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Plain-language glossary

Moving abroad: the words explained

56 terms you may meet when you plan a move, in everyday language.

These are general explanations, not legal advice. Rules differ by country and change, so the official source for your route decides. A term here never means you qualify for anything. See the source index for where each route requirement comes from.

A

Apostille
A certificate that confirms a public document, such as a birth or degree certificate, is genuine so that another country can accept it. It does not say the document meets any requirement. Which countries accept it, and for which documents, is set by the receiving authority.
On this site:Prepare documents
Application fee
A payment made to the authority when you apply. It is usually not returned if the application is refused. It is different from costs outside the application, such as travel or translations.
On this site:Estimate costs
AuthorityAlso called: immigration authority, competent authority
The government office that receives applications and decides them. The same route can involve more than one authority, for example one for the job offer and another for the visa.
On this site:Official links

B

Biometric appointmentAlso called: biometrics, fingerprints
A visit to a visa centre or office to have your fingerprints and photo taken for your application. Some applications need one and some do not. Check the official instructions for yours.
On this site:Prepare documents
Blocked account
A bank account that holds money you have paid in and limits how much you can take out in a period. It is sometimes used as one way to show proof of funds. Not every country or route uses one.
On this site:Blocked account in GermanyEstimate costs

C

Certified copy
A copy of a document that an authorised person or office has confirmed matches the original. Who may certify, and whether a copy is enough, depends on the office asking for it.
On this site:Prepare documents
Certified translationAlso called: sworn translation
A translation that comes with a signed statement from the translator that it is complete and accurate. Offices set their own rules on who may translate and what the statement must say.
On this site:Prepare documents
CitizenshipAlso called: nationality
Your legal membership of a country, normally shown by its passport. Citizens usually do not need permission to live in their own country. It is not the same as holding a residence permit.
On this site:Plan my route
ConsulateAlso called: embassy
A country's office in another country. Many visa applications are made or handed in there. Its website is usually the place to find the booking steps for your own location.
On this site:Official links
Country of residence
The country where you live now. It can differ from your passport country. Where you apply, and which office handles you, can depend on it, so this site asks for both separately.
On this site:Plan my route

D

DependantAlso called: dependent, accompanying family member
A family member, such as a partner or child, who applies to join you rather than in their own right. Who counts as a dependant, and what they may do, is set by each country.
On this site:Check your fit

E

Eligibility
Whether you meet a route's published requirements. Only the authority decides. A self-check on this site lists the published requirements against your answers and is never a decision or a promise.
On this site:Check your fitHow we work
Employer-sponsored
A route where an employer supports your application, for example by offering the job or filing part of the paperwork. It usually ties the permit to that employer or role.
On this site:Check your fit
Entry banAlso called: re-entry ban
A bar on coming back to a country for a stated time, usually after a breach of the rules such as overstaying. Ask the authority how long one lasts and how to appeal.
On this site:Official links
Entry clearance
Permission obtained before you travel, usually a visa placed in your passport or issued digitally. It lets you travel to the border; the border officer can still ask questions on arrival.

F

Fake agentAlso called: recruitment scam
Someone who offers a job, visa or place for a fee and does not deliver, or is not licensed to. Warning signs include pressure to pay quickly and promises that an outcome is certain.
On this site:Check an agent
Family reunionAlso called: family reunification, family route
A route for close relatives to join a person who already lives in a country. The relationships that count and the conditions are set by each country.
On this site:Check your fit
Financial guaranteeAlso called: sponsor letter, affidavit of support
A written promise from you or another person to cover your costs. Some authorities ask for one in a set form with supporting documents.
On this site:Estimate costs
Fixed-term contract
An employment contract with an end date. A permit linked to a fixed-term contract may have its own end date, so read both together.

J

Job offerAlso called: employment contract, offer letter
A written offer of work from an employer. A route may ask for a signed contract or a more specific document, so check what the authority names.

L

Labour market testAlso called: resident labour market test
A step in some countries where an employer first has to show it advertised the job locally before hiring from abroad. Many routes do not use one.
On this site:Check your fit
Language testAlso called: language certificate, CEFR level
An exam that shows your level in the local language. Levels are often given as A1 to C2 on the common European scale. Only certain providers and dates are accepted by an authority.
On this site:Language requirements
Last checked dateAlso called: verified on, date checked
The date we last compared a published requirement with its official source. Rules can change after that date, so treat it as a reason to check again, not as proof the rule is still current.
On this site:Source indexReport a correction
LegalisationAlso called: legalization, consular legalisation
A chain of official stamps that confirms a document is genuine when the apostille system does not apply. The steps depend on the country that issued the document and the one receiving it.
On this site:Prepare documents
Long-stay visa
A visa for staying longer than a short visit, often to work, study or join family. It is often followed by a residence permit after arrival. The name and steps differ by country.

M

Medical examAlso called: health check, panel physician
A health check some authorities require, often at an approved clinic. It is usually requested only for certain routes or stays.
On this site:Prepare documents

O

Official source
A government or authority website or document that sets the rule. This site links each published requirement to one with a check date, and recommends you confirm there before you act.
On this site:Source indexOfficial links

P

Passport countryAlso called: nationality, citizenship
The country that issued your passport. It decides many visa rules, so this site asks for it first and never works it out from your location or connection.
On this site:Plan my route
Passport validity
How long your passport remains valid. Many authorities want it valid for a stated time beyond your trip or permit, so check the rule for your route before you apply.
Path to residenceAlso called: pathway to settlement
A way of moving from a temporary permit to a longer one. Whether a route offers one, and how long it takes, is set by each country and is never certain.
On this site:Check your fit
Permanent residenceAlso called: settlement, indefinite leave, green card
A status that lets you live in a country with no fixed end date. It still has conditions, and in some cases can be lost. It is not the same as citizenship.
On this site:Check your fit
Permitted stayAlso called: length of stay, validity
How long the authority allows you to remain, as written on your visa or permit. It can be shorter than the validity of the document itself. Check both dates.
On this site:Official links
Points testAlso called: points-based system
A system that awards points for things like age, qualifications, language level and work history, and sets a minimum score. Not every route uses points, and meeting the minimum is not a promise of approval.
On this site:Check your fit
Police certificateAlso called: police clearance, criminal record check
An official document from the police or another authority that states your criminal record status. Authorities often accept it only for a limited time after it is issued, so check the date rule.
On this site:Prepare documents
Preview guideAlso called: under verification
A guide on this site that is published but not yet fully checked against official sources. Use it as a starting point and confirm each point on the linked official source.
On this site:Where we coverHow we work
Processing timeAlso called: decision time, waiting time
How long an authority says it usually takes to decide an application. It is an estimate, not a deadline, and it can change. Authorities often start the count from a specific step.
On this site:Estimate costsRule updates
Proof of fundsAlso called: financial proof, bank statements
Evidence that you can pay for your living costs, such as bank statements or a dedicated account. What counts and how much is set by the authority for your route.
On this site:Estimate costs

R

Recognition of qualificationsAlso called: degree recognition, credential evaluation, equivalence
An official check of whether a qualification you earned elsewhere counts as equal to a local one. Some jobs need it before you can start work and some do not. The body that does it differs by country and by profession.
On this site:Official linksCheck your fit
RefusalAlso called: rejection, denial
A decision not to grant an application. The decision letter normally states the reasons and any way to appeal or re-apply. Keep every letter.
On this site:Official links
Registration of addressAlso called: registering your address, residence registration
Telling local authorities where you live after you arrive. Some countries require it and it is often needed for other steps such as a bank account.
On this site:After you arrive in Germany
Remote-work visaAlso called: digital nomad visa
A permit for people who work for an employer or clients outside the country they stay in. Not every country offers one, and the conditions differ.
On this site:Plan my route
RemovalAlso called: deportation
A formal order to leave a country. Staying beyond your permission, or giving false information, can lead to one. Rules differ, so read the conditions on your own permit.
Residence permitAlso called: residence card, resident permit
Permission to live in a country for a stated time and purpose, usually shown on a card or document. It is different from a visa, which lets you travel to the border, though some countries combine the two.
On this site:Check your fit

S

Salary thresholdAlso called: minimum salary
A minimum pay level that some work routes set. Whether a route has one, and the amount, is set by the authority and changes, so read the dated source.
On this site:Rule updatesSource index
Short-stay visaAlso called: visitor visa, tourist visa
A visa for a brief visit such as tourism or a short business trip. It does not normally allow you to work or to settle.
Shortage occupationAlso called: skills shortage list
A job type an authority has marked as hard to fill locally. Where a route uses such a list, being on it can change the conditions. Check the current list on the official source.
On this site:Source index
Student visaAlso called: study permit
Permission to stay in a country to study at an approved institution. It is usually tied to your enrolment, and any permission to work is set separately.
On this site:Check your fit

T

Tax numberAlso called: tax identification number, tax ID
A number the tax office gives you so your pay and tax can be recorded. Many countries issue one soon after arrival. Employers often ask for it.
On this site:After you arrive in Germany
Transit visa
Permission to pass through a country on the way to another. Whether you need one depends on your passport and route.

V

Verified guide
A guide whose published requirements have each been checked against an official source on a stated date. Even then, rules change, so read the date and confirm with the authority.
On this site:Where we coverSource index
Visa
Permission, usually placed in or linked to your passport, to travel to a country's border or to enter for a stated purpose. A visa does not guarantee entry, and it is not the same as a residence permit.
On this site:Plan my routeOfficial links
Visa centreAlso called: application centre
An office, sometimes run by a private company for the authority, where applications are handed in and documents or biometrics are taken. It does not decide the application.
On this site:Official links
Visa-free entryAlso called: visa waiver
Entry without a visa for a short stay. It depends on your passport and the purpose, and usually does not allow work.
On this site:Plan my route

W

Work permitAlso called: employment authorisation
Permission to work in a country. In some places it is part of the visa or residence permit and in others it is a separate document. Check which applies to you.
On this site:Check your fit
Working holidayAlso called: youth mobility
A temporary scheme that lets younger people of certain nationalities travel and work for a limited time. Only some pairs of countries have one, and the age and conditions differ.
On this site:Plan my route