Part 2

Will You Be Staying Long?

Not everyone who comes to America wants to live here forever. Some just want to see the Grand Canyon, watch a baseball game, and go home! But others hope to make the United States their home. Here are some common words and phrases related to immigration:

Alien: Something or someone that is native to one location but is living somewhere else. (If you’re an American in Paris, you’re an alien!)

Visa: Official permission to enter a country and stay for a specific period of time. (Not to be confused with the credit card company Visa, Inc.!)

Legal Permanent Resident: In the United States, an alien who has been granted the legal right to live and work permanently in the U.S.

Green Card: The identification card issued to legal permanent residents in the United States.

Illegal Immigrant: A person who is not a citizen of the country where he or she is living and is in that country without permission (illegally). Sometimes they are referred to as “illegal aliens” or just “illegals.” Note that some find it offensive to attach the word “illegal” to a person. “Undocumented immigrant” is a more neutral way to refer to this group.

Nonimmigrant: A foreign visitor who does not intend to stay

Follow the link to find out about getting a visitor visa to enter the U.S.