Rachel Weisz took U.S. citizenship over green card fears

WENN, Monday, August 13, 2012, 4:06am (PDT)

WENN

• Actress Rachel Weisz decided to become an American citizen over fears she would lose her green card if she returned to live in her native England.

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  "The Mummy" star had lived and worked in the U.S. for several years before she opted to become a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2011.

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  Weisz now admits she applied for citizenship to ensure she would not be stripped of her permanent residence status if she decided to move back to Britain.

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  She tells Britain's Stylist magazine, "I did it because I thought I would go back to England for a while and lose my green card. I'm not going back now but being a citizen means I can vote here which is exciting, not just being an outsider."

  Weisz also loves the warm welcome she receives as a fully-fledged citizen at the U.S. border.

  She adds, "When I come back into the country now and they stamp my passport they say 'Welcome home, Ma'am.' I think that's a lovely formality. No one in England would say that, would they?"