Immigration Terminology

noun a being from another planet or world; extraterrestrial

adjective belonging to a foreign country or nation; unfamiliar and disturbing or distasteful

• The scientist claimed to have discovered evidence of an alien presence on the distant planet.
• I heard a rumor that there are aliens living among us.
• Dude, do you believe in aliens and UFOs?
• Her ideas were so innovative, they seemed almost alien to the traditional way of thinking.

noun the action of detaining someone or the state of being detained

• The student was given a detention for repeatedly disrupting the class.
• I got detention for talking back to the teacher.
• I got busted and ended up in detention.
• Being stuck in traffic felt like being in detention.

verb to grant citizenship to someone who was born in a different country

adjective having the right to citizenship after meeting certain requirements

• The government requires immigrants to go through a process to naturalize and become citizens.
• My friend is studying hard to naturalize and become a citizen of this country.
• I heard it's a long process to naturalize, but it's worth it in the end.
• It takes time to naturalize into a new job and feel comfortable with the work environment.

verb to grant full citizenship to someone of foreign birth

• After living in the country for five years, she finally naturalized as a citizen.
• He's been talking about naturalizing for years, but he still hasn't done it.
• I heard she's finally gonna get naturalized next month.
• The new technology has quickly naturalized itself into our daily routines.

noun a term used to describe the process by which an immigrant gains legal entry to a country through the sponsorship of a family member who is already a legal resident or citizen

• Chain migration refers to the process by which one family member sponsors another for immigration to a country.
• My uncle was able to come to the US through chain migration because his sister was already living here.
• Dude, my cousin just got here through chain migration. It's pretty cool how it works.
• In a way, social media can be seen as a form of chain migration, where one person's presence attracts others to join in.

noun extreme vetting - a process of thorough examination or evaluation, typically used in the context of screening individuals for potential risks or threats

• The government implemented a policy of extreme vetting for all incoming refugees.
• They're really cracking down on immigration with this extreme vetting process.
• Man, this extreme vetting thing is no joke, they're making it so hard to get through.
• In the world of job interviews, it's like going through extreme vetting to land a position at that company.

noun A person who lives or works in a foreign country, typically for an extended period of time

• The government has implemented various schemes to assist pravasi workers in obtaining employment abroad.
• Many pravasi workers send money back home to support their families.
• Pravasi folks always have interesting stories to share about their experiences abroad.
• Being a pravasi in a foreign land can sometimes feel like being a fish out of water.

noun a person who is sent to live in a foreign country for an extended period of time, usually as part of their job

verb to send someone to live in a foreign country for an extended period of time, usually as part of their job

• The company offers a repat program for employees who want to return to their home country.
• I heard Sarah is a repat, she moved back to her hometown after living in the city for years.
• I'm thinking about becoming a repat and moving back to my old stomping grounds.
• After years of traveling, I feel like a repat in my own country, rediscovering all the familiar places and faces.