIA).

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