The legal classification of a foreign national who enters a country temporarily for a specific purpose, such as tourism, business, study, or temporary employment. Nonimmigrant status is granted based on the type of visa issued and the terms of the individual’s stay. Nonimmigrants must comply with the conditions of their visa and may need to apply for an extension or change of status if they wish to remain in the country longer.
Etymology:
The term “nonimmigrant” combines “non,” meaning “not,” with “immigrant,” derived from the Latin “immigrans,” meaning “to move into.” The concept of status comes from the Latin word “status,” meaning “state or condition.”