noncitizen
Lacking national membership
A noncitizen is someone who is not a citizen of a particular country—a neutral term covering tourists, visa holders, permanent residents, refugees, and undocumented immigrants alike.
It appears most often in legal and administrative contexts: Noncitizens may not vote in federal elections.
The term avoids the connotations of "alien" or "illegal."
One who relocates
- refugeePerson fleeing danger abroad
- newcomerRecent arrival somewhere
- naturalizationLegal path to belonging
- visaTravel authorization stamp
sponsorship · integration · assimilation · diaspora · displacement · emigrant · settler · undocumented
Non-native being
- statusOne's relative position
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
- undocumentedNot officially recorded
- irregularDeviating from normal patterns
deportable · removable · inadmissible · exclusion · detention · ICE · USCIS · rights
Traveler visiting attractions
- travelerOne who journeys
- guestWelcomed visitor
- temporaryLimited in duration
- short-termOf limited duration
holidaymaker · vacationer · transit · overstay · departure · customs · admission
Citizen living abroad
- abroadIn foreign territory
- overseasIn foreign countries
- relocateEstablish residence elsewhere
- secondmentTemporary work transfer
posting · repatriate · émigré · transplant
Lasting extended period
- domicilePermanent legal residence
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
migrant
One who relocates
- refugeePerson fleeing danger abroad
- newcomerRecent arrival somewhere
- naturalizationLegal path to belonging
visa · sponsorship · integration · assimilation · diaspora · displacement · emigrant · settler · undocumented · deportation
alien
Non-native being
- statusOne's relative position
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
- undocumentedNot officially recorded
irregular · deportable · removable · inadmissible · exclusion · detention · ICE · USCIS · rights · stateless
tourist
Traveler visiting attractions
short-term · holidaymaker · vacationer · transit · overstay · departure · customs · admission
expat
Citizen living abroad
secondment · posting · repatriate · émigré · transplant
long-term
Lasting extended period
- domicilePermanent legal residence
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
- foreignersforeigner, immigrant, immigrants, migrant, expats
noncitizencitizen
Legal national member
national · passport holder · naturalized citizen · countryman · subject