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The British-born actress, best known for her TV series "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," said she's been living in the United States since 1976.

"I've realized that I've been living here longer than in my home country. America has given me unbelievable opportunities," she said. "I realized that with the U.S. elections I wanted to vote and I couldn't. I felt the time had come to participate more fully."

Seymour, 53, wore a cream-colored suit to the ceremony held at the downtown Los Angeles Convention Center. She sat between more than a dozen U.S. military personnel who also received their citizenship.

Her sons, 9-year-old twins John and Kristopher, said they were excited to see their mom become a U.S. citizen.

"She's not an alien anymore," John said. Foreigners with lawful permanent residence in the United States are commonly referred to as "aliens."

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