nonnational

Non-national is a legal and demographic term used to describe a person who is not a national, or citizen, of a specific country. It denotes the absence of the formal bond of nationality between the individual and that state. Being a non-national does not necessarily imply statelessness, as many non-nationals hold the nationality of another state.

In law and policy, non-national is used to distinguish individuals who may be subject to immigration controls, visa regimes, or residency requirements from full nationals who possess political rights. It is commonly used alongside terms such as foreign national, non-citizen, or resident. In some contexts, stateless persons are included under non-nationals, but statelessness is a separate legal status.

Applications include immigration, employment, and census data. Non-nationals may require visas, residency permits, or asylum status, and their rights to work, study, or access services vary by jurisdiction. Demographically, non-nationals include temporary workers, students, permanent residents, refugees, and others who do not hold the local nationality.

Terminology varies by country. Some jurisdictions prefer foreign national or non-citizen to reduce ambiguity; others continue to use non-national in official statistics and policy discussions. The concept intersects with naturalization processes, the prevention of statelessness, and migrant rights, and debates over integration, security, and social provision.

See also: nationality, citizenship, statelessness, immigration.