In Australia, a 'foreigner' or 'a foreign person' is defined as: a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia; a corporation in which a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia or a foreign corporation holds a substantial interest; a corporation in which two or more persons, each of whom is either a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia or a foreign corporation, hold an aggregate substantial interest; the trustee of a trust estate in which a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia or a foreign corporation holds a substantial interest; or the trustee of a trust estate in which two or more persons, each of whom is either a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia or a foreign corporation, hold an aggregate substantial interest.

Whereas most countries have a race associated with their country (e.g., Chinese from China), there is no race associated with being an American. America is often called a "melting pot" for this reason -- we have citizens, even those born and raised here for many generations -- who are from all countries of the world. So, we define "foreigner" by neither race nor nationality, but rather by legal status -- one who is not a citizen. In the US, you will hear people use the term "foreigner" to refer to anyone whose first language is not English, whether they are a citizen or not. This is considered a bigoted / racist use of the term, however.

This is the definition of "foreigner" from the "New Oxford American Dictionary." foreigner |ˈf�rənər; ˈf�r-| noun a person born in or coming from a country other than one's own. • informal: a person not belonging to a particular place or group; a stranger or outsider. And just in case you are interested, here is the definition of "foreign." foreign |ˈf�rən; ˈf�r-| adjective 1. of, from, in, or characteristic of a country or language other than one's own: a foreign language. • dealing with or relating to other countries: foreign policy. • of or belonging to another district or area. • coming or introduced from outside: the quotation is a foreign element imported into the work. • (of a law or restriction) outside the local jurisdiction. 2. strange and unfamiliar: I suppose this all feels pretty foreign to you. • (foreign to) not belonging to or characteristic of: crime and brutality are foreign to our nature and our country.