Dolph Lundgren and Wife Emma Krokdal Officially Become U.S. Citizens: 'It's About Time' (Exclusive)

The actor and Emma Krokdal married in July 2023, more than three years after the couple announced their engagement

Dolph Lundgren and his wife Emma Krokdal are officially U.S. citizens.

The Rocky IV actor and Krokdal, whom he married in July 2023, took part in a naturalization ceremony in Los Angeles Monday that marked their official welcome as United States citizens.

Photos taken of Swedish-born Lundgren, 66, and Krokdal, who is from Norway, show them raising their right hands as they swore an oath of allegiance to the U.S. during the ceremony.

Another photo of Lundgren from Monday's ceremony shows him posing with an American flag and a document certifying his citizen status.

"I’ve been in this country on and off for over 40 years now," the actor tells PEOPLE in a statement. "I love America and the wonderful opportunities this country has given me. I’m proud to finally become a U.S. citizen and officially make this my home."

He adds, "It’s about time."

Related: ‘Creed II’ Star Dolph Lundgren Marries Emma Krokdal in Mykonos: 'Love, Life and Happiness' (Exclusive)

Lundgren and Krokdal, 27, married in Mykonos, Greece, back in July years after the couple initially announced their engagement in 2020.

"We chose to celebrate our love by getting married at our villa in Mykonos with family and a few close friends," the couple told PEOPLE in a statement after their wedding. "With both COVID and a long road of challenging medical treatments, we’ve had to push our marriage plans many times."

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"We felt it was finally the right time to celebrate love, life and happiness— in the land of the Gods," they added at the time.

Krokdal and Lundgren met in 2019 at a gym in Los Angeles where she worked as a personal trainer. The pair made their red carpet debut at the premiere of Minions: The Rise of Gru in June 2022 and have remained strong, even as the actor has undergone years of treatment for a kidney cancer diagnosis he first received in 2015 and revealed in May 2023.

Related: Who Is Dolph Lundgren's Wife? All About Emma Krokdal

"I felt sorry for her because she's quite a bit younger than me and having to deal with all this b------ and all these doctor's appointments, but she's been very good about it and super supportive," he said of Krokdal's support during an appearance on In Depth With Graham Bensinger at the time.

"I think it's brought us together, she's like an angel that was sent down to help."

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