Legal Definitions - alienage

Alienage refers to the legal status of a person who is not a citizen or national of the country in which they reside or are present. It describes the condition of being an alien—someone who does not hold citizenship in a particular nation.

• Example 1: A software engineer from Brazil moves to the United States to work for a tech company on a specialized work visa. Even though they live and work in the U.S. for several years, they remain a citizen of Brazil.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the engineer's legal status in the United States is one of alienage because they are not a U.S. citizen. Their rights and obligations in the U.S. are determined by their visa status and immigration laws, not by citizenship.

• Example 2: A family from South Africa relocates to Australia and applies for permanent residency, with the eventual goal of becoming Australian citizens. Their application is still under review, and they have not yet been granted citizenship.

  Explanation: Until their application for Australian citizenship is officially approved and they complete the naturalization process, the family's legal status in Australia is alienage. They are considered aliens because they do not yet possess Australian citizenship, despite their intention to acquire it.

• Example 3: A university student from China enrolls in a four-year degree program at a university in the United Kingdom, holding a student visa.

  Explanation: Throughout their studies in the UK, the student's legal status is alienage. They are a Chinese national studying abroad, and while they have legal permission to reside in the UK for their education, they do not hold British citizenship.