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Muhammad Ali

what does the term LEGAL ALIEN means?

By Muhammad Ali in General Immigration-Related Discussion

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Muhammad Ali Rookie

Muhammad Ali   0

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Pakistan
 Timeline
Posted

Hi

We frequently hear the word "LEGAL" here in the US. I have been asked many times.... if i am LEGAL? So i was wondering what does this LEGAL ALIEN or LEGAL Immigrant means?

As per my common sense I beleive any body in the USA holding a valid visa who entered US legally ( no matter if it is VISIT or STUDENT or WORK PERMIT ) is a legal alien or legal immigrant. Please correct me if I am wrong ?

Some people claim that ONLY green card holders or US passport holders are called legal aliens here in the USA is that true? so all other valid visa holders who entered US legally through border are illegal aliens/illegal immigrants?

I will leave the final decision on VJ experts. Thank you for reading the post.

VanessaTony Grand Master

VanessaTony   3,567

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Australia
 Timeline
Posted
We frequently hear the word "LEGAL" here in the US. I have been asked many times.... if i am LEGAL? So i was wondering what does this LEGAL ALIEN or LEGAL Immigrant means?

As per my common sense I beleive any body in the USA holding a valid visa who entered US legally ( no matter if it is VISIT or STUDENT or WORK PERMIT ) is a legal alien or legal immigrant. Please correct me if I am wrong ?

Some people claim that ONLY green card holders or US passport holders are called legal aliens here in the USA is that true? so all other valid visa holders who entered US legally through border are illegal aliens/illegal immigrants?

I will leave the final decision on VJ experts. Thank you for reading the post.

Some who is illegal is someone who ENTERED illegally. Someone who entered without inspection.

Someone is "out of status" if they have entered legally, but their I-94 or visa is expired.

You are a "resident" if you are a greencard holder. While waiting for the AOS to process you are "status pending". You're not illegal because you entered legally. You're not out of status because the NOA1 from the AOS is your "extension of status" so to speak.

Some people truly have no idea about immigration so don't take it personally.

** moved from "Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from Family Based Visas" to General Immigration Related Discussion as this isn't a question about the AOS process specifically, more a general Immigration "question"/need for definition**

Aussie K1 process - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/206016-australian-beneficiaries-packet-3-to-interview-date/
AOS, EAD & AP - the Aussie Way (including document list) - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/235331-aos-ead-ap-from-k1-the-aussie-way-doc-list-included/
ROC April 2012 - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/358760-i-751-april-2012-filers/ (includes document list)
N-400 April 2013 - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/412738-n-400-april-2013-filers/ (includes document list)

N-400 Interview review - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/412738-n-400-april-2013-filers/?p=6381814

N-400 Oath Ceremony review - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/412738-n-400-april-2013-filers/?p=6537699
Aussie Chat page continued - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/331922-new-2011-land-downunder-aussie-aussie-aussie-oi-oi-oi/
Aussie Name Change on Passport Process - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/248400-australian-passport-name-change-process/
Travel on maiden name passport with married name GC, tickets in married name - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/183541-land-downunder-aussie-aussie-aussie-oi-oi-oi/page__view__findpost__p__4135806
Shipping Costs from Aus to US - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/293179-shipping-costs-aus-to-usa/

Notes:
- For my "standard" timeline please see timeline to the left
- For timeline with Aussie specifics & more detailed info, please see the "About Me" section of my profile

HeatDeath Proficient

HeatDeath   430

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

+1 above.

"Some people" are idiots.

You are correct.

"Alien" means a person who is not a US citizen or US national.

If you entered the US on a legal status, and have not overstayed that status, you are LEGAL.

If you are not a US citizen or national, you are an ALIEN.

If you are both, then you must be a LEGAL ALIEN.

It's shocking what you can figure out with common sense and the ability to comprehend written English.

"Some people" are idiots. And you can tell them I said that. :)

DON'T PANIC

"It says wonderful things about the two countries [Canada and the US] that neither one feels itself being inundated by each other's immigrants."

-Douglas Coupland

Neal851 Community Regular

Neal851   3

Posted
Filed: IR-5 Country: India
 Timeline
Posted

+1 above.

"Some people" are idiots.

You are correct.

"Alien" means a person who is not a US citizen or US national.

If you entered the US on a legal status, and have not overstayed that status, you are LEGAL.

If you are not a US citizen or national, you are an ALIEN.

If you are both, then you must be a LEGAL ALIEN.

It's shocking what you can figure out with common sense and the ability to comprehend written English.

"Some people" are idiots. And you can tell them I said that. :)

lol ...........you are right ... :thumbs::thumbs:

IR-5 for Parents

02-28-14 -> I-130 sent to Chicago Lockbox.
03-03-14 -> USCIS received. (Priority Date)
03-09-14 -> NOA1 received.
06-04-14 -> NOA2 received. Approved.
06-18-14 -> NVC Received case.
07-03-14 -> NVC Assigned Case#(Got Case# & IIN Over the Phone).
07-22-14 -> DS-261 Completed.
07-25-14 -> AOS fee Payment.
07-29-14 -> AOS fee shows PAID.
07-30-14 -> AOS Package Sent.
07-31-14 -> AOS Package delivered.
09-15-14 -> IV fee Payment.

09-17-14 -> IV fee Shows PAID.

09-18-14 -> IV Package Sent.
09-20-14 -> IV Package Delivered.

10-20-14 -> Case Complete.

10-28-14 -> Case Complete Email Received.

JimVaPhuong Veteran

JimVaPhuong   4,863

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
 Timeline
Posted

I will probably be chastised for this, as I've seen others chastised for it in the past, but... :whistle:

I disagree. An illegal alien is any alien (not a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident) who is unlawfully present. This includes people who entered illegally, and people who have overstayed their visa or entry permit.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/illegal%20alien

http://immigration.about.com/od/immigrationglossary/g/IllegalAlien.htm

http://www.wordnik.com/words/illegal%20alien

(There's more. No time...)

An illegal immigrant is an illegal alien who intends to remain indefinitely; i.e., to immigrate.

An undocumented alien is a politically correct euphemism for illegal alien.

An undocumented immigrant is a politically correct euphemism for illegal immigrant.

An undocumented worker is a politically correct euphemism for an illegal alien who is also working illegally in the US.

The question "Are you legal?" generally equates to "Are you lawfully present in the US?".

12/15/2009 - K1 Visa Interview - APPROVED!

12/29/2009 - Married in Oakland, CA!

08/18/2010 - AOS Interview - APPROVED!

05/01/2013 - Removal of Conditions - APPROVED!

Brother Hesekiel Mentor

Brother Hesekiel   2,236

Posted
Filed: Other Timeline
Posted (edited)

The majority or at least close to the majority of Americans (=51%) are idiots, drones, people who are so ignorant of even the most basic facts of life, including the language they should have learned from early childhood on.

When it comes to immigration, my guess is that about three third of Americans are fairly clueless. They can't even comprehend, let alone know, how complicated and sometimes intricate the whole immigration process is. Even journalists and politicians, generally people who have a college degree and advanced English skills, often talk about "legal citizens," as if there even was such a thing as an illegal citizen.

If you were to ask the President of the United States, or the VP, or the Speaker of the House, what the difference between a K-3 and a CR-1 is, they most likely wood look at you with wide open eyes before they search for a way to change the subject. How can we expect a meaningful immigration system or reform under such circumstances?

Edited by Just Bob

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all . . . . The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic . . . . There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

President Teddy Roosevelt on Columbus Day 1915

 
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