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Note : All definitions in this Glossary are provided in the context of U.S. immigration law.

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Green Card - synonym for the lawful permanent resident card, which is evidence of lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. The term comes from the former practice of issuing cards that were green in color. If one files for adjustment of status (I-485), then s/he becomes an LPR upon approval of that application. If one goes through consular processing, then s/he becomes an LPR from the time when s/he enters the U.S. with the immigrant visa from the consulate. <See Green Card Section on MurthyDotCom.> 

Green Card Holder - see Lawful Permanent Resident



H1B - the most commonly used type of temporary work visa. To qualify for the H1B, the position must require at least a bachelor's degree in a related field and one must have earned that degree or its equivalent. Although there is no list of specific occupations, the H1B is intended for professional positions, i.e. teachers, accountants, computer professionals, physicians, therapists, market research analysts, financial analysts, and architects. The employer files a petition on the individual’s behalf and, on that basis, the individual is either granted the H1B status or issued an approval for Consular Processing. <See also, H1B Status Issues article on MurthyDotCom.>

H1B Cap - an annual limit on the number of new H1B visas that can be granted in each fiscal year. There are certain types of sponsors that are exempt from the annual cap and the first 20,000 (at the time of this writing) beneficiaries who have earned masters' (or higher) degrees from U.S. institutions are exempt from the cap.

Home Residency Requirement (HRR) - the requirement for certain J visa holders to return to the last previous country of residence for a minimum of two years before eligibility (with certain exceptions) to change status, adjust status, or apply for an immigrant visa as stipulated under section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This requirement applies to any individual whose program was funded, at least in part, by a U.S. government agency or the home country of the individual; to any individual participating in graduate medical training; and to programs involving a filed of study listed in the Exchange Visitor's Skill List for her/his home country. Note: If one is subject to the HRR, a waiver may be possible under certain circumstances.



ICE - See U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

ICHP (International Commission on Healthcare Professions) - a division of CGFNS that administers the VisaScreen Certification Program

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) - an examination which provides a complete assessment of English reading, writing, and speaking proficiency. The IELTS is jointly administered by the University of Cambridge ESOL (English as a Second Language) Examinations, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia, and is offered throughout most regions of the world. The IELTS is one of the approved exams that satisfies the spoken and written English language proficiency requirements for obtaining a CGFNS Certificate and VisaScreen Certification.

Illegal Immigration and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) - legislation that created a series of major changes in immigration law, including the shift from deportation proceedings to removal proceedings.

Immediate Relative - the parent, spouse, or child (under 21) of a U.S. citizen. Immediate Relatives are not subject to any immigration quotas. In contrast, other relatives such as adult children of citizens or relatives of permanent residents may have to wait many years for their priority dates to become current.

Immigrant - person with the intention of staying in the U.S. permanently

Immigrant Visa (IV) - a permanent visa issued at a consulate. Upon entering the U.S. with the IV packet from the consulate, one is admitted as a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR).

Immigrant Intent - all visitors to the U.S. are presumed to have the intention to remain permanently, unless they demonstrate otherwise.

Immigration Information Officer (also, IIO) - the person one reaches by phone when calling a USCIS Service Center. Those at the information counter at a local District Office of the USCIS may also be known as IIOs.

Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) - the federal government agency with the primary responsibility for immigration issues until March 1, 2003. Now referred to as Legacy INS, all duties formerly performed by this agency are now carried out by government agencies under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including but not limited to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), and Immigration and U.S. Customs Enforcement (ICE). The U.S. Department of State (DOS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) also have key immigration-related responsibilities.

Immigration Judge (also, IJ) - administrative judges who make decisions in immigration proceedings, including bond determinations and removal proceedings.

Inspection - the process by which a person is questioned, and his or her documents are examined, at a Port of Entry (POE) to the U.S. In order to enter the U.S. legally, one must be inspected and either admitted or paroled. (See also definitions of Admission, Deferred Inspection, Inspector, and, Parole.)

Inspector - the CBP officer conducting the check or Inspection. One encounters inspectors at airports as well as at land borders.

Interfiling - procedure allowing an applicant to change the I-140 petition upon which the I-485 is based in order to proceed through a new or different I-140 petition for the same beneficiary

I-94 Card (also, Arrival / Departure Record) - official record indicating the date of entry / extension / change, the status in which one is admitted and the expiration date of that status. The I-94 can either be the small card, generally white, that was issued at the Port of Entry (POE) or, if the person changed or extended status in the U.S., the latest I-94 would be attached to the bottom of a USCIS Approval Notice (I-797). Visa Waiver Program travelers obtain a green I-94W. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) and U.S. citizens receive stamps in their passports, but are not issued I-94s.

I-797 - a USCIS notice that can be a Receipt Notice, an Approval Notice or a Request for Evidence (RFE), though people typically use the term to refer to the Approval Notice, specifically.

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