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Dictionary of Terms

Immigration Definitions:

• Visa: Stamp in the passport issued by the American Embassy or Consulate abroad allowing the bearer to get on the plane to the U.S. and request entry to the U.S.. Length of visa does not affect the length of stay permitted in the U.S.. The visa can expire while you are in the U.S. without affecting your status.
  
• INS: Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which has responsibility for admission, control, and status of aliens in the U.S.. Note: the State Department, a different agency, is responsible for issuing the visa stamp at the Embassy or Consulate abroad.
  
• I-94: Little white card, stapled in passport or the to the I-20. At the time of entry, INS marks visa status and date of expiration of legal stay in the U.S. on the I-94. Official name is Arrival/Departure Record. Turned in to airlines upon departure, for confirmation to INS of person's leaving U.S..
  
• D/S: "F" students do not have specific limitations on their period of stay in the U.S.. Their I-94s are marked D/S, duration of status. "Duration of Status" means that a student may remain in the U.S. until the completion of studies date on the I-20, as long as other conditions of the F status are also met. If a student completes his/her studies before the completion date on the I-20, the student cannot remain in the U.S. until the date specified on the I-20 is reached. A student may remain in the U.S. only for the duration of student status: the completion of studies before the I-20 expires or the date of expiration of the I-20.
  
• I-20: Document issued to an F-1 student, showing beginning and expected completion of studies, level of study, field of study, and school attending.
  
• I-20AB: Entire I-20 (the school copy and the student's copy together)
  
• I-20ID: Student's Copy of the I-20