A jubilant Randy Quaid kissed his wife Evi as they exited a Canadian detention facility Wednesday afternoon, six days after the couple was arrested and detained in Vancouver after skipping a California court date.
"Your newest citizen," he laughed.
The Oscar-nominated actor, who has a refugee admissibility hearing Thursday afternoon in Vancouver, said he's still weighing his options of going home or staying in Canada.
"It's not a question of either or. I just want a place that I can work and enjoy my life and not feel that someone is always following me around and trying to steal from me."
The couple has been held for the last six days at an immigration facility after claiming they were fleeing from the U.S. because of Hollywood "star whackers" that had killed at least nine of their friends.
"We've been mercilessly pursued," Evi told CTV News.
On Wednesday afternoon, Evi received an unconditional release because officials have determined she is a Canadian citizen, a Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson told CTV News.
Quaid told reporters last week her father was a Canadian FBI agent, a claim she explained later saying he was a Canadian who moved to the U.S. to work for the secret service.
Lawyer Catherine Sas said new immigration rules passed in 1999 mean Evi Quaid is a "prima facie" Canadian citizen.
"All the other proceedings against her were dropped."
But Evi's newfound citizenship may not help her husband, who must still go through proper immigration channels if he chooses to obtain permanent residency.
The Quaids came to Canada after skipping an arraignment hearing in California for a felony burglary charge. In that case, the pair is accused of squatting in a Montecito home they once owned together in the 1990s, and causing thousands of dollars in damage. A judge issued $50,000 bench warrants for their arrest on Oct. 18.
Evi told reporters she is proud to be in Canada.
"Everyone has the same sense of humour as me. It's big and beautiful, just like my husband," she joked.
Randy Quaid said he had to weigh his options before making a commitment to staying north of the border.
"I have nothing against my beloved America. And I've been very happy there. I come to Canada and everyone has embraced me here."
The Quaids said the first thing they would do was go get their dog, a Blue Heeler named Doji, out of the Vancouver animal shelter where he'd been detained during their jail time.
Randy Quaid is known for his roles in films such as The Last Detail, Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain. He won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of President Lyndon Johnson in LBJ: The Early Years.
He is the older brother of actor Dennis Quaid.