A legal Immigrant is a umbrella term referring to any non-citizen who has been granted official permission by the federal government to enter or reside in the country. They includes:
Green Card Holders – a non-U.S. citizen authorized to live and work permanently in the United States. They are issued for a 2 or 10-yr period to relatives of U.S. citizens/residents, workers and investors, refugees and asylees, and Diversity Lottery winners.
Temporary Residents – specific visas that allow the individual to live, work, or study in a country for a set period, without being granted permanent status.
- Work Visas: Individuals living and working in the U.S. temporarily through programs like the H-1B, L-1, or O-1 visas.
- Student Visas: International students holding an F-1 or M-1 visa who reside in the country for the duration of their degree program.
- Exchange Visitors: Individuals participating in cultural or educational exchange programs (e.g., J-1 visas)
