Immigration Terms and Definitions

Immigration Form I-175
Application for Nonresident Alien's Canadian Border Crossing Card

Immigration Form I-864A
Affidavit of Support Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member

Alien
Any person not a citizen or national of the United States.

Refugee
Any person who is outside his or her country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution.

Country of (Last) Residence
The country in which an alien habitually resided prior to entering the United States.

Temporary Worker
An alien coming to the United States to work for a temporary period of time. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and the Immigration Act of 1990, as well as other legislation, revised existing classes and created new classes of nonimmigrant admission.

Overseas parole
Authorized at an USCIS District or suboffice while the alien is still overseas; designed to constitute long-term admission to the United States. In recent years, most of the aliens USCIS has processed through overseas parole have arrived under special legislation or international migration agreements.

Naturalization Application
The form used by a lawful permanent resident to apply for U.S. citizenship.

Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)
Any person not a citizen of the United States who is residing the in the U.S. under legally recognized and lawfully recorded permanent residence as an immigrant. Also known as "Permanent Resident Alien," "Resident Alien Permit Holder," and "Green Card Holder."

Exchange Visitor
An alien coming temporarily to the United States as a participant in a program approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of teaching, instructing or lecturing, studying, observing, conducting research, consulting, demonstrating special skills, or receiving training.