adopted country

When you say "adopted country" as in I'm proud of my adopted country, does it mean you have been naturalized as a citizen of that country?

Thanks for your help!

Indeed it does! Adoptive might be an alternative.

Thanks scrotgrot!

scrotgrot said:

Indeed it does! Adoptive might be an alternative.

No, it does not. Whether a nation is someone's "adopted country" is a personal attitudinal decision, not a question of legal status. An immigrant could regard the country he migrated to as his "adopted country" before he is eligible for citizenship there. Just as parents of "adopted children" can also have natural children, so a person with an "adopted country" could still maintain ties with his country of birth, including citizenship there. He might be a citizen of both countries, of only the country he migrated to, or of only the country he migrated from.

I agree with Fabulist. If someone who lives here tells me that the US is his adopted country, I conclude only that he came originally from a different country and that he has chosen to live here and likely wants to continue living here. His statement doesn't tell me whether or not he has become (or plans to become) a citizen, which is a legally defined status.

Thanks Fabulist and Parla! I doubted this too, which was why I posted this question.