Legal dictionary · Area 16 of 17

Immigration & Citizenship — EN · ES · IT.

25 terms from Immigration & Citizenship, each with its Spanish and Italian equivalent and a plain-language definition. Open any term for its own page.

Immigration vocabulary is agency-specific. U.S. terms — adjustment of status, green card, naturalization, petition, waiver — are defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act and USCIS practice, and the Spanish or Italian words used in Madrid, Mexico City or Rome (arraigo, permesso di soggiorno, residencia) belong to entirely different systems. Certified translations of supporting documents keep the source-country term and never relabel it with a U.S. status it does not correspond to; the same discipline applies in the other direction for Italian citizenship by descent and Spanish residence files.

Immigration

ENImmigration — The act of entering a country to settle there.

ESInmigración

ITImmigrazione

Emigration

ENEmigration — The act of leaving one's country to settle elsewhere.

ESEmigración

ITEmigrazione

Citizenship

ENCitizenship — Legal membership in a state with full rights.

ESCiudadanía

ITCittadinanza

Nationality

ENNationality — The legal bond between a person and a state.

ESNacionalidad

ITNazionalità

Dual citizenship

ENDual citizenship — Holding citizenship of two countries at once.

ESDoble ciudadanía / nacionalidad

ITDoppia cittadinanza

Residence permit

ENResidence permit — Authorization to live in a country for a period.

ESPermiso de residencia / Radicación

ITPermesso di soggiorno

Work permit

ENWork permit — Authorization allowing a foreigner to work.

ESPermiso de trabajo

ITPermesso di lavoro

Visa

ENVisa — Official authorization to enter or remain in a country.

ESVisa / Visado

ITVisto

Passport

ENPassport — An official travel document proving identity and nationality.

ESPasaporte

ITPassaporto

Asylum

ENAsylum — Protection granted to those fleeing persecution.

ESAsilo

ITAsilo

Refugee

ENRefugee — A person granted protection for fear of persecution.

ESRefugiado

ITRifugiato

Deportation

ENDeportation — The forced removal of a foreigner from a country.

ESDeportación / Expulsión

ITEspulsione

Removal proceedings

ENRemoval proceedings — Legal proceedings to remove a non-citizen.

ESProceso de expulsión

ITProcedimento di espulsione

Sponsorship

ENSponsorship — A supporter who backs a visa or residence application.

ESPatrocinio / Auspicio (migratorio)

ITSponsorizzazione / Garanzia

Permanent residence

ENPermanent residence — Indefinite authorization to live in a country.

ESResidencia permanente

ITResidenza permanente

Naturalization

ENNaturalization — Acquiring citizenship by a foreign national.

ESNaturalización

ITNaturalizzazione

Stateless person

ENStateless person — A person not recognised as a national by any state.

ESApátrida

ITApolide

Consulate

ENConsulate — A state's office abroad serving its nationals.

ESConsulado

ITConsolato

Apostille (vital records)

ENApostille (vital records) — Authentication of civil-status documents for foreign use.

ESApostilla de actas

ITApostille su atti di stato civile

Civil registry

ENCivil registry — The public office recording births, marriages and deaths.

ESRegistro civil

ITStato civile / Anagrafe

Affidavit of support

ENAffidavit of support — A sponsor's pledge to support an immigrant financially.

ESDeclaración / Carta de sostenimiento

ITDichiarazione di sostegno economico

Biometrics

ENBiometrics — Fingerprints and other identifiers used in immigration.

ESDatos biométricos

ITDati biometrici

Port of entry

ENPort of entry — An authorized place to enter a country.

ESPuesto / Punto de entrada

ITValico di frontiera

Overstay

ENOverstay — Remaining beyond the period a visa permits.

ESPermanencia irregular / vencida

ITPermanenza oltre i termini

Green card

ENGreen card — The U.S. lawful permanent resident card.

ESTarjeta verde / Residencia (EE. UU.)

ITCarta di soggiorno permanente (USA)

Other areas of the dictionary

This page is for general orientation only. It is not legal advice and does not substitute for advice from licensed counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Terminology varies between countries and between civil-law and common-law systems; the equivalents shown here are the most common in cross-border practice.

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