Tackling Terminology

Refugee

To qualify as a refugee, a person must fulfill three criterion. First, they must face harm increasing to the level of persecution inflicted either by their government, or by a group which their government is unable or unwilling to control. Second, this person's belief in their own danger must be well-founded. According to the U.S. Supreme Court, fear of harm is 'well-founded' if the harm has a one-in-ten likelihood of occurring. The final requirement for refugee status concerns the reasons behind the persecution. A person must be targeted  because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Unlike immigrants, refugees are forced to immigrate.

Asylum Seeker

Like a refugee, an asylum seeker is someone who has left their country in search of international protections, but are not yet recognized as a refugee.

Internally Displaced Person (IDP)

A person who has been forced to flee their home in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict or generalized violence, human rights violations, or natural or man-made disasters. These individuals have not crossed any recognized State boarders. 

Undocumented or Illegal Immigrant 

A person who has entered or remained in a country in a manner that violates the immigration laws of that country. 

Permanent Resident

A person who has been lawfully admitted to a foreign country to live and work in that country permanently. Also known as green card holders because permanent resident cards were green from 1946-1964 and have now returned to that color as of May 11th, 2010.

Citizen

A person who legally belongs to a country as a native or naturalization person, and who has the rights and protections of that country.

Naturalized Citizen

Someone who was born in one country and has lawfully become a citizen of another. This person has the rights and protections—except some cases, for example eligibility for presidency or vice-presidency in the United States—of native citizens. When in foreign countries, this person has the right to be treated as a full citizen of the country to which he belongs, even in the country of his or her birth.

Immigrant or Alien

Any person who comes to live as a permanently in a country different from the country of their birth by choice.

Emigrant

A person who leaves one country to settle in another. 

Migrant

Sometimes used interchangeably with emigrant, migrant refers to a person who travels from one country or region to live in another, usually with the intention of returning.