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US Green Card

A Green Card or Immigrant Visa gives a person (technically known as "Lawful Permanent Resident - "LPR") the right to live and work in USA permanently, and to eventually obtain US Citizenship.

a p f c v g e i o n r s l

Click one of the letters above to go to a page containing all terms beginning with that letter.

Adjustment of Status edit term search for term: The process though which a person within USA obtains a change in their status to green card holder. This is usually the last step for (most not all) green card process.

Detailed definition of Adjustment of Status
--Advance Parole edit term search for term: Advance Parole or AP (Form I-131): The authorization to travel outside the US while your adjustment of status is pending. Note, Form I-131 is also used for Reentry Permit, an application by a US green card holder to be away from USA for over one year.

Detailed definition of Advance Parole

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--Preadjudication edit term search for term: Used mostly in the context of the last step in green card processing (Adjustment of Status), preadjudication means USCIS is proceeding to make decision on the file even though priority date is not yet current. The idea is that way when the PD gets current, all they need to do is send approval notice and then the green card. So if the AOS is preadjudicated, you still need to wait for the PD to become current.

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--AC21 AOS Portability edit term search for term: AC21 is the name given to a law that provides for several matters including the ability to change jobs while an employment-based green card is pending (I-485 AC21 portability) and to start working for an H-1B employer as soon as transfer petition is filed with the USCIS.

Detailed definition of AC21 AOS Portability

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Form I-130 edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Form I-130
Form I-131 edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Form I-131
Form I-140 edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Form I-140
Form I-485 edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Form I-485
Form I-693 edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Form I-693
Form I-751 edit term search for term: Petition for a conditional resident who obtained status through marriage to apply to remove the conditions on his or her residence.

Detailed definition of Form I-751
Form I-765 edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Form I-765

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Adoption edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Adoption

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Consular Processing edit term search for term: An alternative to obtaining the last step in the green card through the consulates outside USA. This is an alternative to adjustment of status.

Detailed definition of Consular Processing
CSPA edit term search for term: Child Status Protection Act

Detailed definition of CSPA

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VAWA edit term search for term: Violence Against Women Act

Detailed definition of VAWA

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Appeals and MTR - Green Card edit term search for term: These are topics related to appeals and motions for reconsideration or reopening of decisions (MTR) by govt. agencies such as USCIS, USDOL, etc.

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General Green Card edit term search for term: Detailed definition of General Green Card

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Employment Based Green Cards edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Employment Based Green Cards
--EB1 Green Card edit term search for term: Detailed definition of EB1 Green Card

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----International Managers, Executives edit term search for term: Detailed definition of International Managers, Executives

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----Extraordinary Ability edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Extraordinary Ability

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----Outstanding Researcher, Professor edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Outstanding Researcher, Professor

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--EB2 Green Card edit term search for term: Detailed definition of EB2 Green Card
--EB3 Green Card edit term search for term: Detailed definition of EB3 Green Card
--EB4 Green Card edit term search for term: EB4 category is for religious workers.

Detailed definition of EB4 Green Card
--EB5 Green Card edit term search for term: Detailed definition of EB5 Green Card

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--National Interest Waiver edit term search for term: Detailed definition of National Interest Waiver

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Reentry Permit edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Reentry Permit

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Family-Based Green Cards edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Family-Based Green Cards

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--Green Card through Parent or Child edit term search for term
----Green Card through Parents edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Green Card through Parents
----Green Card through Children edit term search for term: i
--Immigration through Marriage edit term search for term: g
--Green Card through Brother or Sister edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Green Card through Brother or Sister
--Green Card for Abused Spouse edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Green Card for Abused Spouse
Green Card Lottery edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Green Card Lottery

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Refugee and Political Asylum edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Refugee and Political Asylum
--Refugee edit term search for term: p
--Political Asylum edit term search for term
Priority Date edit term search for term: Detailed definition of Priority Date

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Visa Bulletin edit term search for term: A publication of the US State Department that keeps track of the green card backlogs and informs us which "Priority Dates" are current so the applicants can expect to get through the last step of their green card processing. This is published every month around the 14th and tells us the availability for the following month. Note that certain categories of applicants ("immediate relatives") such as spouse of a US citizen are not shown in the visa bulletin because they are entitled to have their applications considered without any wait.

Detailed definition of Visa Bulletin

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Investment edit term search for term: s
Special Green Cards edit term search for term: p
PERM - Labor Certification edit term search for term: Detailed definition of PERM - Labor Certification

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--Audits edit term search for term: PERM audits typically involve questions from the USDOL regarding the PERM filing.

Detailed definition of Audits

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Loss of green card edit term search for term: Includes topics of loss of physical green card papers or the card itself as well as loss of green card through abandonment and criminal activity.

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Cards

Common Topics

Professions