Abbreviation Crash Course, please!

[patty579]

I'm new here, and I figured out what AOS means pretty fast but I'm stuck with so many other abbreviations you guys use.
(maybe it's because I'm a dumb German. )

What does RFE mean for example? Or FP, LUD, RD, ND?
Can I look it up somewhere?

If anyone feels like helping me quick, I would very much appreciate it!

[siri80]

patty579,

RFE- Request for Evidence
LUD-Latest Update
FP-Finger prints
RD-Receive date
ND-Notice date

Hope this helps.

[jenimmi]

I'm new here, and I figured out what AOS means pretty fast but I'm stuck with so many other abbreviations you guys use.
(maybe it's because I'm a dumb German. )

What does RFE mean for example? Or FP, LUD, RD, ND?
Can I look it up somewhere?

If anyone feels like helping me quick, I would very much appreciate it!

I do remember I felt so lost the first time I visited this forum .. with all the acronyms and abbreviations. LUD took me the longest time to decipher LOL

I think this is what they are:

RFE : Request for Evidence
FP : Finger Print
LUD : Latest (or) Last updated date
RD : Receipt Date
ND : Notice Date

I've seen in very few threads that people meant "Affidavit Of Support" when they mentioned AOS. But it's widely used to mean "Adj of status". Well.. I guess you interpret based on the context in which they've used it in their thread

[patty579]

Ah ok. So those are letters they send you after you filed, correct? What's the difference between notice date and receive date?
Thanks so much, it makes it much easier now for me to understand. :-)

[patty579]

Thanks jenimmi!! I guess I will learn more once I actually file my AOS, so the context gets easier to understand.
I appreciate your help and your understanding. I'm so grateful I found this forum, you guys are so helpful.

[jenimmi]

Ah ok. So those are letters they send you after you filed, correct? What's the difference between notice date and receive date?
Thanks so much, it makes it much easier now for me to understand. :-)

Usually, the Receipt and Notice Dates are only a couple of days apart, Receipt date being the earlier one.

RD: Date when they actually received your application
ND: Date when they send you the Notice that they are in receipt of your application.

[a_usc]

I completely agree with Jenimmi - I too was bumped out by all these abbr when I joined here first and yes... LUD took me longest. Here are a few more that are used... v common and you might know these already -

AP - Advance Parole (I-131, required to travel while you are waiting for AOS approval)
BC - Birth Certificate
DO - District Office
EAD - Employment Authorization Document (I-765, approval to work while waiting for AOS Approval)
SC - Service Center (this is used with a prefix eg CSC - California Service Center)
SSN - Social Security Number
USC - US Citizen

[Suzy977]

Ah ok. So those are letters they send you after you filed, correct? What's the difference between notice date and receive date?
Thanks so much, it makes it much easier now for me to understand. :-)

When they send you a note is has a date on it. That's notice date. Receive date, depending on context may be the date CIS received your papers or the date you received CIS notice.

If you'll stick around long enough you'll be pretty familiar with these abbreviations.
The begining is a little bit confusing, like in any other field for that matter

Don't worry you're not lost, we're here to help and to be helped

[patty579]

Thanks usc and Suzy! This really clears things up a lot.
We are just starting the whole procedure, so I'm not really a lot of help to others yet, but I do hope that I will be.

I wish you all the best of luck!

[ari4u]

I'm new here, and I figured out what AOS means pretty fast but I'm stuck with so many other abbreviations you guys use.
(maybe it's because I'm a dumb German. )

What does RFE mean for example? Or FP, LUD, RD, ND?
Can I look it up somewhere?

If anyone feels like helping me quick, I would very much appreciate it!

one more...
iEAD = Interim EAD (If your EAD application is pending for over 90 days or more, you can go to the DO and get an interim EAD)

[cherr1980]

SSA Social Security Administration
Bio Biometrics
CP Consular Processing
NOA Notice of Action (is your receipt/letter that you received after you filed your forms indicates I-797C)
MSC Missouri Service Center (that is the address from where you will received your NOA's)
NBC National Benefit Center (is the one which process your forms initially)
POE Port of entry
INFOPASS is an online appointment so you can go to your DO if you have a doubt or want to know something about your case in person or to request your iEAD

waow we created a new dictionary hehehe

[ema76]

Let's not forget
GC=Green Card
USC=United States Citizen

Ema.

[ari4u]

Oh. i like this game. lol. Two more from me

LPR = Legal Permanent Resident
CPR = Conditional Permanent Resident

[Suzy977]

And let's not forget our infamous "enemy" here, who made our life miserable for years, known as:

INS, USCIS, CBIS, CIS...

I hope you all know who's behind these initials

[patty579]

Wow, you guys really did create a new dictionary! It's the DIL: Dictionary of Immigration Lingo.
I will definitely look it up more than once... Thanks guys!

[jenimmi]

I think all of us have contributed enough and made this a comprehensive look-up for abbreviations. Can Ari4u or a Moderator compile it and put it in the FIRST page of one of the sticky threads?

This will be really very helpful to many newbies.

[ari4u]

I already added a link to this thread in the Announcements Section under the AOS interview timeline table

Just a quick remined to y'all. If anyone needs a reference to any older thread that contains useful information, statistics, timelines, interview experiences, the links are available under the AOS timeline table. This way we have all links and pointers in one sticky thread instead of cluttering the forum with way too many sticky threads.

[Fonzie]

Since I got little bit of time, I collected all the abbreviations mentioned above. I think this would be a great help for beginner of this forum (eg. myself). If you found anything needed to put in, please post it, and I'll add it into the complete list. Thanks a lot. Let's keep it up-to-date.

AD- Approval Date (When your application was approved)
AOS - Adjustment of status
AOS - Affidavit of Support (Department of State definition, AOS means Affidavit of Support )
AP - Advance Parole (I-131): is the authorization to travel outside the US while her adjustment of status is pending
AR - Administrative Review
ASC – Application Support Center: offers fingerprinting services
BC - Birth Certificate
Bio - Biometrics (Digital photo, index finger FP and your digital signature. This is needed for the production of GC.
CP - Consular Processing
CPR - Conditional Permanent Resident
CWOP - Cancelled Without Prejudice
DCF - Direct Consular filing
DHS - Department of Homeland Security
DIL - Dictionary of Immigration Lingo
DO - District Office
DORA - Dallas Office Rapid Adjustment of Status
EAC - Eastern Application Center
EAD - Employment Authorization Document (I-765, approval to work while waiting for AOS Approval)
FP - Finger Print
GC - Green Card
iEAD - Interim Employment Authorization Document (If your EAD application has been pending past 90 days from the RD (not ND) you can go to your District Office to apply for an iEAD, this will allow you to work while your actual EAD is still pending.)
INFOPASS - is an online appointment so you can go to your DO if you have a doubt or want to know something about your case in person or to request your iEAD
INS - Immigration and Naturalization Service
ID - Interview Date
IO - Immigration officer
LPR - Legal Permanent Resident
LUD - Last Update Date on your on-line portfolio at USCIS website. It is the date when they last took action on your application, could be anything.
MSC - Missouri Service Center
NBC - National Benefit Center (is the one which process your forms initially)
ND - Notice Date (When USCIS notified you that they received your application)
NOA’s - Notice of Action is your receipt/letter that you received after you filed your forms indicates I-797C
NVC - National Visa Center
PCC - Police Clearance Certificate
PD - Priority Date
POE - Port of entry
RD - Receipt Date (When USCIS received your application)
RFE - Request for Evidence
RFI - Request for Initial Evidence
SC - Service Center (this is used with a prefix, eg CSC - California Service Center; MSC - Missouri Service Center (that is the address from where you will received your NOA's)
SSA - Social Security Administration
SSN - Social Security Number
USC - US Citizen
USCIS- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
WAC - Western Application Center

[cherr1980]

Hey that looks good!
By the way...do you know that in the glossary of the Department of State, AOS means Affidavit of Support? I just was reading over there something about Affidavit of Support and then I see "AOS" I was like uhmm what a weird...but no in their glossary they have AOS as Affidavit...that is why USCIS and the Department of State are thinking in two different things..hehehe. well time to go to bed.

[rex1960]

Since I got little bit of time, I collected all the abbreviations mentioned above. I think this would be a great help for beginner of this forum (eg. myself).

Good job !! Thank you

Please edit your post and add

ASC Application Service Center

[Fonzie]

ha~~Thanks! Guess what..I just found out I missed ASC before I saw your message, so I added it in. So as AOS in Department of State definition.

[Suzy977]

ha~~Thanks! Guess what..I just found out I missed ASC before I saw your message, so I added it in. So as AOS in Department of State definition.

Not that is very important but INS goes, or used to go, by:

INS, USCIS, CIS, BCIS...

also:

IO = Immigration officer

In case you want to edit your post

[visaapplicant]

Some more abbreviations mainly from CP world

PCC - Police Clearance Certificate
DCF - Direct Consular filing
AR - Administrative Review (equivalent of background check??)

NVC - National Visa Center

VSC, CSC, TSC and NSC are too obvious. However, VSC and CSC receipt numbers start with EAC (Eastern Application Center) and WAC (Western Application Center) to make it somewhat consfusing.

Maybe NBC's receipt number MSC (Missouri Service Center) can be added here. Since many people in family based forum apply to NBC and receive notice with MSC number.

Somehow PD (priority date) is not captured in the master list but mentioned elsewhere in the post.

Is DORA an abbreviation of something?

Thanks.

[patty579]

Wow, good job Fonzie! This is fantastic, now I actually know what people are talking about!!

[toro168]

Is DORA an abbreviation of something?

Thanks.

DORA = DALLAS OFFICE RAPID ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS

United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (US CIS), formerly known as INS is conducting a pilot program for the first time in United States at its Dallas District office to test US CIS’s ability to process adjustment of status applications within 90 days of filing, thereby eliminating the need to apply for interim employment authorization, and also advance parole to travel outside U. S in case of emergencies while the adjustment of status application is pending.

[ari4u]

I have been getting quite a few PM's asking me the difference between Notice date and receipt date and i see by looking at timelines in signature that a lot of people are confused with the dates.

Receipt Date: The date USCIS received your application. This is not the date your postal service delivered your package to USCIS.

Notice Date: The date USCIS entered your application in their system and generated a receipt number and/or A#. This is not the date you received the NOA in mail.

Interview Date: The date your interview is actually scheduled for and not the date you got your interview notice in mail.

DO: This is your district office or Sub-Office where you would be going for your interview, and not Chicago-Lock box as some people assume their DO to be.

Look here for I-485-Standard Operating Procedures.
http://www.ilw.com/seminars/august2002_citation2b.pdf

[SpaceMan]

Hi guys here is another one CWOP. I had my interview in feb. Everything went well the result is pending FBI check. At the end of the interview the oficer took my passport and wrote on my visa My A# and CWOP. Dose anyone know what these letters stend for.
Thanks

[ari4u]

Hi guys here is another one CWOP. I had my interview in feb. Everything went well the result is pending FBI check. At the end of the interview the oficer took my passport and wrote on my visa My A# and CWOP. Dose anyone know what these letters stend for.
Thanks

CWOP = Cancelled Without Prejudice.
Your visa is cancelled and you can no longer use it.

[Fonzie]

OK! I added those mentioned lately. Now the list is looking bigger. Thanks for all the input.

[kksurkk]

What is AOS ?