Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc, Snapchat's parent company, has become French according to a report in French publication Les Echos.
Though his naturalization actually took place in 2018, it wasn't revealed until this week, when Les Echos published the news yesterday (December 16, 2019).
His name appears in the Official Journal published on 12 September 2018, alongside that of his son, Hart.
According to Les Echos, the billionaire applied to the Los Angeles consulate and was naturalized through the "Procedure for Granting Emeritus Status."
Under article 21-21 of the Civil Code, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can grant French nationality to "a French-speaking foreigner who requests it and who contributes [to France] through exceptional action to the standing of France and the prosperity of international economic relations."
According to a diplomatic source interviewed by Les Echos, these requests are relatively rare.
The country only received around 10 to 20 applications each year. It's not known how many of these applications are successful.
Spiegel declined Les Echos' request for an interview, however, Snap Inc. communications director Julie Henderson told Les Echos: "Honestly, he loves France. He goes several times a year and has been learning the language for several years."
She added that he "does not own an apartment" in the country.
According to the law, naturalization is subject to a period of consistent residence of at least five years in the region, although that period can be reduced to two years in some cases.
A source from Quai d'Orsay told Les Echos that Spiegel had obtained "the assimilation" of his stay abroad "through residence".
It was allegedly at the Alliance Française in Los Angeles that the Snapchat boss learnt French, an institution that happens to be in close proximity to the country's business community, according to Les Echos.
He's noted to be friends with Xavier Niel, and has already praised the merits of School 42, founded by the French billionaire. Not to mention that he's also close with Antoine Arnault, son of Bernard Arnault and CEO of luggage manufacturer Rimowa, as well as Yannick Bolloré, CEO of Havas.
Snapchat has 80 employees in France and in 2017, it acquired French app Zenly, which was the original tech used in the Snap Maps feature.
