Immigration and legal paperwork is full of acronyms and terms that can be confusing — especially when your future, your family, or your health is on the line. This plain-language glossary defines the most common words you will hear from a government agency, a court, or an attorney. Each definition is written to be clear and accurate, but it is general information, not legal advice.
Use the sections below to find a term. Where a topic has a dedicated guide, we link to it so you can read more.
Immigration Status & Green Card Terms
Green Card (Lawful Permanent Resident / LPR): A Green Card is the common name for the document that proves you are a lawful permanent resident of the United States. A permanent resident may live and work in the U.S. permanently and, after meeting certain requirements, may apply for citizenship.
Adjustment of Status (AOS): Adjustment of status is the process that lets certain people already inside the United States apply for a Green Card without leaving the country. It is usually filed on Form I-485. A common path is the marriage green card lawyer route, where a spouse of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident adjusts status from within the U.S.
Consular Processing: Consular processing is the path for people outside the United States to obtain an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, rather than adjusting status from inside the country. A consular processing lawyer can help with the National Visa Center stage and the consular interview.
Petitioner and Beneficiary: The petitioner is the U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or employer who files an immigration petition. The beneficiary is the foreign national the petition is filed for. In family-based immigration lawyer cases, a relative petitions for a family member.
Priority Date: Your priority date is the date USCIS received the petition that started your immigration case. It marks your place in line. For categories with limited visas each year, you can only move forward when your priority date becomes "current" under the Visa Bulletin.
Visa Bulletin: The Visa Bulletin is a monthly chart published by the U.S. Department of State that shows which priority dates are eligible to move forward in family- and employment-based categories. It is how the government manages annual visa limits and backlogs.
Preference Category: A preference category is the group your family or employment petition falls into, which affects how long you wait for a visa. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, unmarried minor children, and parents) are not subject to these annual limits; most other relatives are.
Affidavit of Support (Form I-864): The Affidavit of Support is a contract in which a sponsor promises to financially support an intending immigrant so the immigrant does not become a "public charge." It is a required part of most family-based Green Card cases.
EAD (Employment Authorization Document): An EAD, sometimes called a work permit, is the card that proves a non-citizen is allowed to work in the United States for a set period. Many people apply for an EAD while a longer case, such as adjustment of status or asylum, is pending.
Advance Parole: Advance parole is travel permission that allows certain applicants with a pending case to leave the U.S. and return without abandoning their application. Traveling without it can cause serious problems, so check with an attorney first.
Parole: In immigration law, parole is permission to enter or remain in the U.S. temporarily for an urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit. Parole is not a visa and does not by itself grant permanent status.
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals): DACA is a program that offers certain people who came to the U.S. as children temporary protection from removal and work authorization, renewable in periods. DACA does not grant lawful status or a path to a Green Card. The program has faced ongoing legal challenges. Learn more from a DACA lawyer.
Naturalization: Naturalization is the process by which a lawful permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen, usually by filing Form N-400, passing English and civics tests, and taking the Oath of Allegiance. A naturalization lawyer can confirm whether you meet the residency and other requirements.
Asylum: Asylum is a protection for people already in the U.S. (or at a port of entry) who cannot return to their home country because of persecution, or a well-founded fear of persecution, based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. An asylum lawyer can explain affirmative and defensive asylum and filing deadlines.
Withholding of Removal: Withholding of removal is a separate protection from asylum. It can stop the government from deporting someone to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened, but it carries a higher burden of proof and gives fewer benefits than asylum.
U Visa: A U visa is an immigration benefit for certain victims of qualifying crimes who have suffered abuse and who help law enforcement investigate or prosecute the crime. A U visa lawyer can review whether your situation may qualify.
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act): VAWA allows certain abused spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens or permanent residents to "self-petition" for status without the abuser's knowledge or cooperation. Despite the name, VAWA protections apply to people of any gender.
T Visa: A T visa is an immigration benefit for certain victims of human trafficking who assist law enforcement and meet other requirements.
Public Charge: Public charge is a test the government may apply to decide whether someone is likely to depend primarily on certain government benefits. It can affect some Green Card and visa applications. The rules have changed over time.
Inadmissibility: Inadmissibility refers to legal grounds — such as certain criminal history, prior immigration violations, or health issues — that can bar a person from entering the U.S. or getting a Green Card. Some grounds can be overcome with a waiver.
Waiver: A waiver is a request asking the government to forgive a specific ground of inadmissibility so a case can move forward. Waivers are discretionary and often require showing hardship to a qualifying relative.
Immigration Court & Removal Terms
Removal Proceedings (Deportation): Removal proceedings are the court process in which the government seeks to deport (remove) a non-citizen from the United States. "Deportation" is the everyday word for removal. A deportation defense lawyer represents people in this process.
NTA (Notice to Appear): A Notice to Appear, or NTA, is the charging document the government uses to begin removal proceedings. It tells you why the government says you are removable and orders you to appear before an immigration judge. Read the date and address carefully — missing a hearing can lead to an order of removal.
EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review): EOIR is the agency, part of the U.S. Department of Justice, that runs the immigration courts and employs the immigration judges who decide removal cases. It is separate from USCIS.
Cancellation of Removal: Cancellation of removal is a defense that, if granted by an immigration judge, can stop a deportation and give certain long-term residents a Green Card. Eligibility rules are strict and differ for permanent residents and non-permanent residents.
Voluntary Departure: Voluntary departure is permission to leave the U.S. by a set deadline at your own expense, instead of receiving a formal removal order. It can preserve future options but carries strict conditions and consequences if you miss the deadline.
Bond Hearing: A bond hearing is a hearing where an immigration judge decides whether a detained person can be released from custody, and on what conditions, while their case continues.
Order of Removal: An order of removal is a judge's or official's final decision that a person must be deported. There may be limited time to appeal, so act quickly with counsel.
Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA): The BIA is the highest administrative body for interpreting and applying U.S. immigration laws. It reviews appeals of decisions made by immigration judges and certain USCIS officers.
Forms, Agencies & Process Terms
USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services): USCIS is the federal agency that handles most immigration applications and petitions filed inside the United States — including Green Cards, work permits, asylum, and naturalization.
RFE (Request for Evidence): An RFE is a written notice from USCIS asking for more documents or information before it decides your case. It is not a denial. Responding fully and on time is critical; an immigration lawyer can help you prepare a strong response.
NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny): A NOID is a notice telling you that USCIS plans to deny your case unless you provide a strong response addressing specific concerns. It is more serious than an RFE.
Biometrics: Biometrics is the appointment where USCIS collects your fingerprints, photo, and signature, usually for a background check.
Priority Date vs. Filing Date: The filing date is when you submit a form; the priority date is the date that fixes your place in line for a visa. They are not always the same — confusing them is a common and costly mistake.
Form I-130: Form I-130 is the petition a U.S. citizen or permanent resident files to establish a qualifying family relationship with a relative who wants a Green Card.
Form I-485: Form I-485 is the application used to apply for a Green Card through adjustment of status while inside the United States.
Form N-400: Form N-400 is the application for naturalization — the form a permanent resident files to become a U.S. citizen.
Form I-589: Form I-589 is the application for asylum and for withholding of removal.
Injury, Workers' Comp & Mass Tort Terms
Statute of Limitations: A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to file a lawsuit or claim. If you miss it, you can lose the right to recover compensation no matter how strong your case is. Deadlines vary by claim type and state.
Personal Injury: Personal injury is the area of law that lets a person who is hurt by someone else's negligence — in a crash, a fall, or another accident — seek compensation. A personal injury lawyer evaluates fault, damages, and insurance coverage.
Negligence: Negligence is the failure to use reasonable care, which causes harm to another person. It is the foundation of most injury cases.
Liability: Liability means legal responsibility for an injury or loss. Establishing who is liable is central to any injury or accident claim.
Damages: Damages are the money a court or settlement may award to compensate for losses — such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Contingency Fee: A contingency fee means the lawyer's fee is a percentage of the recovery and is only owed if the case succeeds — often described as "no win, no fee." Costs and percentages vary, so ask for the terms in writing.
Workers' Compensation: Workers' compensation is a no-fault insurance system that provides benefits — such as medical care and partial lost wages — to employees injured on the job, usually regardless of who was at fault. A workers compensation lawyer can explain deadlines and benefits.
Third-Party Claim: A third-party claim is a separate injury lawsuit against someone other than your employer — such as an equipment maker or another contractor — that may be available alongside a workers' comp claim, often after a construction accident workers compensation injury.
Mass Tort: A mass tort is a legal action where many people injured by the same product, drug, or event bring individual claims that are handled together for efficiency. Unlike a class action, each person keeps a separate case. A mass tort lawyer can explain how this works.
MDL (Multidistrict Litigation): MDL is a federal procedure that groups many similar lawsuits before one judge for pretrial coordination, while each case stays individual. It is common in dangerous drug lawsuit attorney and defective-product cases.
Class Action: A class action is a single lawsuit brought on behalf of a large group of people with similar claims, decided together, where members typically share one outcome. The difference between this and a mass tort is explained in our mass tort vs class action guide.
Settlement: A settlement is an agreement to resolve a claim for an agreed amount or terms without a trial. Most injury and tort cases resolve through settlement rather than a verdict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between adjustment of status and consular processing?
Both are paths to a Green Card. Adjustment of status is for people already inside the United States who apply without leaving. Consular processing is for people outside the U.S. who obtain an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Which path applies depends on where you are and how you entered.
Is an RFE a denial?
No. A Request for Evidence (RFE) means USCIS needs more information before deciding. It is an opportunity to strengthen your case. Responding completely and before the deadline is essential.
What is the difference between a mass tort and a class action?
In a mass tort, many people injured by the same product or event keep individual cases that are coordinated together, so outcomes can differ by person. In a class action, one lawsuit is decided on behalf of a whole group, and members generally share a single outcome.
Why does the statute of limitations matter so much?
Because it is a hard deadline. If you file a claim after the statute of limitations expires, the court can dismiss it regardless of how strong your evidence is. Deadlines differ by claim type and state, so it is important to speak with an attorney early.
Does this glossary count as legal advice?
No. It is general educational information to help you understand common terms. Every situation is unique, and the law changes. For guidance on your specific case, speak with a licensed attorney.
Talk to De La Rosa Law
If any of these terms apply to your situation — an immigration notice, an injury, a work accident, or a product that harmed you — you do not have to figure it out alone. De La Rosa Law offers a free, confidential case evaluation in English and Spanish. Start with our immigration lawyer team, or read the Spanish version of this glossary.
Every case is reviewed by our legal team. No cost, no obligation. Se Habla Español.
