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When is one be considered an immigrant? Is it: 1) simply living in a land that one was not born in immigration; or 2) giving up one's citizenship at birth for
by kr1shna 15y ago
When is one be considered an immigrant? Is it:
1) simply living in a land that one was not born in immigration; or
2) giving up one's citizenship at birth for another?
Going by the first definition, I've lived in 2 foreign countries for lengthy periods, so have I immigrated twice? But I still am a citizen of where I was born (India) and I do intend to eventually move back to home country, so am I not an immigrant at all?
- _delirium 15y agoThere's a bit of a gray area between "expatriate" and "immigrant", though not everyone makes the distinction. I don't think it has to do with citizenship specifically; someone who moves to the U.S. and stays there the rest of their lives, but never actually becomes a citizen (you can live indefinitely with a green card) would still be an immigrant to the US. Someone whose company sends them on a temporary 3-year posting to the U.S., though, typically wouldn't be considered an immigrant, but an expatriate. Times in between "3 years" and "rest of your life" are trickier.
- jballanc 15y agoI think immigration is very much in the eye (and heart) of the beholder. For example, I know of a good number of Brits living in Australia who would not consider themselves immigrants. I also know of people from the deep south of the U.S. who now live in NYC and probably do think of themselves as immigrants, of a sort.