Movie star Tom Hanks, wife Rita Wilson officially citizens of Greece

Movie star Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson have officially become citizens of Greece, the country's prime minister announced Sunday. 

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the announcement in an Instagram post in which the couple pose with passports.

"@ritawilson @tomhanks are now proud Greek citizens!" Mitsotakis writes in the social media post.

The couple’s efforts to gain Greek citizenship has been known since late last year. 

Greece’s President Prokopis Pavlopoulos reportedly signed an honorary naturalization order in December 2019 allowing the couple to claim Greek citizenship.

The 63-year-old Wilson is of Greek ancestry. She and Hanks, 64, frequently spend their summer vacations on the Greek island of Antiparos, according to USA Today. 

Hanks announced in January that he was "starting 2020 as an Honorary citizen of all of Greece!"

Under Greek law, honorary naturalization may be granted to people "who have provided exceptional services to the country or whose naturalization serves the public interest."

Hanks announced March 11 that he and Wilson had contracted the novel coronavirus while in Australia filming a movie.