Okuzeka
Immigration & Visas vocabulary · Residence & Legal Status

Undocumented

Meaning in immigration & visas, with examples

/ʌnˈdɑːkjumentɪd/adjectiveCommon term

In immigration & visas, undocumented means: Describing a person who lives in a country without valid legal permission to be there, for example after a visa has expired.

In Turkish: belgesiz, kayıt dışı, düzensiz

How it is used

Undocumented migrant and irregular migrant are used by many international organisations, researchers and journalists. Some official texts and news outlets use illegal immigrant. Learners should recognise all three and notice which one a writer chooses.

Example sentences

  1. The report estimates how many undocumented workers are employed in farming.

  2. After his visa expired, he became undocumented and could no longer work legally.

Common collocations

  • undocumented migrant
  • undocumented workers
  • irregular migrant
  • become undocumented
  • immigration statusYour legal position in a country as a non-citizen, which decides how long you can stay and whether you can work, study or use public services.
  • overstayTo stay in a country longer than your visa or permission allows.
  • migrantA person who moves from one place to another, inside a country or across borders, usually to find work or better living conditions.
  • deportationThe official act of forcing a foreign citizen to leave a country, usually because they have no right to stay or have committed a serious crime.

More terms: Residence & Legal Status

Practise with graded reading

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.