I have been looking through this forum lately as I am going through a tough asylum case. This venue has been very helpful for me, but I have a hard time keeping up with the acronyms. So, I did a little search and came across this:
AAO—Administrative Appeals Office (formerly the Administrative Appeals Unit (AAU))
AC—Associate Commissioner (of INS)
AC21—American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act of 2000
ACE—Accelerated Citizen Examination
ACPA—Assistant Chief Patrol Agent
ACWIA—American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998
ADD—Assistant District Director. Also, ADDE (Examinations); ADDI (Investigations); ADDM (Management)
ADIT—Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunications system
AEDPA—Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996
AFACS—A-Files Accountability and Control System
AG—Attorney General of the United States
AILA—American Immigration Lawyers Association
AILF—American Immigration Law Foundation
ALC—Alien Labor Certification
ALJ—Administrative Law Judge
AMIS—Asset Management Information System
AO—(1) Administrative Officer; (2) Asylum Officer
AOC—Asylum Officer Corps
AOIC—Assistant Officer-in-Charge
AOS—(1) Adjustment of Status (as used by USCIS and most immigration lawyers); (2) Affidavit of Support (as used by the Dep’t of State)
ARC—Alien Registration Card (also called Permanent Resident Card or Green Card)
A/S—Adjustment of Status
ASC—Application Support Center
ASVI—Alien Status Verification Index
AVLOS—Automated Visa Lookout System
AWO—Affirmance Without Opinion
BALCA—Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals
BAR—Board of Appellate Review
BCA—Bureau of Consular Affairs
BCC—I-186 or I-586 Nonresident Alien Border Crossing Card
BIA—Board of Immigration Appeals
BIT—Bilateral Investment Treaty
BOP—Bureau of Prisons; also, Burden of Proof
BP—Border Patrol
CAT—United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
CBP—U.S. Customs and Border Protection
CCA—Child Citizenship Act
FR—Code of Federal Regulations
CGFNS—Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools
CIJ—Chief Immigration Judge
CIS—(1) Central Index System; (2) (now, more commonly, USCIS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (The use of CIS may possibly be confused with Center for Immigration Studies (CIS))
CLAIMS—Computer Linked Application Information Management System
CLN—Certificate of Loss of Nationality
CMT—Crime of Moral Turpitude (also known as Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude (CIMT))
CO—Certifying Officer (of DOL)
ConOff—Consular Officer
CORAP—Central Office of Refugee, Asylum and Parole
COS—Change of Status
CPT—Curricular Practical Training
CR—Conditional Resident
C/S—Change of Status
CSC—California Service Center
CSPA—Child Status Protection Act
CUSA—Citizenship U.S.A.
D&D—Detention and Deportation
DAO—(1) District Adjudication Officer; (2) Deputy Adjudications Officer
DCPA—Deputy Chief Patrol Agent
DD—District Director
DDD—Deputy District Director
DED—Deferred Enforced Departure
DFS—Designated Fingerprint Service
DHS—Department of Homeland Security
DO—(1) District Office; (2) Deportation Officer
DOE—Date of Entry
DOJ—Department of Justice
DOL—Department of Labor
DOS—Department of State
DOT—Dictionary of Occupational Titles
D/S—Duration of Status
DSO—Designated School Official
DV—Diversity Visa Lottery Program
EAC—Eastern Adjudication Center (now Vermont Service Center)
EAD—I-688B Employment Authorization Document
EAJA—Equal Access to Justice Act
ENFORCE—Enforcement Case Tracking System
EOIR—Executive Office for Immigration Review
EOS—Extension of Stay
ER—Expedited Removal
E/S—Extension of Status or Stay
ETA—Employment and Training Administration
EVD—Extended Voluntary Departure
EWI—Entry Without Inspection
EWIC—Essential Worker Immigration Coalition
FAM—Foreign Affairs Manual
FARES—Fees and Applications Receipt and Entry System
FCCPT—Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy
FCN—Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation
Fed. Reg.—Federal Register
FGM—Female Genital Mutilation
FMG—Foreign Medical Graduate
FOIA—Freedom of Information Act
FR—Federal Register
FSN—Foreign Service National
FSO—Foreign Service Officer
FTA—Free Trade Agreement
FTO—Free Trade Officer
GAL—General Administration Letter of DOL
GEMS—General Counsel Management System
GPO—Government Printing Office
HB—House Bill
HR —House Report
HRIFA—Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act
IA—Immigration Agent
IBIS—Interagency Border Inspection System
ICE—U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ICMS—Investigations Case Management System
IDENT—Automated Fingerprint Identification System
IE—Immigration Examiner
IFM—Inspector’s Field Manual
IG—Inspector General
II—Immigration Inspector
IIO—Immigration Information Officer
IIRAIRA—Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (also IIRIRA)
IJ—Immigration Judge
ILT—AILA’s Immigration Law Today
IMFA—Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments Act
IMMACT90—Immigration Act of 1990
INA—Immigration and Nationality Act
INS—Immigration and Naturalization Service
INSPASS—INS Passenger Accelerated Service System
INTCA—Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994
INV—Investigations
IO—Immigration Officer
IRCA—Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
IR—Interpreter Releases (Thomson West)
ISD—Immigrant Services Division (now Service Center Operations)
IV—Immigrant Visa
LAPR—Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence
LAU—Legalization Appeals Unit
LAW—Lawfully Authorized or Admitted Worker
LCA—Labor Condition Application
LC—Labor Certification
LIFE—Legal Immigration and Family Equity Act of 2000
LIN—Northern Service Center (now Nebraska Service Center)
LPR—Lawful Permanent Resident
MRD—Machine Readable Document
MSC—Missouri Service Center
MS&D—Maintenance of Status and Departure bond
MTINA—Miscellaneous and Technical Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1991
NACARA—Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act
NACS—Naturalization Automated Casework System
NAFTA—North American Free Trade Agreement
NAILS—National Automated Immigration Lookout System
Natz—Naturalization
NBCOTA—Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other Technical Amendments Act of 1998
NBCOT—National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapists
NOIF—Notice of Intent to Fine
NIV—Nonimmigrant Visa
NIW—National Interest Waiver
NOF—Notice of Findings
NRC—National Record Center
NSC—Nebraska Service Center
NSEERS—National Security Entry Exit Registration System
NTA—Notice to Appear
NVC—National Visa Center
OARS—Outlying Area Reporting Station
OCAHO—Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer
ODP—Orderly Departure Program
OES—Occupational Employment Statistics
OIC—Officer-in-Charge
OIL—Office of Immigration Litigation of DOJ’s Civil Division
OI—Operations Instructions
OMB—Office of Management and Budget
O*NET—Occupational Information Network
ONO—Office of Naturalization Operations (now ISD)
OOH—Occupational Outlook Handbook (DOL)
OPT—Optional Practical Training
O/S—Out of Status, or overstay
OSC—Order to Show Cause; also, Office of Special Counsel
OTM—Other than Mexican
PA—(Border) Patrol Agent
PERM—Program Electronic Review Management System
PLC—Permanent Labor Certification
POE—Port of Entry
PRC—Permanent Resident Card (also called an Alien Registration Card or Green Card)
PT—Practical Training
QDE—Qualified Designated Entity
RAW—Replenishment Agricultural Worker
RC—Regional Commissioner of USCIS
RD—Regional Director of USCIS
RFE—Request for Evidence
RIR—Reduction in Recruitment Labor Certification Procedure
RN—Registered Nurse
RO—Responsible Officer of J-1 Exchange Visitor Program
RSC—Regional Service Center
RTD—Refugee Travel Document
RVIS—Remote Video Inspection System
SAO—Security Advisory Opinion
SAO—Supervisory Adjudication Officer
SA—Special Agent
SAW—Special Agricultural Worker
SB—Senate Bill
SC—Service Center
SDAO—Supervisory District Adjudications Officer
SENTRI—Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection
SEVIS—Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
SIE—Supervisory Immigration Examiner
SII—Supervisory Immigration Inspector
SIO—(1) Supervisory Immigration Officer; (2) Special Inquiry Officer (former title for Immigration Judges)
SK—Specialized Knowledge for L Visa
SRC—Southern Regional Center (now Texas Service Center)
SR—Senate Report
SVP—Specific Vocational Preparation
SWA—State Workforce Agency
TA—Trial Attorney
TAG—Technical Assistance Guide No. 656—Labor Certifications (1981)
TCN—Third Country National
TPCR—Transition Period Custody Rules
TPS—Temporary Protected Status
TN—Trade NAFTA
TSA—Transportation Security Administration
TSC—Texas Service Center
TWOV—Transit Without Visa
UNHCR—United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UPL—Unauthorized Practice of Law
US-VISIT—United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program
USA PATRIOT Act—Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001
USC—(1) U.S. Code; (2) U.S. Citizen
USCIS—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
USCS—U.S. Customs Service
VAWA—Violence Against Women Act
VD—Voluntary Departure
VO—Visa Office
VOLAG—Volunteer Agency
VSC—Vermont Service Center
VTC—Video Teleconferencing
VWPP—Visa Waiver Pilot Program
VWP—Visa Waiver Program
WAC—Western Adjudication Center (now California Service Center)
Mods, feel free to sticky or delete this post.
AAO—Administrative Appeals Office (formerly the Administrative Appeals Unit (AAU))
AC—Associate Commissioner (of INS)
AC21—American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act of 2000
ACE—Accelerated Citizen Examination
ACPA—Assistant Chief Patrol Agent
ACWIA—American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998
ADD—Assistant District Director. Also, ADDE (Examinations); ADDI (Investigations); ADDM (Management)
ADIT—Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunications system
AEDPA—Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996
AFACS—A-Files Accountability and Control System
AG—Attorney General of the United States
AILA—American Immigration Lawyers Association
AILF—American Immigration Law Foundation
ALC—Alien Labor Certification
ALJ—Administrative Law Judge
AMIS—Asset Management Information System
AO—(1) Administrative Officer; (2) Asylum Officer
AOC—Asylum Officer Corps
AOIC—Assistant Officer-in-Charge
AOS—(1) Adjustment of Status (as used by USCIS and most immigration lawyers); (2) Affidavit of Support (as used by the Dep’t of State)
ARC—Alien Registration Card (also called Permanent Resident Card or Green Card)
A/S—Adjustment of Status
ASC—Application Support Center
ASVI—Alien Status Verification Index
AVLOS—Automated Visa Lookout System
AWO—Affirmance Without Opinion
BALCA—Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals
BAR—Board of Appellate Review
BCA—Bureau of Consular Affairs
BCC—I-186 or I-586 Nonresident Alien Border Crossing Card
BIA—Board of Immigration Appeals
BIT—Bilateral Investment Treaty
BOP—Bureau of Prisons; also, Burden of Proof
BP—Border Patrol
CAT—United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
CBP—U.S. Customs and Border Protection
CCA—Child Citizenship Act
FR—Code of Federal Regulations
CGFNS—Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools
CIJ—Chief Immigration Judge
CIS—(1) Central Index System; (2) (now, more commonly, USCIS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (The use of CIS may possibly be confused with Center for Immigration Studies (CIS))
CLAIMS—Computer Linked Application Information Management System
CLN—Certificate of Loss of Nationality
CMT—Crime of Moral Turpitude (also known as Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude (CIMT))
CO—Certifying Officer (of DOL)
ConOff—Consular Officer
CORAP—Central Office of Refugee, Asylum and Parole
COS—Change of Status
CPT—Curricular Practical Training
CR—Conditional Resident
C/S—Change of Status
CSC—California Service Center
CSPA—Child Status Protection Act
CUSA—Citizenship U.S.A.
D&D—Detention and Deportation
DAO—(1) District Adjudication Officer; (2) Deputy Adjudications Officer
DCPA—Deputy Chief Patrol Agent
DD—District Director
DDD—Deputy District Director
DED—Deferred Enforced Departure
DFS—Designated Fingerprint Service
DHS—Department of Homeland Security
DO—(1) District Office; (2) Deportation Officer
DOE—Date of Entry
DOJ—Department of Justice
DOL—Department of Labor
DOS—Department of State
DOT—Dictionary of Occupational Titles
D/S—Duration of Status
DSO—Designated School Official
DV—Diversity Visa Lottery Program
EAC—Eastern Adjudication Center (now Vermont Service Center)
EAD—I-688B Employment Authorization Document
EAJA—Equal Access to Justice Act
ENFORCE—Enforcement Case Tracking System
EOIR—Executive Office for Immigration Review
EOS—Extension of Stay
ER—Expedited Removal
E/S—Extension of Status or Stay
ETA—Employment and Training Administration
EVD—Extended Voluntary Departure
EWI—Entry Without Inspection
EWIC—Essential Worker Immigration Coalition
FAM—Foreign Affairs Manual
FARES—Fees and Applications Receipt and Entry System
FCCPT—Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy
FCN—Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation
Fed. Reg.—Federal Register
FGM—Female Genital Mutilation
FMG—Foreign Medical Graduate
FOIA—Freedom of Information Act
FR—Federal Register
FSN—Foreign Service National
FSO—Foreign Service Officer
FTA—Free Trade Agreement
FTO—Free Trade Officer
GAL—General Administration Letter of DOL
GEMS—General Counsel Management System
GPO—Government Printing Office
HB—House Bill
HR —House Report
HRIFA—Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act
IA—Immigration Agent
IBIS—Interagency Border Inspection System
ICE—U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ICMS—Investigations Case Management System
IDENT—Automated Fingerprint Identification System
IE—Immigration Examiner
IFM—Inspector’s Field Manual
IG—Inspector General
II—Immigration Inspector
IIO—Immigration Information Officer
IIRAIRA—Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (also IIRIRA)
IJ—Immigration Judge
ILT—AILA’s Immigration Law Today
IMFA—Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments Act
IMMACT90—Immigration Act of 1990
INA—Immigration and Nationality Act
INS—Immigration and Naturalization Service
INSPASS—INS Passenger Accelerated Service System
INTCA—Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994
INV—Investigations
IO—Immigration Officer
IRCA—Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
IR—Interpreter Releases (Thomson West)
ISD—Immigrant Services Division (now Service Center Operations)
IV—Immigrant Visa
LAPR—Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence
LAU—Legalization Appeals Unit
LAW—Lawfully Authorized or Admitted Worker
LCA—Labor Condition Application
LC—Labor Certification
LIFE—Legal Immigration and Family Equity Act of 2000
LIN—Northern Service Center (now Nebraska Service Center)
LPR—Lawful Permanent Resident
MRD—Machine Readable Document
MSC—Missouri Service Center
MS&D—Maintenance of Status and Departure bond
MTINA—Miscellaneous and Technical Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1991
NACARA—Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act
NACS—Naturalization Automated Casework System
NAFTA—North American Free Trade Agreement
NAILS—National Automated Immigration Lookout System
Natz—Naturalization
NBCOTA—Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other Technical Amendments Act of 1998
NBCOT—National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapists
NOIF—Notice of Intent to Fine
NIV—Nonimmigrant Visa
NIW—National Interest Waiver
NOF—Notice of Findings
NRC—National Record Center
NSC—Nebraska Service Center
NSEERS—National Security Entry Exit Registration System
NTA—Notice to Appear
NVC—National Visa Center
OARS—Outlying Area Reporting Station
OCAHO—Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer
ODP—Orderly Departure Program
OES—Occupational Employment Statistics
OIC—Officer-in-Charge
OIL—Office of Immigration Litigation of DOJ’s Civil Division
OI—Operations Instructions
OMB—Office of Management and Budget
O*NET—Occupational Information Network
ONO—Office of Naturalization Operations (now ISD)
OOH—Occupational Outlook Handbook (DOL)
OPT—Optional Practical Training
O/S—Out of Status, or overstay
OSC—Order to Show Cause; also, Office of Special Counsel
OTM—Other than Mexican
PA—(Border) Patrol Agent
PERM—Program Electronic Review Management System
PLC—Permanent Labor Certification
POE—Port of Entry
PRC—Permanent Resident Card (also called an Alien Registration Card or Green Card)
PT—Practical Training
QDE—Qualified Designated Entity
RAW—Replenishment Agricultural Worker
RC—Regional Commissioner of USCIS
RD—Regional Director of USCIS
RFE—Request for Evidence
RIR—Reduction in Recruitment Labor Certification Procedure
RN—Registered Nurse
RO—Responsible Officer of J-1 Exchange Visitor Program
RSC—Regional Service Center
RTD—Refugee Travel Document
RVIS—Remote Video Inspection System
SAO—Security Advisory Opinion
SAO—Supervisory Adjudication Officer
SA—Special Agent
SAW—Special Agricultural Worker
SB—Senate Bill
SC—Service Center
SDAO—Supervisory District Adjudications Officer
SENTRI—Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection
SEVIS—Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
SIE—Supervisory Immigration Examiner
SII—Supervisory Immigration Inspector
SIO—(1) Supervisory Immigration Officer; (2) Special Inquiry Officer (former title for Immigration Judges)
SK—Specialized Knowledge for L Visa
SRC—Southern Regional Center (now Texas Service Center)
SR—Senate Report
SVP—Specific Vocational Preparation
SWA—State Workforce Agency
TA—Trial Attorney
TAG—Technical Assistance Guide No. 656—Labor Certifications (1981)
TCN—Third Country National
TPCR—Transition Period Custody Rules
TPS—Temporary Protected Status
TN—Trade NAFTA
TSA—Transportation Security Administration
TSC—Texas Service Center
TWOV—Transit Without Visa
UNHCR—United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UPL—Unauthorized Practice of Law
US-VISIT—United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program
USA PATRIOT Act—Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001
USC—(1) U.S. Code; (2) U.S. Citizen
USCIS—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
USCS—U.S. Customs Service
VAWA—Violence Against Women Act
VD—Voluntary Departure
VO—Visa Office
VOLAG—Volunteer Agency
VSC—Vermont Service Center
VTC—Video Teleconferencing
VWPP—Visa Waiver Pilot Program
VWP—Visa Waiver Program
WAC—Western Adjudication Center (now California Service Center)
Mods, feel free to sticky or delete this post.