legal immigrant
Documented foreign resident
A legal immigrant is a person who has entered and resides in a country through official channels—with proper documentation, visas, or permits.
The term often appears in political discourse to distinguish from undocumented or illegal immigrants: My grandparents came here as legal immigrants in the 1950s.
The phrase implies compliance with immigration law, though the process and requirements vary widely by country.
- visaTravel authorization stamp
- visa applicationRequest for travel authorization
- green cardU.S. residency document
- green card holderAuthorized long-term U.S. resident
- permanent residentOne who stays indefinitely
naturalized · path to citizenship · citizenship · resident · passport · documentation · papers · border · asylum · refugee · country of origin · Ellis Island · quota · port of entry · sponsor · family reunification · waiting list · petition
legal immigrantillegal immigrant
Foreign national present unlawfully
undocumented immigrant · illegal alien · unauthorized immigrant · undocumented worker · overstayer
legal immigrantnative
Originating from a place
local · autochthon · native son · native daughter · homebred
legal immigrantemigrant
Person resettling in another nation
outmigrant · expatriate · expat · émigré · emigré
legal, immigrant, legally, legality, legalize, legalization, illegal, illegally, illegality