Abbreviations Commonly Used by the US Immigration Service

Compiled by J Craig Fong, Los Angeles Immigration Attorney

Many people who are doing their own research are confused by the jumble of letters and numbers often used as shorthand by immigration attorneys, consular officers, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Here are a few of the most commonly used abbreviations:

Someone asked me in a private e-mail whether there was a list of abbreviations related to immigration issues. What follows is a small list of some of the most common shorthand terms used:

• AmConGen = American Consulate-General (aka USConGen)
• AmEmb = American Embassy
• ACS = American Citizens' Services (section at AmEmb or AmConGen)
• AOS = Adjustment of Status
• BIA = Board of Immigration Appeals
• CBP = US Customs and Border Protection
• CFR = Code of Federal Regulations
• CIMT = Crime Involving Moral Turpitude (aka Crime of Moral Turpitude)
• CIS = US Citizenship and Immigration Services
• ConOff = Consular Officer
• COS = Change of Status
• CR = Conditional Resident
• DHS = Department of Homeland Security
• DOS = Department of State
• DS-156 = Application for Nonimmigrant Visa
• DS-157 = NIV Supplemental Information (Security Screen)
• DS-158 = NIV Employment and Education Supplement
• DS-230 = Application for Immigrant Visa
• DS-2019 = Exchange Visitor Information Form
• DSO = Designated School Official
• d/s = Duration of Status
• EAD = Employment Authorization Document
• EOS = Extension of (nonimmigrant) Stay
• I-20 = F-1 / M-1 Student Acceptance Form
• I-94 = Arrival-Departure Control Card
• I-129 = Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker
• I-129F = Petition for Fiancé(e)
• I-130 = Petition for Alien Relative
• I-131 = Application for Travel Document
• I-140 = Petition for Alien Worker
• I-485 = Application for Adjustment of Status
• I-539 = Application for Change of Nonimmigrant Status or to Extend Nonimmigrant Stay
• I-551 = Legal Permanent Resident Card
• I-765 = Application for Employment Authorization Document
• IAP-66 = Exchange Visitor Information Form (obsolete)
• IBIS = Interagency Border Inspection System (one of several criminal record and security verification data bases)
• ICE = Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• IMFA = Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments (to the INA)
• INA = Immigration and Nationality Act
• IR = Immediate Relative
• IRCA = Immigration Reform & Control Act (of 1986)
• IV = Immigrant Visa
• LPR = Legal Permanent Resident
• N-400 = Application for Naturalization
• NIV = Nonimmigrant Visa
• NOID = Notice of Intent to Deny
• NTA = Notice to Appear (before an immigration judge)
• PPT = Passport
• RFE = Request for Evidence
• SEVIS = Student & Exchange visitor Information System
• ULP = Unlawful Presence
• USC = US Citizen
• USN = US National
• USConGen = US Consulate-General
• VIOPP = Visa in Other Passport
• VO = Visa Office (at US Department of State)
• VWP = Visa Waiver Program (formerly, Visa Waiver Pilot Program)