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Immigration terms

• AECIP: All Entry Clearance Issuing Posts. An advisory system used by UK visas to issue new guidance on policies and to provide information on recent changes.

• AIT: The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

• AR: Administrative Removal.

• Article 8: Shorthand for "Article 8 of the Human Rights Act of 1998, which says in part Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

• BIA: The Border and Immigration Agency.

• COA: Certificate of Approval.

• CTA: The Common Travel Area.

• DSP: Diplomatic Service Procedures.

• ECO, ECM, and AECO: Entry Clearance Officer, Entry Clearance Manager, and Assistant Entry Clearance Officers. These people work at foreign posts and approve or refuse Entry Clearances.

• ELR: Exceptional Leave to Remain.

• Entry Clearance: An entry clearance is a type of visa issued at a foreign post that enables someone to enter the UK for a specific purpose and a specific length of time.

• FCO, FC&O: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

• FLR: Further Leave to Remain: An immigration status that logically follows LLR (Limited Leave to Remain).

• GV51 or NOID, Notice of Immigration Decision:The GV51 form is issued to unsuccessful entry clearance applicants and explains the reason for the refusal.

• HC395, the DSP's, and the IDI's: The main body of the Immigration Rules are listed in HC395. The DSPs, Diplomatic Service Protocols, provide guidance to ECO's. And the IDI's, Immigration Directorates Instructions, provide guidance to Immigration Officers.

• IDI: Immigration Directorates' Instructions.

• ILPA: The Immigration Law Practitioners' Association.

• IND: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate. Part of the Home Office, the IND includes the Immigration Service, the Nationality Directorate, the Managed Migration Directorate, and Work Permits UK.

• IM: The Independent Monitor. An external individual who is appointed to review and report on applications which do not have the right of appeal (such as visitor applications).

• IO, AIO, and CIO: Immigration Officer, Assistant Immigration Officer, and Chief Immigration Officer.

• JCWI: Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants.

• KOL: Knowledge of Life in the UK.

• LLR and ILR: Limited Leave to Remain and Indefinite Leave to Remain.

• NIN: National Insurance Number.

• OISC: Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.

• PBS: The Points Based System.

• PEO: Public Enquiry Office.

• Singh: Shorthand for The Queen v Immigration Appeal Tribunal et Surinder Singh, ex parte Secretary of State for Home Department.

• T1: Tier One of the Points Based System. The category under which highly skilled workers immigrate to the UK.

• T2: Tier Two of the Points Based System. Skilled workers with a job offer to fill gaps in United Kingdom.

• T4: Tier Four of the Points Based System. Students.

• T5: Tier Five of the Points Based System. Youth mobility and temporary workers.

• UKBA: United Kingdom Borders Agency.

• VAC, VFS: Visa Application Centre and Visa Facilitation Service.

• VAF: Visa Application Form.

• WTR and OTR: Within the rules and Outside the rules. An application to BIA falls into one of these categories.

• YMS:Youth Mobility Scheme. An alternate name for Tier 5 of the PBS.