Immigration Definition Glossary

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N-4: For the clerk of any court conducting naturalization activities under Section 339 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1450) and 8 CFR 339. The information contained is used by USCIS to finalize the record process regarding individuals naturalized and to determine payments to the courts as provided by law.

N-300: This form is for a permanent resident to apply for a Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen. This form is not required for naturalization, but may be required by some states if you wish to conduct certain business with that State.

N-336: This form is used to request a hearing before an immigration officer on the denial of your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.

N-400: This form is used to apply for US Citizenship.

N-426: This form is used by an applicant for naturalization to request that the Department of Defense verify the applicant's military or naval service.

N-470: This form is for a permanent resident alien who must leave the United States for certain employment purposes and wishes to preserve his or her status as an immigrant in order to pursue naturalization.

N-565: This for is used to apply for a replacement Declaration of Intention, Naturalization Certificate, Certificate of Citizenship, or Repatriation Certificate, or to apply for a special certificate of naturalization as a U.S. citizen to be recognized by a foreign country.

N-600: This form is an application for a Certificate of Citizenship.

N-600K: This form is used for a child who regularly resides abroad to claim U.S. citizenship based on parentage.

N-644: Public Law 101-249 provides for the granting of U.S. citizenship to an alien or noncitizen national whose death resulted from injury or disease incurred on active duty with the U.S. armed services during specified periods of military hostilities. Posthumous citizenship is an honorary status commemorating the bravery and sacrifices of these persons; it does not convey any benefits under the Immigration and Nationality Act to any relative of the decedent.

N-648: This form is intended for applicants for U.S. citizenship who seek an exception to the English and civics testing requirements for naturalization "because of physical or developmental disability or mental impairment."

Naturalization: The conferring, by any means, of citizenship upon a person after birth.

Naturalization Application: The form used by a lawful permanent resident to apply for U.S. citizenship. The application is filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the Service Center with jurisdiction over the applicant's place of residence.

Nonimmigrant: An alien who seeks temporary entry to the United States for a specific purpose. The alien must have a permanent residence abroad (for most classes of admission) and qualify for the nonimmigrant classification sought. The nonimmigrant classifications include: foreign government officials, visitors for business and for 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, fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens, intracompany transferees, NATO officials, religious workers, and some others. Most nonimmigrants can be accompanied or joined by spouses and unmarried minor (or dependent) children.

Nonpreference Category: Nonpreference visas were available to qualified applicants not entitled to a visa under the preferences until the category was eliminated by the Immigration Act of 1990. Nonpreference visas for persons not entitled to the other preferences had not been available since September 1978 because of high demand in the preference categories. An additional 5,000 nonpreference visas were available in each of fiscal years 1987 and 1988 under a provision of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. This program was extended into 1989, 1990, and 1991 with 15,000 visas issued each year. Aliens born in countries from which immigration was adversely affected by the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-236) were eligible for the special nonpreference visas.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): Public Law 103-182 (Act of 12/8/93), superseded the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement as of 1/1/94. It continues the special, reciprocal trading relationship between the United States and Canada (see United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement), and establishes a similar relationship with Mexico.

Numerical Limit, Exempt from: Those aliens accorded lawful permanent residence who are exempt from the provisions of the flexible numerical limit of 675,000 set by the Immigration Act of 1990. Exempt categories include immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, refugees, asylees (limited to 10,000 per year by section 209(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act), Amerasians, aliens adjusted under the legalization provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and certain parolees from the former Soviet Union and Indochina.

Nursing Relief Act of 1989: Public Law 101-238 (Act of 12/18/89), provides for the adjustment to permanent resident status of certain nonimmigrants who as of September 1, 1989, had H-1 nonimmigrant status as registered nurses; who had been employed in that capacity for at least 3 years; and whose continued nursing employment meets certain labor certification requirements.