Joni Mitchell Becomes a U.S. Citizen After Over 60 Years in the Country

Joni Mitchell has officially become a U.S. citizen after residing in the United States for more than 60 years. The 82-year-old Canadian-born singer shared a photo of herself with an American flag and a video of her naturalization ceremony at a Department of Homeland Security office on Instagram. "A journey that began 62 years ago," Mitchell wrote in her post on Tuesday. Fellow musicians, including ex-boyfriend Graham Nash, congratulated her, with Nash commenting, "Congrats, Joan! Just in time to vote!" Mitchell, born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, moved to the U.S. at the age of 21 in 1965 with her first husband, folk singer Chuck Mitchell. They settled in Detroit before she moved to New York City in 1967 after their marriage ended. In New York, she lived at 41 W. 16th St. in Chelsea, where she wrote songs like "Chelsea Morning." After about a year, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1968, where she became part of the vibrant music scene in Laurel Canyon. California has been her primary residence for much of her adult life, including time spent in Bel Air and Santa Barbara. Mitchell married musician Larry Klein in 1982, but they divorced in 1994. She has one daughter, Kelly Dale Anderson, whom she placed for adoption in 1965 and later reunited with in 1997. Mitchell has previously discussed her connection to both the U.S. and Canada, stating, "LA is my workplace, BC is my heartbeat" in a 2006 interview with the Ottawa Citizen. The announcement of her citizenship follows her return to Canada in March, where she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Juno Awards from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. During the event, she commented on American politics, expressing her appreciation for Carney while referencing President Trump. Mitchell's citizenship milestone comes after a significant health challenge in 2015 when she suffered a brain aneurysm. She reflected on this experience during her Juno Awards acceptance speech, stating, "I had a [brain] aneurysm, which changed my life — oddly, for the better." She noted that her recovery led to positive changes in her life, including quitting smoking and living with a supportive group of nurses. Additionally, director Cameron Crowe is working on a biopic about Mitchell, with Meryl Streep set to portray an older version of the singer.