Refugee — in Spanish and Italian.

Definition

A person granted protection for fear of persecution.

Spanish and Italian equivalents

In Spanish, Refugee is rendered as Refugiado; in Italian, as Rifugiato. Spanish equivalents follow Argentine (Rioplatense) usage where it differs from European Spanish. In a certified translation the equivalent is chosen for the target jurisdiction; where the concept has no exact counterpart, the source term is kept alongside a functional explanation.

Translating Immigration & Citizenship terminology

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.

Related terms in Immigration & Citizenship

• Immigration — Inmigración
• Emigration — Emigración
• Citizenship — Ciudadanía
• Nationality — Nacionalidad
• Dual citizenship — Doble ciudadanía / nacionalidad
• Residence permit — Permiso de residencia / Radicación
• Work permit — Permiso de trabajo
• Visa — Visa / Visado
• Passport — Pasaporte
• Asylum — Asilo
• Deportation — Deportación / Expulsión
• Removal proceedings — Proceso de expulsión
• Sponsorship — Patrocinio / Auspicio (migratorio)
• Permanent residence — Residencia permanente
• Naturalization — Naturalización
• Stateless person — Apátrida
• Consulate — Consulado
• Apostille (vital records) — Apostilla de actas
• Civil registry — Registro civil
• Affidavit of support — Declaración / Carta de sostenimiento
• Biometrics — Datos biométricos
• Port of entry — Puesto / Punto de entrada
• Overstay — Permanencia irregular / vencida
• Green card — Tarjeta verde / Residencia (EE. UU.)

Browse the full Immigration & Citizenship area, return to the dictionary index, or search all 712 terms in the interactive dictionary (also available as a PDF).

---

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.