Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that he holds only American passport, and plans to live and die in the US. Musk’s statement was shared by X (formerly Twitter) user DogeDesigner who quoted the tech billionaire as saying: “I hold one passport now & forever: America. I will live & die here. Or Mars (part of America).”Elon Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa on June 28, 1971. His mother, Maye Musk is a Canadian citizen that enabled him to get Canadian citizenship in 1989 at the age of 17. In the same year, he enrolled at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. In 1992, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States under a J-1 Exchange Visit.

What is J-1 exchange visa Elon Musk used to move to the US

A J-1 visa is a US exchange visitor visa that allows foreign nationals to visit the country to take part in approved cultural and educational exchange programmes. It is commonly used by students, researchers, teachers, interns, trainees, professors, scholars and medical residents. J-1 visa holders usually come to the US for a fixed period, depending on their programme. In some cases, they must return to their home country for at least two years after the programme ends before applying for certain other US visas or permanent residency. This is known as the two-year home residency requirement.

Elon Musk’s early career in the US questioned

Now the world’s richest person, Musk became a naturalized US citizen in 2002. In 2024, the Washington Post reported that Musk began his career working illegally in the US when he was building a Silicon Valley startup in the 1990s. Video of the then US President Joe Biden referencing the report’s claims went viral on X. Responding to one such video, the tech billionaire denied working without authorization in the US. “I was in fact allowed to work in the US,” Musk wrote, accusing Biden of lying.

Citizenship status of Elon Musk’s children

Elon Musk has 12 children with three different partners. Many of his children are US citizens by birth, having been born on American soil. They may also hold Canadian citizenship through their mothers.