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Glossary of Immigration Terms & Legal Terms Begining with A

Accompanying

From travel.state.gov A type of visa in which family members travel with the principal applicant, (in immigrant visa cases, within six months of issuance of an immigrant visa to the pri
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Acquired Citizenship

Citizenship conferred at birth on children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent(s).

Acquittal

A jury verdict that a criminal defendant is not guilty, or the finding of a judge that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction.

Active Judge

A judge in the full-time service of the court. Compare to senior judge.

Adjust Status

From travel.state.gov 1) To change from a nonimmigrant visa status or other status 2) To adjust the status of a permanent resident (green card holder).

Adjustment of Status

Procedure allowing certain aliens already in the United States to apply for immigrant status. Aliens admitted to the United States in a nonimmigrant, refugee, or parolee category may ha
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Adjustment to Immigrant Status

Procedure allowing certain aliens already in the United States to apply for immigrant status. Aliens admitted to the United States in a nonimmigrant, refugee, or parolee category may ha
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Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO)

The federal agency responsible for collecting court statistics, administering the federal courts' budget, and performing many other administrative and programmatic functions, under
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Admissible

A term used to describe evidence that may be considered by a jury or judge in civil and criminal cases.

Admission

From travel.state.gov Entry into the United States is authorized by a Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. When you come from abroad and first a
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Adopted Child

From travel.state.gov An unmarried child under age 21, who was adopted while under the age of sixteen, and who has been in legal custody and lived with the adopting parent(s) for at lea
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Advance Parole

From travel.state.gov Permission to return to the United States after travel abroad granted by DHS prior to leaving the U.S. The following categories of people may need advance parole:
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Adversary Proceeding

A lawsuit arising in or related to a bankruptcy case that begins by filing a complaint with the court, that is, a "trial" that takes place within the context of a bankruptcy case

Advisory Opinion

From travel.state.gov An opinion regarding a point of law from the Office of Visa Services in the Department of State, Washington, D.C. This opinion would be in answer to a question fro
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Affidavit

A written or printed statement made under oath.

Affidavit of Support

From travel.state.gov A document promising that the person who completes it will support an applicant financially in the United States. Family and certain employment immigration cases r
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Affiliated

d or controlled by the same owner or authority.

Affirmed

In the practice of the court of appeals, it means that the court of appeals has concluded that the lower court decision is correct and will stand as rendered by the lower court.

Agent

From travel.state.gov In immigrant visa processing the applicant selects a person who receives all correspondence regarding the case and pays the immigrant visa application processing f
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Agricultural Worker

As a nonimmigrant class of admission, an alien coming temporarily to the United States to perform agricultural labor or services, as defined by the Secretary of Labor.

AILA

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)is a voluntary membership association for lawyers and law professionals (e.g., paralegals) interested in practicing immigration law. A
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Alien

From travel.state.gov A foreign national who is not a United States citizen. Any person not a citizen or national of the United States.

Alternate Juror

A juror selected in the same manner as a regular juror who hears all the evidence but does not help decide the case unless called on to replace a regular juror.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

A procedure for settling a dispute outside the courtroom. Most forms of ADR are not binding on the parties, and involve referral of the case to a neutral party such as an arbitrator or
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Amerasian (Vietnam)

Immigrant visas are issued to Amerasians under Public Law 100-202 (Act of 12/22/87), which provides for the admission of aliens born in Vietnam after January 1, 1962, and before January
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Amerasian Act

Public Law 97-359 (Act of 10/22/82) provides for the immigration to the United States of certain Amerasian children. In order to qualify for benefits under this law, an alien must have
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American Immigration Lawyers Association

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)is a voluntary membership association for lawyers and law professionals (e.g., paralegals) interested in practicing immigration law. A
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Amicus Curiae

Latin for "friend of the court." It is advice formally offered to the court in a brief filed by an entity interested in, but not a party to, the case.

AOS

From travel.state.gov Affidavit of Support, Form I-864. A document promising that the person who completes it will support an applicant financially in the United States. Family and cert
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Appeal

A request made after a trial by a party that has lost on one or more issues that a higher court review the decision to determine if it was correct. To make such a request is "to appeal"
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Appellant

The party who appeals a district court's decision, usually seeking reversal of that decision.

Appellate

About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgment of a lower court (trial court) or tribunal. For example, the U.S. circuit courts of appeals review the decisions o
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Appellee

The party who opposes an appellant's appeal, and who seeks to persuade the appeals court to affirm the district court's decision.

Applicant (Visa)

From travel.state.gov A foreign citizen who is applying for a nonimmigrant or immigrant U.S. visa. The visa applicant may also be referred as a beneficiary for petition based visas

Application Support Center

USCIS Offices fingerprint applicants for immigration benefits. Some USCIS applications, such as the Application for Naturalization or the Application to Register Permanent Residence or
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Appointment Package

From travel.state.gov The letter and documents that tell an applicant of the date of the immigrant visa interview. It includes forms that the applicant must complete before the intervie
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Apprehension

The arrest of a removable alien by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Each apprehension of the same alien in a fiscal year is counted separately.

Approval Notice

From travel.state.gov A Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) immigration form, Notice of Action, Form I-797 that says that USCIS h
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Arraignment

A proceeding in which a criminal defendant is brought into court, told of the charges in an indictment or information, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.

Arrival-Departure Card

From travel.state.gov Also known as Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record. The Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection official at the port-of-entry gives foreign v
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Article III Judge

A federal judge who is appointed for life, during "good behavior," under Article III of the Constitution. Article III judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by th
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Asset

Property of all kinds, including real and personal, tangible and intangible.

Asylee

An alien in the United States or at a port of entry who is found to be unable or unwilling to return to his or her country of nationality, or to seek the protection of that country beca
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Asylum-Only Hearing

An asylum-only hearing applies to an individual who is denied a removal hearing under the law. These individuals include crewmen, stowaways, Visa Waiver Pilot Program beneficiaries, and
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Attorney

A attorney in the United States is an individual licensed or otherwise authorized by one or more Courts, the United States Patent & Trademark Office, the USCIS, the Board of Immigra
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Attorney General

The official of the executive branch appointed by the President to head the Justice Department..

Automatic Stay

An injunction that automatically stops lawsuits, foreclosure, garnishments, and most collection activity against the debtor the moment a bankruptcy petition is filed.