By Parviz Malakouti-Fitzgerald, Esq.
It would appear this man is proud to be a U.S. citizen
This article is part of our Celebrity Citizenship Breakdown series.
Many of your favorite celebrities are American dual citizens.
These entertainers, models, business magnates, and influencers recognize the unique benefit of having the highest right of entry, stay and work authorization in two countries.
Article Outline:
Here are ten famous American dual citizens who have decided they value optionality and freedom of movement.
1. Jim Carrey - USA & Canada
The Canadian born comedian and actor Jim Carrey says “Alrighty then!” to U.S. citizenship back in October 2004.
He retained his Canadian citizenship and thus became a naturalized American dual citizen. Both the U.S. and Canada allow dual citizenship, giving Carrey the right to enjoy the rights of citizenship and passport from both countries.
2. Elon Musk - USA & South Africa
South African born Elon Musk is a citizen of both his native South Africa and the United States.
Back in 2002 (Paypal era Elon Musk), Musk naturalized in the United States. South Africa allows its citizens to naturalize elsewhere, provided they apply for retention of South African citizenship BEFORE naturalizing elsewhere.
3. Tom Hanks - USA & Greece
Tom Hanks was born a U.S. citizen, and naturalized in Greece in 2020. The BBC reported in July, 2020 that:
“Former Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos then signed an honorary naturalization order for Hanks and his family, citing their "exceptional services to Greece".”
As we’ve written at Malakouti Law, citizenship by exception is one of the six major ways of obtaining second citizenship. Hanks is now a dual American-Greek citizen.
4. Joel Embiid - USA, Cameroon & France
Superstar NBA center Joel Embiid added U.S. citizenship to his mobility asset portfolio in September 2022 (to go along with his French and native Cameroonian citizenship).
Embiid can now live and work indefinitely in Cameroon, the United States, as well as the European Union because of satellite residency rights granted by French citizenship.
Not too shabby.
5. Olivia Wilde - USA & Ireland
Although born in the United States, Olivia Wilde is reportedly also a citizen of Ireland.
Irish citizenship holds a special place in the world of global mobility because Ireland is the only country in the world that’s a member of both the European Union and the Common Travel Area.
This gives Wilde the unique ability to live, and work indefinitely anywhere in the European Union, as well as the United Kingdom.
Major European mobility flex.
6. Arnold Schwzrzenneger - USA & Austria
The face of an American dual citizen
By now, everyone knows that “the Austrian Oak” was born in Thal, Austria in 1947 just after World War II.
Arnold is on the record hundreds of times talking about his childhood fantasy of achieving the “American dream.” The champion bodybuilder cum movie star cum politician also naturalized in the U.S. in 1983, while somehow also retaining his Austrian citizenship.
7. Salma Hayek - USA & Mexico
You wanted a picture from Desperado but instead you got this
Salma Hayek, the famous Desperado actress born in Veracruz, Mexico is a Mexican citizen by birth and a U.S. citizen by naturalization.
She’s in good company in the U.S; there are millions of dual Mexican-American citizens living in the U.S.
In our view, Mexican-American citizenship is a solid North American mobility American combo, with plenty of springboard benefits as well.
8. Peter Thiel - USA, Germany & New Zealand
Peter Thiel lecturing about human freedom of movement (just kidding - we don't know what he's saying here)
Like fellow member of the “paypal mafia” Elon Musk, billionaire Peter Thiel is also a multiple citizen. Thiel was born a German citizen in 1967, then naturalized in the U.S., then naturalized in New Zealand in 2011.
Thiel may also have applied for Maltese citizenship, as mentioned in this steakless sizzle of an article from the New York Times. Thiel obviously values and understands the value of maximum human freedom of movement.
9. Gisele Bündchen - USA & Brazil (We Believe)
While not reported publicly, we at Malakouti Law suspect Brazilian born supermodel Gisele is likely a U.S. citizen. Brazilian-American citizenship would give Gisele freedom of movement throughout the United States and MERCOSUR countries of South America, as well as an advantage in residency terms in some MERCOSUR countries.
In other words, her freedom of movement is looking good.
10. Andrew Tate - USA & Britain (& Maybe Others)
The self-described “Top G” is a dual American-British citizen, having been born in the United States to a British mother.
Does he have other citizenships as well? He claims to have seven or more citizenships. We think that claim is mere “puffery” as they say in law school.
However, Tate may very well have a third and possibly even fourth citizenship. If he didn’t obtain a few citizenships before, he may be stuck now. Getting citizenship by investment with a criminal record or even pending charges can be an enormous challenge, if not impossible, depending on the circumstances.
11. How to Become a Dual Citizen
If you think dual citizenship might be for you, look at some popular 2nd citizenship options for Americans here.
You can also just book a consultation directly with Malakouti Law here.