Clooney granted fast-tracked French citizenship after request from top official

PARIS — U.S. actor George Clooney was awarded French citizenship following a request from the country's foreign affairs minister, according to an official document seen by POLITICO.

In a letter dated Oct. 20 sent to France's interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, who handles citizenship procedures, Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot proposed that the Hollywood superstar, his wife Amal and their children be granted citizenship through the so-called "citoyen émérite" process.

This allows "a French-speaking foreigner who contributes through his or her outstanding work to the influence of France and the prosperity of its international economic relations" to become a citizen through a request from the Foreign Affairs Ministry.