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Definitions

Glossary

Short definitions for common immigration words.

21 terms

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90/180 rule
Short-stay limit often applied in Schengen: up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. See the Schengen calculator and guide.

B

Biometrics
Fingerprints and a photo collected for many visa and immigration applications. Instructions come from the government handling your case.

C

CBI (citizenship by investment)
A pathway some countries publish where a qualifying donation or investment, plus due diligence, may lead to citizenship. Entryora covers this as education only — not as an authorised agent.
CLB / NCLC
Canadian Language Benchmarks / Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens — scales used to convert language test results for immigration.
CRS
Comprehensive Ranking System — the points score used to rank Express Entry profiles for invitations.

E

ECA
Educational credential assessment — an evaluation of foreign education for some Canadian immigration programs.
ETA / eTA / ESTA
Electronic travel authorisation — a short online approval for eligible nationalities before visa-free travel (for example U.S. ESTA, Canada eTA, UK ETA).
eVisa
A visa issued electronically instead of a passport sticker. Still a visa application; not the same as a light ETA in every country.
Express Entry
IRCC’s application management system for certain Canadian economic immigration programs. Profiles receive a CRS score.

G

Golden Visa
Marketing label for many residency-by-investment permits. Usually a residence right first; citizenship, if any, is a separate later step.

I

Invitation to apply (ITA)
In Express Entry, an invitation to submit a full permanent residence application after a draw selects your profile.

P

Passport
A travel document issued by your country of nationality. Destinations check validity and authenticity; a passport alone does not always allow entry.
PNP
Provincial Nominee Program — a Canadian province or territory nominates you; a nomination can add substantial CRS points.

R

RBI (residency by investment)
Residence permits tied to a qualifying investment or contribution. Often called Golden Visa in marketing.
Residence permit
Authorisation to live in a country for a longer stay (study, work, family, or settlement). Often separate from a short-entry visa.

S

Schengen Area
A group of European countries with largely abolished internal border checks. Short stays often use a shared 90 days in 180 rule.
Skills assessment
An evaluation of your occupation and qualifications by an assessing authority — common in Australian skilled migration.

T

TRV
Temporary Resident Visa — Canada’s visitor visa for people who are not visa-exempt.

V

Visa
Permission from a destination government (or a Schengen state) to enter or stay for a stated purpose. May be a sticker, vignette, or electronic record.
Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
U.S. program allowing eligible nationalities short visits without a visa if they hold a valid ESTA (when required).

Why Entryora keeps a glossary

Immigration writing is dense with acronyms — ETA, eVisa, CRS, Schengen 90/180, Express Entry, and many more. This glossary gives short, plain-language definitions so you can read destination hubs, guides, and tool results without stopping on every abbreviation. Terms are grouped A–Z for quick scanning; jump links above skip to a letter.

  • Use a definition as orientation while you read a guide or program starter.
  • Follow related guides or compare pages when a term sits at the centre of a pathway choice.
  • Remember that official statutes and forms may use narrower or jurisdiction-specific meanings.

How to use definitions safely

  1. Look up the term, then return to the page you were reading with the meaning in mind.
  2. If a destination hub or official form uses the same word differently, prefer the local official meaning.
  3. For process steps and eligibility, leave the glossary and open the matching destination, resource, or .gov page.

Scope and sources

Entries on Entryora are educational summaries, not statutory definitions and not legal advice. We update terms when published content or widely used products change. Source notes and last-verified labels appear below where available. Deeper explainers live in Guides; common questions are in the FAQ. Boundaries are summarised in the disclaimer.

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