Celebrity Citizenship: Actors & Celebrities With Second Passports

If you look at the news, you’ll no doubt notice a trend. More and more celebrities are getting second passports, and even some top Hollywood actors are moving overseas. 

This article explores celebrity citizenship, including celebrities with dual US citizenship and others who have gained second passports.

We look at the various ways celebrities obtain second citizenship and how these headline-grabbing celebrity defections can affect your chances of starting a new life overseas. 

The Great Celebrity Exodus

There’s something of a celebrity exodus happening at the moment. 

A celexodous if you will. Or perhaps we should call it Celebrexit?

We’ll figure the word out later.

The point is, you’ve no doubt noticed an increase in celebrities and other high-profile individuals from the world of the arts, culture and business, seeking second citizenships and/or moving overseas. 

This is hardly surprising to us. 

Remove the Hollywood glitz, and what you have is yet another group of wealthy and talented individuals looking to improve their quality of life. 

And that’s precisely what the Millionaire Migrant movement is all about. 

Celebrities Who Left The US Already

While Hollywood was once a dream for many, an increasing number of actors, directors and musicians are turning their back on Tinseltown in search of something better. 

Common themes include political dissatisfaction, a lack of privacy and the desire to lead a quieter and more meaningful life. In all cases, they left the US behind and found what they were looking for overseas. 

Richard Gere left the US back in 2024 and moved to Spain so his wife could be closer to her family. Of the move, the actor said, “We’re happier than ever.”

Around the same time, actress Eva Longoria also left the US and now splits her time between Spain and Mexico.

Of the move, she cites California’s homeless crisis and social issues, as well as high taxes, as key factors in her relocation. 

High taxes don’t seem to matter much to George Clooney, who left the US and moved to France in 2021 so he could enjoy the “peaceful life” with his wife, Amal.

He cites superior schooling and a better quality of life for his family as his two biggest motivations for the move. 

In 2023, singer and actress Christina Milian also moved to France, where her husband is from. Like Clooney, she cites superior schooling and quality of life as deciding factors. 

Ellen DeGeneres left the US in 2024 and moved to the scenic Cotswolds region of England.

DeGeneres cited politics as the primary reason for the move while praising Britain’s famous politeness. 

It’s not just the quality of life that’s better overseas, however. Many celebrities cite enhanced privacy as yet another huge incentive to leave the US behind.

Take Britney Spears, who, after years of being hounded by paparazzi, left the US in 2024 and moved to Mexico, where, evidently, they know how to leave Britney alone. 

It’s the same story with Lindsay Lohan. She left the US all the way back in 2014 and moved to Dubai.

Shortly after the move, she spoke with Entertainment Tonight, stating, “there are no cameras in Dubai and I can actually focus on what I want to do in life” while also praising the “serenity and peace” she finds there. 

Lohan’s far from the only high-profile individual to move to Dubai in recent years, as the high quality of life and low taxes have made it one of the world’s most popular destinations for entrepreneurs and investors, up to and including prominent tech billionaires like Revolut CEO Nikolay Storonsky.

Another popular escape destination is New Zealand. And though its taxation is nowhere near as favourable as that of Dubai, the country’s lifestyle and scenery have proven a huge draw. 

In our recent article on wealth migration, we mentioned how tech billionaire Peter Thiel recently received his New Zealand citizenship.

Seeking to join him is James Cameron, who directed several of the most successful movies of all time, including Avatar, Titanic and the first two Terminator movies.

Cameron has been a New Zealand resident for several years now, but didn’t make his bid for citizenship until quite recently, citing politics as a main factor in his decision to leave the US. 

New Zealand is keen to attract successful individuals like Cameron to their shores and will shortly be launching a new business investor visa programme providing a fast-track to residency in as little as 12 months. 

For the latest information on this, and other programmes, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to help you stay ahead of the pack. 

Celebrities With Dual US Citizenship

So what celebrities have dual citizenship? 

Quite a lot, as it turns out. 

Many are Canadian, including actors Ryan Reynolds and Jim Carrey, and musicians like Drake, who all hold dual US and Canadian citizenship. 

Other dual citizens include Emily Blunt, who became a US citizen in 2015 but retains her British citizenship, Charlize Theron, who became a naturalised US citizen in 2007 but retains her South African citizenship, and Salma Hayak, who holds dual Mexican citizenship.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s nickname “The Austrian Oak” is an obvious nod to the country of his birth, and he retained his Austrian citizenship after becoming a US citizen in 1983. 

Kirsten Dunst, meanwhile, leveraged her German parentage to obtain German citizenship in 2011.

This type of citizenship is called citizenship by descent, which is what we’re going to discuss next.

Celebrities With Citizenship By Descent

Citizenship by descent is one of the most common ways of obtaining a second citizenship. 

It’s also the cheapest and easiest.  

Until recently, news of celebrities obtaining second citizenships was steady but sporadic. 

The result was always a brief spike in interest and increased Google searches before interest invariably tapered off. 

Except now these stories are appearing with greater frequency, sustaining demand. 

From our perspective, it’s kind of a double-edged sword. 

On the plus side, it helps raise awareness, which is good for our business and our industry as a whole. 

Too many people think second citizenships are only for the super-rich and are often surprised to discover how easy it can be to claim a second citizenship through familial ties. 

The problem is, every time a celebrity gains second citizenship, it drives demand and attracts greater media scrutiny. 

And when that happens, countries often react by putting more restrictions on programmes, making it t for newcomers to apply. (This is especially true in Europe.) 

The trick is to always be one step ahead. 

Celebrities are used to the red carpet treatment, but you can get ahead of them in the queue by signing up to The Sovereign Brief newsletter.

This way you can learn about all the new second citizenship programmes well before the celebrities and their Hollywood agents do.

Jimmy Kimmel 

The most recent high-profile example is that of Jimmy Kimmel, who obtained Italian citizenship by descent. 

Such a backup plan no doubt provided considerable peace of mind to Kimmel, given his recent difficulties, and emphasises the value of having a “plan B” option you can literally carry in your pocket. 

Rosie O’Donnell

Another celebrity who’s not exactly on good terms with the current administration, Rosie O’Donnell, left the US in January 2025.

Her surname’s a bit of a giveaway in this case, as she moved to Ireland and claimed citizenship by descent.

Since Ireland offers citizenship by descent through grandparents, O’Donnell was able to secure an Irish passport in short order, describing the country as “kind” and “welcoming”. 

Mel Gibson 

This is a surprising one, because it turns out Australia’s most famous actor isn’t actually Australian at all. 

Although he began his acting career in Australia, Gibson was actually born in the US and lived there before moving to Australia at age 12. 

Moreover, he never actually obtained Australian citizenship and instead retained his American citizenship before also obtaining Irish citizenship by descent, as his mother was Irish.

Dan Bilzarian 

Celebrity influencer and poker player Dan Bilzarian acquired Armenian citizenship in 2018, along with his brother Adam and father Paul. 

Celebrities With Diplomatic Passports

Diplomatic passports are special types of passports usually reserved for cabinet members, diplomats, and their families. 

In addition to conferring travel privileges, such as visa-free travel, a diplomatic passport signifies the bearer as an official representative, or ambassador, of that nation. 

On occasion, governments bestow this honour on celebrities who have close ties to their country. 

Robert De Niro

In addition to being one of the most revered actors of his generation, Robert De Niro is also a citizen of two countries and holds three passports.  

Like Kimmel, De Niro was born in the US but later obtained Italian citizenship by descent. 

De Niro was also named a Special Envoy by the government of Antigua and Barbuda in recognition of his involvement in the development of a luxury hotel in the country. 

It’s worth pointing out that this is not the same thing as being a citizen, though if De Niro wanted to, I’m certain this would be easy for him to do. 

Antigua and Barbuda currently operates one of the world’s cheapest citizenship by investment programmes, with prices starting at $230,000 for one person, or $250,000 for a family of up to four. 

Idris Elba 

Idris Elba is a British-born actor with African parents. His mother is from Ghana, and his father is from Sierra Leone. 

In 2019, the government of Sierra Leone honoured Elba by giving him a diplomatic passport and granting him full citizenship. 

This type of citizenship is known as citizenship by exception, and we will be covering that more in the next section. 

Sierra Leone is also one of the growing number of African countries with citizenship by investment.

At a donation cost of $140,000, it’s also one of the most affordable options out there. Most interesting of all, Sierra Leone also offers a $40,000 discount to applicants with African heritage. 

Celebrities With Citizenship By Exception

Citizenship by exception is exactly what it sounds like – citizenship which is granted to a person of exceptional talent or influence, for example, athletes, scientists and philanthropists. 

As noted in our previous article on billionaire citizenships, citizenship by exception is also granted regularly to members of the business community, such as the former CEO of Uber, Travis Cordell Kalanick, who was recently granted citizenship in Saudi Arabia. 

Citizenship by exception is also regularly granted on the basis of cultural merit, which is why it’s common to hear about celebrity actors and musicians being granted citizenship by foreign countries. 

In some cases, citizenship by exception is granted to celebrities with a familial connection to that country. 

For example, we already mentioned Idris Elba, who received both a diplomatic passport and citizenship from his father’s native home of Sierra Leone. 

In other cases, citizenship by exception is granted to celebrities who raise awareness of the country through advocacy. 

One well-publicised example is that of Angelina Jolie, who was granted citizenship of Cambodia by royal decree in 2005 due to her charity work in the country. 

Similarly, Tom Hanks was made an honorary citizen of Greece in 2020.

Hanks has travelled to Greece for years, describing it as “a haven”, however when wildfires devastated the country, Tom Hanks helped the victims and helped raise global awareness of their plight.

In gratitude, Hanks and his wife were granted citizenship by the Greek government, meaning they are now both US and EU citizens. 

Greece is actually one of the easiest passports to get in Europe, as it provides a residency by investment programme, known as a Golden Visa, which can then lead to citizenship by naturalisation. 

A little farther north from Greece, we come to Serbia, which has granted citizenship by exception to multiple celebrities in recent years. 

The first was Steven Seagal, who was granted both Serbian and Russian citizenship by exception in 2016. Together with his US citizenship, he now holds three passports.

The following year, English actor Ralph Fiennes was granted Serbian citizenship for helping to promote the country and its culture, and so now holds both British and Serbian citizenship. 

There are also unverified reports that Johnny Depp received citizenship by exception in Serbia. The actor certainly has strong ties to the country, having received a gold medal from the country’s president for “outstanding merits in public and cultural activities” and “the promotion of the Republic of Serbia.”

Depp, who is no fan of the US tax system, has spoken fondly of Serbia in interviews and is also said to be building a new house in the country, so Serbian citizenship can’t be far behind. 

One other high-profile person we can confirm is Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. He and his wife were granted Serbian citizenship by exception in 2023.

Wozniak also gained Polish citizenship by descent in 2017, which means he currently holds three citizenships. 

Celebrity Citizenship: Key Takeaways

• Many prominent American celebrities no longer live in the US, and more are leaving, citing politics, social issues and privacy concerns versus an improved quality of life abroad. 
• Celebrities who move to the US and naturalise always retain their birth citizenship when doing so.
• The number of American celebrities obtaining second citizenships is also rising.
• While a large number of celebrities obtain citizenship by descent, the public is still largely unaware that they can also follow this path to achieve second citizenship. 
• It is common for celebrities to attain citizenship by exception through charitable and cultural activities, and by raising public awareness of foreign nations. 

Celebrity Citizenship: Conclusion 

The growing trend of celebrities seeking second citizenship and moving overseas is hardly an isolated phenomenon. 

It tracks with a broader migration of talented and affluent individuals who, for one reason or another, no longer feel their country properly represents them or serves their interests. 

Perhaps you’re also planning on moving abroad, or perhaps you’re just mulling the idea over. 

In either case, having a second citizenship is the ultimate plan B, giving you the leverage to determine exactly where and how you want to live.  

With that comes peace of mind, safe in the knowledge that, if things get problematic, you need only jump on a plane and leave.

This is especially important if you’re a parent whose growing concerned for their children’s future. 

The internet would have you believe that second citizenships are only for celebrities and the super wealthy, but that’s simply not the case. 

Citizenship by exception may be more commonly granted to celebrities, but it is theoretically possible for anyone. 

Citizenship by investment is also becoming more affordable than ever as new regions seek to enter this lucrative market. 

Finally, we have citizenship by descent, an investment-free option which is open to everyone, provided they can prove their ancestry. 

Do you think your heritage makes you eligible? Then contact our team and start your new citizenship journey today. 

Celebrity Citizenship FAQs

What is citizenship by descent?

Citizenship by descent is a means to obtain a second citizenship in a country based on your ancestral ties to that country. It requires no investment and is generally the most straightforward means for obtaining a second citizenship. 

Tracing your family tree and building your case can be rewarding, but the document preparation part can be quite time-consuming, which is why we offer a special citizenship by descent service to make the process quicker and easier.   

Which celebrities have citizenship by descent?

Celebrities with citizenship by descent include Jimmy Kimmel and Robert De Niro (Italian), Rosie O’Donnell and Mel Gibson (Irish), Kirsten Dunst (German) and celebrity poker player Dan Bilzarian (Armenian). 

What is citizenship by exception?

Citizenship by exception is a type of honorary citizenship bestowed by governments in rare circumstances to individuals of exceptional merit, such as athletes, scientists, business leaders or those working within culture and the arts.  

Which famous people have citizenship by exception?

Famous people granted citizenship by exception include actors Tom Hanks (Greece), Angelina Jolie (Cambodia) and Idris Elba (Sierra Leone). 

Actor Ralph Fiennes was granted citizenship by exception in Serbia, as was martial arts star Steven Seagal and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

The “Woz” isn’t the only tech company founder to have received such an accolade. The list of billionaires with second citizenships also includes PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who was granted citizenship by exception in New Zealand, and former Uber CEO Travis Cordell Kalanick, who was granted citizenship by exception in Saudi Arabia. 

Do all countries allow dual citizenship?

No. Many countries do not allow dual citizenship. The majority of these countries are in Asia and include India, China, and Japan.

Can Americans have dual citizenship?

Yes. Indeed, most of America’s most famous immigrants, from actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger to tech CEOs like Elon Musk, all retain their birth citizenships along with their American ones. 

The only complication is when Americans move abroad. The US is one of only two countries in the world to tax its citizens even when they reside in a foreign country. 

This requires US citizens to file tax reports with the IRS when abroad, and it also adds further complications when trying to access foreign banking. 

As a Millionaire Migrant client, however, you can gain trusted advice on a range of matters, including second citizenships and US tax planning.