Illegal agent
A illegal agent (or clandestine agent) is an intelligence agent which works under clandestine cover, i.e. without any bond with the government of its country.
Contrary to a legal agent, which takes up officially a duty subordinate within a diplomatic service of its embassy, the illegal agent which works in a foreign country is made pass for example, for a journalist, a businessman or a member of a non-governmental organization (a such humanitarian organization).
References
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Jacques Baud, Encyclopedia of the information and the secret services
See too