Plain-English definitions

The family immigration glossary

Sixty terms you'll meet in your case — defined the way we'd explain them across a desk, each linked to the page that covers it in depth.

60 termsCurrent as of July 2026

A

Adjustment of status: The process of applying for a green card from inside the United States without leaving the country, using Form I-485. It is the alternative to consular processing, which happens at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Not everyone qualifies — how you entered the U.S. and your current status matter. Learn more →
Advance parole: A travel document (requested on Form I-131) that lets a pending green card applicant leave the U.S. and return without abandoning their application. Traveling without it while an I-485 is pending usually kills the case. It is not a visa and does not guarantee re-entry, but it is the standard way applicants travel safely. Learn more →
Affidavit of support (I-864): A legally binding contract in which the petitioner (and any joint sponsor) promises the U.S. government that the immigrant will not need means-tested public benefits. The sponsor must show income at or above a set percentage of the federal poverty guidelines for their household size. Almost every family-based green card case requires one. Learn more →
A-number: An "Alien Registration Number" — the unique 8- or 9-digit identifier (starting with "A") that the government assigns to a person in the immigration system. It stays with you for life and appears on green cards, work permits, and most USCIS notices. Keep it handy; nearly every filing asks for it. Learn more →

B

Beneficiary: The family member being sponsored for immigration — the person the I-130 petition is filed for. The beneficiary is the one who ultimately receives the visa or green card, while the petitioner is the U.S. citizen or permanent resident who files. Learn more →
Biometrics: A short appointment at a USCIS Application Support Center where fingerprints, a photo, and a signature are collected for background checks. Most green card and work permit applicants receive a biometrics notice within weeks of filing. Missing the appointment without rescheduling can get a case denied. Learn more →
Bona fide marriage: A real marriage entered into to build a life together — not to get an immigration benefit. USCIS looks for evidence like joint finances, shared living arrangements, photos over time, and children together. Proving the marriage is bona fide is the heart of every marriage-based case. Learn more →

C

Case number (receipt number): The 13-character identifier (three letters plus ten digits, e.g. IOE1234567890) printed on the receipt notice USCIS sends after you file. You use it to track case status online and to reference the case in any correspondence. Each form you file gets its own receipt number. Learn more →
Chargeability: The country an immigrant "counts against" for visa-quota purposes — normally the country of birth, not citizenship or residence. Because annual limits apply per country, chargeability determines which Visa Bulletin line controls your wait. In some cases a spouse's or parent's country of birth can be used instead (cross-chargeability). Learn more →
Civil surgeon: A doctor in the United States authorized by USCIS to perform the immigration medical exam (Form I-693) for people adjusting status. Only a designated civil surgeon's exam counts — your regular physician's records won't. Applicants abroad see a panel physician instead. Learn more →
Concurrent filing: Filing the family petition (I-130) and the green card application (I-485) together in one package instead of waiting for the petition to be approved first. It's available when a visa is immediately available — always true for immediate relatives — and it typically gets the work permit and travel document moving sooner. Learn more →
Conditional permanent resident: A green card holder whose status is valid for only two years because the marriage was less than two years old when the green card was approved. Before the card expires, the couple must file Form I-751 to remove the conditions and get the permanent ten-year card. Failing to file can put the resident in removal proceedings. Learn more →
Consular processing: Getting an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad rather than adjusting status inside the United States. After USCIS approves the petition, the case moves to the National Visa Center and then to an interview overseas. It is the standard path for spouses and relatives living outside the U.S. Learn more →
CSPA (Child Status Protection Act): A law that can keep a child's immigration "age" under 21 even after their actual 21st birthday. The CSPA age is the child's age when a visa becomes available, minus the time the petition was pending with USCIS. Since August 15, 2025, USCIS uses the Final Action Dates chart to decide when a visa "became available" for this calculation. Learn more →
Current (visa bulletin): A category is "current" (shown as "C" on the Visa Bulletin) when there is no backlog — every applicant in that category can move forward regardless of priority date. Immediate relative cases are always effectively current. When a category is current, you don't wait in the visa line at all. Learn more →

D

Dates for Filing: One of the two charts in the monthly Visa Bulletin. It shows the earliest priority dates that may submit their applications or documents, usually ahead of the Final Action Dates chart. Whether applicants inside the U.S. may use it in a given month is announced by USCIS. Learn more →
Derivative beneficiary: A spouse or unmarried child under 21 who immigrates along with the main beneficiary of a family-preference petition, without needing a separate petition. Immediate relative cases do not allow derivatives — each family member needs their own I-130. Derivatives share the principal's priority date and category. Learn more →
Documentarily qualified: The National Visa Center's label for a case in which all required fees, forms, and civil documents have been received and accepted. Once documentarily qualified, the case is in line for an interview appointment at the consulate. Reaching this milestone is the goal of the NVC stage. Learn more →
DS-260: The online immigrant visa application filed with the Department of State by anyone processing a green card case through a consulate abroad. It collects biographical, address, work, and travel history, and its answers are fair game at the visa interview. It is the consular-processing counterpart to Form I-485. Learn more →

E

EAD (work permit): The Employment Authorization Document — a photo card that proves the right to work in the U.S. while a green card or other application is pending. Adjustment applicants request it on Form I-765, usually filed together with the I-485. It also serves as government-issued ID and can be used to get a Social Security number. Learn more →
Entry without inspection (EWI): Entering the United States without being admitted or paroled by an immigration officer — for example, crossing the border away from a port of entry. EWI generally blocks adjustment of status even after marriage to a U.S. citizen, forcing a consular case that may need a waiver. How you entered is one of the first questions in any case evaluation. Learn more →
Extreme hardship: The legal standard for most family-based waivers: hardship to a qualifying U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative that goes well beyond the ordinary pain of separation. Medical, financial, psychological, and country-condition factors are weighed together. Building the hardship record is the core of any I-601 or I-601A filing. Learn more →

F

F2A category: The family-preference category for spouses and unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents. Unlike immediate relatives, F2A is subject to annual limits, so waits depend on the Visa Bulletin — though as of August 2026 F2A is current on the Dates for Filing chart. It is the main route for green card holders sponsoring a husband or wife. Learn more →
Final Action Dates: The Visa Bulletin chart showing which priority dates can actually be approved — the true front of the visa line. A case can only be finished (visa issued or green card granted) when its priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff. Since August 15, 2025, this is also the chart USCIS uses for CSPA age calculations. Learn more →

G

Green card: The common name for the Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), proof of the right to live and work in the United States permanently. Marriage-based cards come in two versions: a two-year conditional card and a ten-year permanent card. Holding one starts the clock toward U.S. citizenship. Learn more →

H

Household size (I-864): The number used to set the income requirement on the affidavit of support. It counts the sponsor, their dependents, the immigrant(s) being sponsored, and anyone the sponsor is still obligated to support from prior affidavits. A bigger household means a higher income threshold under the poverty guidelines. Learn more →

I

I-130: The Petition for Alien Relative — the form a U.S. citizen or permanent resident files to establish a qualifying family relationship with the relative they want to sponsor. It is the first step in almost every family-based case and locks in the priority date. Approval confirms the relationship but is not itself a green card. Learn more →
I-485: The Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status — the actual green card application for people applying from inside the United States. It can often be filed together with the I-130 (concurrent filing) and comes with eligibility for a work permit and advance parole while it's pending. Learn more →
I-551 stamp (ADIT stamp): A stamp placed in a passport (or issued on paper) as temporary proof of permanent resident status when the physical green card is unavailable — for example, while an I-751 is pending long-term or a card is lost. It works for employment verification and travel just like the card. USCIS issues it at field offices or, in many cases, by mail. Learn more →
I-601 waiver: The Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, used to forgive certain problems — such as some misrepresentation or unlawful-presence grounds — that would otherwise block a visa or green card. Most versions require showing extreme hardship to a qualifying U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative. It is typically filed after a consular officer or USCIS finds the applicant inadmissible. Learn more →
I-601A provisional waiver: A waiver of the unlawful-presence bars that is decided before the applicant leaves the U.S. for their consular interview, dramatically reducing the risk of being stuck abroad. It covers only unlawful presence — no other ground of inadmissibility — and requires showing extreme hardship to a U.S. citizen or LPR spouse or parent. Learn more →
I-751: The Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, filed in the 90 days before a two-year conditional green card expires. The receipt notice automatically extends the resident's status and card validity for 48 months while the case is decided. Couples file jointly, but waivers exist for divorce, abuse, and other situations. Learn more →
IMBRA: The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act — a law that adds protections to the K-1 fiancé(e) process. It requires the petitioner to disclose certain criminal history, limits how many fiancé(e) petitions one person can file over time, and ensures the foreign fiancé(e) receives information about the petitioner's background. Learn more →
Immediate relative: The spouse, parent, or unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen. Immediate relative visas have no annual limit, so there is never a Visa Bulletin wait — cases move as fast as the government can process them. This is the fastest family-based category. Learn more →
Immigrant visa: A visa issued at a U.S. consulate abroad to someone moving to the United States permanently. The holder becomes a lawful permanent resident the moment they are admitted at the border, and the physical green card follows by mail. It differs from nonimmigrant visas, which are for temporary stays. Learn more →
Inadmissibility: A legal ground that blocks someone from receiving a visa or green card — common examples include certain immigration violations, misrepresentation, criminal history, and health-related issues. Being inadmissible is not always the end of the road: many grounds can be forgiven with a waiver. Identifying inadmissibility issues early shapes the entire case strategy. Learn more →

J

Joint sponsor: A second person — often a relative or friend who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident — who signs their own I-864 when the petitioner's income falls short of the requirement. The joint sponsor must independently meet the income threshold for their own household plus the immigrant, and takes on the same legal obligations as the petitioner. Learn more →

K

K-1 visa: The fiancé(e) visa, available only to fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens — green card holders cannot use it. The couple must marry within 90 days of the fiancé(e)'s arrival, after which the new spouse applies for a green card through adjustment of status. It's often faster than a spousal visa for couples who aren't yet married. Learn more →
K-2 visa: The visa for the unmarried children under 21 of a K-1 fiancé(e), allowing them to travel to the U.S. with (or shortly after) the parent. K-2 children can apply for green cards along with the parent after the marriage takes place. They must remain unmarried to keep their eligibility. Learn more →
K-3 visa: A nonimmigrant visa meant to let the spouse of a U.S. citizen wait in the United States while the immigrant petition is processed. In practice it is rarely issued today because I-130 processing usually catches up before the K-3 does, and the case converts to a standard spousal immigrant visa. It remains an option in unusual timing situations. Learn more →

L

Lawful permanent resident (LPR): A person authorized to live and work in the United States permanently — a green card holder. LPRs can sponsor spouses and unmarried children (the F2A and F2B categories) and can eventually apply for citizenship. Status can be lost through abandonment or certain criminal or immigration violations. Learn more →

N

Naturalization: The process by which a permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen, including an application (Form N-400), an interview, and English and civics tests. Most people qualify after five years as an LPR — or three years if married to and living with a U.S. citizen the whole time. Citizenship brings voting rights and immunity from deportation. Learn more →
NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny): A formal warning that USCIS plans to deny a case, explaining why and giving a short window — typically 30 days — to respond with evidence and argument. A NOID is more serious than an RFE because the officer has already reached a negative conclusion. A strong, complete response is often the last chance to save the case before denial. Learn more →
NVC (National Visa Center): The Department of State facility that handles consular cases between USCIS approval and the embassy interview. The NVC collects fees, the DS-260, and civil and financial documents, then marks the case documentarily qualified and schedules it for interview. Most of a consular case's paperwork happens at this stage. Learn more →

P

Panel physician: A doctor abroad authorized by a U.S. embassy or consulate to perform the immigration medical exam for visa applicants. Only the exam of a designated panel physician is accepted — applicants can't use their own doctor. The domestic counterpart, for people adjusting status inside the U.S., is the civil surgeon. Learn more →
Parole: Official permission to physically enter or remain in the U.S. without being formally "admitted" — a legal fiction with real consequences. A person who was paroled (rather than entering without inspection) can often adjust status through a U.S. citizen spouse. Advance parole and humanitarian parole are the versions most families encounter. Learn more →
Petitioner: The U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident who files the immigration petition for a family member. The petitioner starts the case, signs the I-130, and normally also signs the affidavit of support. Their status (citizen vs. LPR) determines which categories and timelines apply. Learn more →
Poverty guidelines: Income thresholds published each year by the Department of Health and Human Services, used to set the minimum income for the I-864 affidavit of support. Most sponsors must show income of at least 125% of the guideline for their household size (100% for certain active-duty military). The figures update annually, so the required amount changes over time. Learn more →
Priority date: Your place in the visa line — generally the date USCIS received the I-130 petition. In the preference categories, you compare it against the Visa Bulletin cutoffs each month to see whether you can file or be approved. Immediate relatives don't need to worry about it because their category has no quota. Learn more →
Public charge: A ground of inadmissibility for applicants deemed likely to depend primarily on the government for support. Officers weigh age, health, income, family size, education, and the affidavit of support. Note that the governing rule is scheduled to change on September 18, 2026, so cases filed around that date need up-to-date advice. Learn more →

R

Removal proceedings: Deportation cases before an immigration judge, started when the government serves a Notice to Appear. Being in proceedings does not end a family case — a spouse or relative of a U.S. citizen can often still pursue a green card, but the immigration judge (not USCIS) decides the adjustment application. Strategy and timing become critical. Learn more →
Retrogression: When a Visa Bulletin cutoff date moves backward from one month to the next because demand exceeded the visa supply. Cases that were about to finish can suddenly have to wait again, sometimes for months. Retrogression affects preference categories only — immediate relatives are immune. Learn more →
RFE (Request for Evidence): A notice from USCIS asking for more documents before it decides a case, with a deadline that is usually around 87 days. An RFE is not a denial — it's a chance to fill the gaps the officer identified. Responding completely and on time, in one package, is essential because there is typically only one opportunity. Learn more →

S

Sponsor: In the financial sense, the person who signs the I-864 affidavit of support and accepts legal responsibility for the immigrant's support. The petitioner must always sign as sponsor, even with low income; a joint sponsor can be added to meet the numbers. The obligation lasts until the immigrant becomes a citizen, earns 40 quarters of work, leaves permanently, or dies. Learn more →
Stokes interview: A second, more intensive marriage interview in which spouses are questioned separately and their answers compared, question by question. USCIS schedules it when the first interview raises doubts about whether the marriage is real. Preparation and consistent, truthful answers — ideally with counsel present — make the difference. Learn more →

U

Unlawful presence: Time spent in the U.S. after a period of authorized stay ends or after entering without inspection. Accruing more than 180 days triggers a 3-year bar, and a year or more triggers a 10-year bar — but the bars only activate when the person departs the United States. That trap is exactly what the I-601A provisional waiver is designed to manage. Learn more →
USCIS: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — the agency inside the Department of Homeland Security that decides petitions, green card applications, work permits, and naturalization. It is the benefits side of the immigration system, distinct from the enforcement agencies (ICE and CBP) and the consulates (Department of State). Learn more →

V

VAWA self-petition: A petition (Form I-360) that lets an abused spouse, child, or parent of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident apply for a green card on their own — without the abuser's knowledge, participation, or signature. Despite the name (Violence Against Women Act), it protects people of any gender. Filings are confidential by law. Learn more →
Visa Bulletin: The monthly Department of State chart showing which priority dates can move forward in the quota-limited visa categories. It has two charts — Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing — and reading it correctly tells you where you stand in line. Immediate relative cases never appear on it because they have no quota. Learn more →

W

Waiver: Legal forgiveness for a ground of inadmissibility that would otherwise block a visa or green card — filed on forms like the I-601 or I-601A depending on the issue and where the applicant is. Most family-based waivers turn on proving extreme hardship to a qualifying U.S. citizen or LPR relative. Not every ground can be waived, so an honest assessment comes first. Learn more →

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