What is an alien
An individual who is residing in a country that is not their country of domicile and who does not hold citizenship status in that country, is classified as an alien. There are various laws in different jurisdictions that are implemented, enabling those jurisdictions to recognize qualifying individuals as aliens.
DeltaQuest consultants are experienced in all areas of immigration processes and legal frameworks in jurisdictions worldwide. For information on how DeltaQuest can assist with your immigration requirements, please Contact Us.
Types of alien statuses
Individuals who reside in a different country to their country of domicile can be categorized into any of the following five types of alien categories.
A legal alien is one who is able to remain in a country that is foreign to them through legal means. This means they fulfill the necessary criteria and have obtained the correct legal documents. A legal alien can either be a tourist, worker or even a student, provided they hold the relevant visas.
A resident alien is an individual who has the right to either temporary or permanent residency in a foreign country through legal means. Resident aliens are required to obtain a relevant residency visa in order to legally reside in their chosen jurisdiction. However, a person who is visiting a foreign country is classified as a nonresident alien in that country, as they do not have the legal right to reside there for a long period of time.
It is important to obtain the correct legal documentation to enter a foreign country, failing to do this can result in an individual being classified as an illegal alien in the foreign country. An illegal alien is a person who resides in a foreign country through unlawful means; in other words, they do not have the legal documents or right, to reside in that country.
The last category of alien categories is enemy alien, which includes individuals who are nationals of an enemy country. Any individual who resides in a different country and does not hold citizenship of that country is categorized in one of the above-mentioned alien categories.
Print This Post
