Aliens are any individuals who were not born in the United States or United States territories and who have not become naturalized United States Citizens.
An Immigrant visa is issued to an Amerasian under Public Law 100-202
(Act of 12/22/87), which provides for the admission of an alien born in Vietnam between January 1, 1962, and January 1, 1976, if the alien was fathered by a United States citizen. A spouse, children, and parents or guardian may accompany the alien. Because they are not forced to leave Vietnam, Amerasians enter this country as “Immigrants.” However, they are eligible to receive services under the Refugee Resettlement Program and do not have an individual sponsor.
An asylee is an alien already present in the United States or at a port of entry unwilling to return to his or her country of nationality, or to seek protection of that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. Persecution or the fear thereof may be based on the alien’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. For persons with no nationality, the country or nationality is considered to be the country in which the alien last habitually resided.
This category was created for the Cuban and Haitian arrivals.
Also known as an undocumented immigrant, this is someone who enters or lives in the United States without official authorization, either by entering without inspection (EWI) by the INS, overstaying his/her visa, or violating the terms of his/her visa.
An immigrant is an alien admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident. An immigrant is a person lawfully admitted to the United States as an actual or prospective lawful permanent resident, a person with the right to eventually obtain citizenship. Legal “immigrants” are granted admission to the United States on the basis of family relation or job skill. All immigrants are sponsored.
Also used as a “general term” for all non citizens in the United States.
A nonimmigrant visa is issued to an alien who seeks temporary entry to the United States for a specific purpose and qualifies for the nonimmigrant classification sought. Classifications are: foreign government officials, visitors for business or pleasure, aliens in transit through the United States, treaty traders and investors, students, international representatives, temporary workers and trainees, representatives of foreign information media, exchange visitors, fiance(e)s of United States citizens, intracompany transferees and NATO officials. Most nonimmigrants can be accompanied or joined by spouses and unmarried minor (or dependent) children.
A parolee is an alien, appearing to be inadmissible to the inspecting officer, allowed to enter the United States under emergency (humanitarian) conditions or when that alien’s entry is determined to be in the public interest. Parole does not constitute a formal admission to the United States and confers temporary admission status only, requiring parolees to leave when the conditions supporting their parole cease to exist. Parolees may qualify for work authorization, depending on personal circumstances.
A refugee is any person who flees his or her country of nationality and who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. Persecution or fear thereof may be based on the alien’s race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in particular social group. People with no nationality must be outside their country of legal habitual residency to qualify as refugees.
People born in these Islands are part of the United States Territories and are eligible for federally funded food stamps.
(Rev. May 1, 1999)