resident alien
Noncitizen legal immigrant
A resident alien is a foreign national legally living in a country without citizenship.
In U.S. law, it designates someone with a green card—authorized to live and work permanently but not yet naturalized: As a resident alien, she could work anywhere but couldn't vote.
The term sounds clinical, even slightly dehumanizing to some ears, which is why "permanent resident" has become the preferred alternative.
Travel authorization stamp
- green cardU.S. residency document
- naturalizationLegal path to belonging
- citizenshipStatus as state member
- deportationLegal expulsion from country
asylum · refugee · work permit · sponsorship · adjustment of status · border · customs · quota
Citizen living abroad
- émigréOne who left home
- foreignerNon-native person
- sojournerOne dwelling temporarily
- transplantMove tissue between bodies
settler · diaspora · exile · relocation · overseas · abroad · outsider · newcomer
Quality of being permitted
- work authorizationLegal right to employment
- eligibilityState of meeting criteria
- immigrant visaAuthorization for permanent residency abroad
- public chargeSomeone supported by taxpayers
Foreign visitor, not settling
- visitorShort-term guest
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- student visaAuthorization for foreign scholars
- work visaAuthorization for foreign employment
tourist visa · seasonal worker · au pair · sojourn · short-term · visa waiver · business traveler · diplomatic staff
Alien abbreviation
- UFOUnidentified aerial craft
- spacemanOne who travels beyond Earth
- martianNative of fourth planet
- outer spaceVacuum beyond Earth's atmosphere
close encounter · flying saucer · little green men · starman · off-worlder · cosmic · interstellar · invasion
visa
Travel authorization stamp
- green cardU.S. residency document
- naturalizationLegal path to belonging
- citizenshipStatus as state member
deportation · asylum · refugee · work permit · sponsorship · adjustment of status · border · customs · quota · integration
expat
Citizen living abroad
transplant · settler · diaspora · exile · relocation · overseas · abroad · outsider · newcomer · immigrant
admissibility
Quality of being permitted
- work authorizationLegal right to employment
- eligibilityState of meeting criteria
- immigrant visaAuthorization for permanent residency abroad
nonimmigrant
Foreign visitor, not settling
- visitorShort-term guest
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- student visaAuthorization for foreign scholars
work visa · tourist visa · seasonal worker · au pair · sojourn · short-term · visa waiver · business traveler · diplomatic staff · temporary stay
ET
Alien abbreviation
outer space · close encounter · flying saucer · little green men · starman · off-worlder · cosmic · interstellar · invasion · abduction
- immigrationimmigrant, immigrants, visa, refugee, citizenship
- conversionconverting, converts, data conversion, file conversion, format conversion
- outsidersoutcast, outsider, outcasts, pariah, misfit
- citizenshipcitizen, citizenship laws, citizenship law, citizenship test, citizenship ceremony
- expat taxesforeign income, double taxation, tax treaty, foreign nationals, offshore income
- Jewish statuskohen, Israelite, convert, ger, proselyte
resident aliencitizen
Legal national member
national · native · naturalized citizen · countryman · compatriot
resident alientourist
Traveler visiting attractions
visitor · transient · traveler · vacationer · day-tripper
resident alienillegal alien
Unauthorized foreign resident
undocumented immigrant · unauthorized immigrant · illegal immigrant · overstayer
alien, resident, residence, aliens, residents, alienation, residency, inalienable, nonresident