Tan France is officially an American citizen! The 37-year-old Queer Eye star took to Instagram on Tuesday to celebrate becoming a U.S. citizen and express excitement about getting to vote in the upcoming elections.
“A few minutes ago, I officially became an U.S citizen!!” France wrote alongside pics of him taking his oath and celebrating the accomplishment with his husband, Rob France.
“For me, this is monumental. It’s something I’ve been working towards for literally 20 years, which makes this all the more emotional,” he continued. “And now, I will exercise my constitutional right as an American. Today, I will register to vote, and vote for the change I wish to see in OUR nation.”
France later appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon alongside his Queer Eye cast mates and, sporting an American flag shirt, further explained how much his new citizenship means to him.
“It’s taken 20 years to get here and we’re so darn grateful,” he explained, before revealing what made him emotional at his ceremony.
“The actual experience of getting my oath thing done today was just lovely. It was such a beautiful, emotional experience,” he said. “As you may know, I’m not much of a crier. If anyone knows me from Queer Eye, I am not the crier of the group, but I got so emotional.”
“It felt just really powerful to become American today,” France continued. “I was just thinking of all the times I’ve been sent home and the people I’ve missed and I was apart [from]. I was away from my husband for six years because I was sent home.”
Now France knows he will never be separated from someone he loves due to citizenship issues.
“Just to now be in a position where I know nobody can kick me out, and I can actually, truly make some changes, actually vote to change and encourage people to vote to change the state of this country. That really made me feel very emotional,” he said. “The timing couldn’t be more perfect for me… [It] actually feels kind of perfect that it happened right now. We need every vote. Like, every vote counts. I’m going to vote.”
