presencia ilegal
/pɾesenθja ileɡal/from spelling rules
In Spanish, unlawful presence is expressed as presencia ilegal.
The phrase refers to the state of remaining in a country without the legal right or permission to do so.
Which one should you use?
While presencia ilegal is a common way to describe this status, many official Spanish-speaking legal contexts prefer the term presencia irregular to describe the same state. You may also encounter estadía irregular to convey the concept of unlawful presence in certain formal contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, you might hear permanencia ilegal instead of presencia ilegal.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾesenθja ileɡal/
Did you know?
- While presencia ilegal is understood everywhere, a person in the US might use sin papeles to describe their status, which literally means 'without papers'.
- In many Spanish-speaking legal systems, the word irregular is favored over ilegal because it describes a failure to follow administrative procedures rather than a criminal act.
- The word presencia shares a root with the English word 'presence', both descending from the Latin praesentia, meaning 'being at hand'.
Examples in context
- John lleva tres años en el país, pero desafortunadamente, se encuentra en estado de presencia ilegal.John has been in the country for three years, but unfortunately, he is in a state of unlawful presence.
- Están imponiendo sanciones a personas que tienen estadía irregular en el país.They are imposing penalties on individuals who have unlawful presence in the country.
- Su presencia irregular en el país le impide trabajar legalmente.His irregular presence in the country prevents him from working legally.
- Su caso es por presencia ilegal.His case is for unlawful presence.
- La presencia ilegal conlleva riesgos legales.Unlawful presence carries legal risks.
- Deben demostrar que no hay presencia ilegal.They must prove there is no unlawful presence.
Example conversation
Two lawyers are discussing a client's immigration case in an office.
- Lucía¿Cuál es el problema principal del cliente?What is the client's main problem?
- JavierEl problema es su presencia ilegal en el país.The problem is his unlawful presence in the country.
- LucíaEntiendo, Javier. ¿Es difícil resolverlo?I see, Javier. Is it difficult to resolve?
- JavierSí, es un proceso complicado.Yes, it is a complicated process.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ilegal, presencia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
