Which term describes a person who lacks lawful immigration status?

• A. Tourist
• B. Citizen
• C. Student
• D. Traveler

Answer: (B)

Understanding immigration status terms is about who has permission to be in the country. A citizen represents full, lawful status and national membership. The other terms—tourist, student, traveler—describe people who are in the country for a temporary purpose under a visa or permit, but they do not inherently describe someone who lacks legal permission.

The description for someone who does not have lawful immigration status is typically the label undocumented immigrant (also called unauthorized immigrant). This term specifically signals the absence of legal permission to stay, regardless of the person’s purpose or origin. None of the listed terms inherently conveys that lack of status, which is why the accurate way to describe someone without lawful status is not captured by those options.