You don't just "get" Permanent Resident status, you have to apply for such. The OP's friend is here on a NONIMMIGRANT ALIEN visa. I don't know how else to put it but but a NONIMMIGRANT ALIEN visa DOES NOT LEAD to Permanent Resident status. That is why it is called a NONIMMIGRANT ALIEN visa. It is called a NONIMMIGRANT ALIEN visa because the alien is NOT applying for Permanent Residency.:banghead:
You wrote: "the OP's friend might fall under the "certain foreign workers" classification, but he probably won't". Whether you think it is "ambiguous" is immaterial. Obviously someone at USCIS (formerly INS) DISAGREES because they issued him a NONIMMIGRANT ALIEN visa!:banghead: Believe it or not, but not all foreigners want to stay in the US after their work assignment ends.
Sorry if I have embarrassed you, but I feel my "belligerent reply" is justified. You have no clue as to what is legally required for a firearms transaction involving a nonimmigrant alien. Further, you don't have a clue regarding immigration, visa's, permanent residency or how a foreigner gets to work in the US.
Spend fifteen minutes here:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis and you'll see why someone can get pretty frustrated at what you continue to post.
I realize that the OP used the phrase "non-resident alien" to describe his friend's status. However, his description of the circumstances would seem to contradict that, so it's not clear what his status is now or will be in the future. Perhaps you would be good enough to explain how you know exactly what kind of visa his friend has, and what his status is, because I can't find that level of detail in the OP's post.
Instead of a) insulting me or b) fobbing me off to the IS site, how about providing some
useful information. Let me provide an example:
Here's the ATF's definitions, which are what's relevant here.
http://www.atf.gov/publications/newsletters/ffl/ffl-newsletter-2008-11.pdf
"Step Two: Identify the alien class: Immigrant Alien, Non-Immigrant Alien (NIA), or Illegal Alien.
Any person who is not a U.S. citizen is defined in one of three alien classes.
Immigrant Alien
The immigrant alien, also known as a resident alien, is a permanent resident of the United States.
This person has received permission to live and work in the United States permanently. A sale to this person is generally permitted (see Step Four).
TIP: To verify their immigrant status, ask to see their Permanent Resident Card, their legal proof of residency in the United States.
Non-Immigrant Alien (NIA)
The non-immigrant alien is a person not permanently residing in the United States. He has come to the United States for a specific purpose or business, tourism, or some other special interest, e.g., he may be a foreign student. His stay is for
a defined period of time, after which he must return to his home country. Generally, he is prohibited from purchasing a firearm, unless he qualifies for an exception (see Step Three).
TIP: To verify his non-immigrant status, ask to see his
travel visa, usually affixed inside his passport, and/or other supporting travel documents.
Illegal Alien
The illegal alien is a person who has entered the country illegally, and who has not received permission to enter or stay in the United States or his/her permission to stay in the country has expired. Such persons cannot purchase firearms or ammunition under any circumstances."
Clearly the OP's friend is not an illegal alien. Nor would it seem that he is a non-immigrant alien, since it doesn't sound like he's here temporarily or for a definite period of time (i.e. has a ticket home for a specific date).
So the only choice left and the one that seems to fit best is immigrant alien, AKA permanent resident.
Now I will repeat that the description of the circumstances does leave some room for interpretation, so it's possible that he is indeed a non-immigrant alien, although that seems unlikely since he is going to be living and working here "permanently" i.e. for an indefinite period of time.
Perhaps if you allowed for the possibility that your interpretation of events is not necessarily the only possible truth, you wouldn't find it so frustrating when others disagree with you.