It is important to familiarize yourself with the following immigration terms and abbreviations. These are common immigration terms used at USCIS offices, United States Embassies, and United States Consulates. You will also find these terms in immigration forms and other legal documents.

Our Glossary of Immigration Terms is organized in alphabetical order and divided into sections due to its extensive size. Use the menu below to locate the term you are looking for.

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F-1 Status
F-1 is the visa type used by international students to enter the United States. The I-94 Form in the passport will be marked with the letters “F-1” and “D/S”.  D/S stands for “Duration of Status”.

Fiancée of U.S. Citizen
A fiancée of a U.S. citizen is someone who is engaged to be married to a U.S. citizen, or a nonimmigrant foreigner who enters the United States to finalize a valid marriage within ninety days of her/his entry with a U.S. citizen

Files Control Office
A USCIS field office is either a district or a sub-office of that district where foreigners’ case files are maintained and controlled.

Fiscal Year
The fiscal year starts October 1 and ends in September 30.

Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM)
The abbreviation for Foreign Affairs Manual Chapter 41, which relates to nonimmigrant visas. Chapter 42 covers immigrant visas.

Foreign Alien/National
Any person born outside the U.S who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Foreign Government Official
Foreigners who are accredited by a foreign government to work as diplomats, public ministers, career diplomatic or consular officials, other accredited officers, or assistants, servants or personal employees of accredited officials, and their spouses and dependent children. These officials enter the United States for a temporary period as nonimmigrants.

Foreign Information Media Representative
A foreigner who enters the United States temporarily as a bona fide envoy of foreign press, radio, film, or other foreign information media and the foreigner’s spouse and dependent children.

Foreign State of Chargeability
The independent country that an immigrant under the preference scheme is credited to.

Form DS- 2019

A document provided by a university or school that proves the individual is attending school and allows him or her to enter the U.S. legally through a J-1 visa.

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► Click on the letters above for more U.S. Immigration Terms.