Glossary
The EMN Glossary – as one of the key products of the EMN - improves comparability by enabling a common understanding and use of terms and definitions relating to asylum and migration. The Glossary draws on a variety of sources, but primarily on the legislation of the EU asylum and immigration acquis, and makes terms available in the majority of EU Member State languages.
The online version is regularly updated and available in various languages.
- BG: задържане
- CZ: zadržení
- DE: Aufgriff / Ergreifung / Festnahme
- EE: kinnipidamine
- EN: apprehension
- ES: aprehensión
- FI: kiinniottaminen / pidättäminen
- FR: appréhension / arrestation
- GA: gabháil
- GR: ανίχνευση
- HU: őrizetbe vétel
- IT: arresto
- LT: sulaikymas
- LV: aizturēšana
- MT: Qbid / Arrest
- NL: aanhouding
- NO: pågripelse (b) / pågriping (n)
- PL: zatrzymanie
- PT: detecção
- RO: luare in custodie publica
- SE: kvarhållande
- SK: zadržanie (EU acquis) / predvedenie (national law)
- SL: prijetje / aretacija
In the EU migration context, any action by the relevant national authority(ies) which results in identifying a third-country national found to be illegally present and which may limit the freedom of movement of the person concerned.
Developed by EMN
- BG: незаконен мигрант
- CZ: nelegální migrant
- DE: irregulärer Migrant
- EE: ebaseaduslik sisserändaja
- EN: irregular migrant
- ES: inmigrante en situación irregular
- FI: laittomasti maassa oleskeleva henkilö
- FR: migrant en séjour irrégulier
- GA: imirceach neamhrialta
- GR: παράνομος μετανάστης
- HU: irreguláris migráns
- IT: migrante irregolare
- LT: neteisėtas migrantas
- LV: nelikumīgs migrants
- MT: Migrant(a) irregolari
- NL: illegaal verblijvende migrant
- NO: irregulær migrant
- PL: migrant nieregularny
- PT: imigrante irregular
- RO: migrant ilegal
- SE: irreguljär migrant
- SK: nelegálny migrant / migrant bez platného povolenia na pobyt
- SL: ilegaln migrant / nezakonit priseljenec
In the EU context, a third-country national present on the territory of a Schengen State who does not fulfil, or no longer fulfils, the conditions of entry as set out in the Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code) or other conditions for entry, stay or residence in that EU Member State.
2. The term 'irregular' is preferable to 'illegal' migrant because the latter carries a criminal connotation, entering a country in an irregular manner, or staying with an irregular status, is not a criminal offence but an infraction of administrative regulations. Apart from this, juridically and ethically, an act can be legal or illegal but a person cannot. Thus more and more the term 'migrant in an irregular situation' or 'migrant with irregular status' is preferred.
3. The European Commission has used the term 'third-country national found to be illegally present' or 'illegally resident/staying third-country national' in legislation.
4. The Council of Europe differentiates between illegal migration and irregular migrant. Referring to Resolution 1509 (2006) of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, ‘illegal’ is preferred when referring to a status or process, whereas 'irregular' is preferred.
- BG: незаконно пребиваващ гражданин на трета страна
- CZ: státní příslušník třetí země, u kterého bylo zjištěno, že nedovoleně pobývá na území
- DE: Drittstaatsangehöriger, dessen illegaler Aufenthalt festgestellt wird
- EE: ebaseaduslikult riigis viibiv kolmanda riigi kodanik
- EN: third-country national found to be illegally present
- ES: nacional de tercer país detectado en situación irregular
- FI: laittomasti maassa oleskeleva kolmannen maan kansalainen
- FR: ressortissant d’un pays tiers en séjour irrégulier
- GA: náisiúnach tríú tír a shuitear a bheith i láthair go neamhdhleathach
- GR: υπήκοοι τρίτων χωρών παράνομα διαμένοντες
- HU: harmadik országbeli állampolgárok, akikről megállapították, hogy illegálisan tartózkodnak
- IT: cittadino di un paese terzo presente irregolarmente
- LT: neteisėtai esantis trečiosios šalies pilietis
- LV: trešās valsts pilsonis, kas nelikumīgi uzturas dalībvalstī
- MT: Ċittadin(a) ta’ pajjiż terz preżenti illegalment
- NL: derdelander van wie vaststaat / is vastgesteld dat deze illegaal verblijft
- NO: tredjelandsborger med ulovlig opphold (b) / tredjelandsborgar med ulovleg opphald (n)
- PL: obywatele krajów trzecich, co do których stwierdzono fakt nielegalnego przebywania
- PT: nacionais de países terceiros detectados em situação ilegal
- RO: cetăţean terţ depistat cu şedere ilegală
- SE: olagligt närvarande tredjelandsmedborgare
- SK: štátny príslušník tretej krajiny neoprávnene sa zdržiavajúci na území členského štátu EÚ
- SL: državljan tretje države za katerega se ugotovi da je nezakonito navzoč
A third-country national who is officially found to be on the territory of an EU Member State and who does not fullfil, or no longer fulfils, the conditions for stay or residence in that EU Member State.
Directive 2009/52/EC (Employer Sanctions Directive) uses the term 'illegally staying third-country national' with the same definition.