Glossary

Asylum Seeker: An asylum seeker is someone who has sought asylum in the UK under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, because of a fear of persecution.

Deportation: Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country.

EEA National: In accordance with the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, if you are an EEA national, you benefit from a number of automatic rights when immigrating to and residing in the UK.

Home Office: The Home Office is a ministerial department of Her Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for immigration, security and law and order.

Immigrant: From the perspective of the country of arrival, a person who moves into a country other than that of his or her nationality or usual residence, so that the country of destination effectively becomes his or her new country of usual residence.

Indefinite Leave To Remain: An immigration status granted to a person who does not hold the right of abode in the United Kingdom (UK), but who has been admitted to the UK without any time limit on his or her stay and who is free to take up employment or study.

Irregular Migration: Movement of persons that takes place outside the laws, regulations, or international agreements governing the entry into or exit from the State of origin, transit or destination.

Leave to enter: technical term for someone granted entry to the United Kingdom by the Home Office.

Migrant: Someone who has come to this country by choice to work or study, or to join family (commonly a spouse visa)

Refugee: Someone that the UK has granted asylum (within the remit of the 1951 convention) to and so has recognised that this is someone who would be at risk of violence or persecution if they went back to their country of origin.

Undocumented: general term to describe a situation where someone does not have leave to remain or leave to enter the United
Kingdom.

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