Easiest Countries to Get Citizenship

Types of Citizenship

There are several ways to become a national of a country. The most common types of citizenship are:

• Citizenship by birth
• Citizenship by investment
• Citizenship by descent
• Citizenship by naturalisation

In some countries, the government can grant citizenship by decree to a foreign individual based on their exceptional services to the country.

Citizenship by Investment

Certain countries grant citizenship to foreign nationals in exchange for their investment in boosting the country’s economic growth. The investment can take different forms, including:

• Purchase of government bonds
• Real estate investment
• Non-refundable donation to a government development fund
• Starting a new business with the potential for high-volume job creation or investing to scale an existing business.

The investment amounts vary from country to country, depending on the available investment options and the volume of applicants. Some countries grant immediate citizenship upon making the required investment, while others first grant you residency rights through which you can qualify for citizenship after a required period (usually short) of residency. 

Citizenship by Birthplace 

Birthplace citizenship, also known as jus soli (right of the soil), grants citizenship to any person born in the country, regardless of their parents’ citizenship status. About 30 countries globally (mainly in the Americas) grant automatic citizenship to persons born within their territories.

For most other countries, you only receive automatic birthright citizenship if either of your parents is a citizen or holds permanent resident status.

Citizenship by Descent

Citizenship by descent is typically granted to children born abroad to nationals of a country. This is also known as jus sanguinis (right of blood) because it traces your citizenship through ancestry.

In many countries, you can claim citizenship by descent if one of your parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents was born there, regardless of whether you live there or not. However, you must provide documentary evidence proving your ancestry and that the bloodline has not been broken.

The requirements for citizenship by descent vary across different countries. Some may require you to prove language skills, and some may even require a specified residency period.

Citizenship Through Naturalisation

This is the longest and most common route to obtaining a second passport. It involves legally residing and working in a country for a specified number of years before applying for citizenship. Almost every country allows for citizenship by naturalisation.

The number of years you’ll need to reside in the country to qualify for citizenship differs from country to country. You may also have to meet other requirements, such as demonstrating language proficiency, financial stability, and cultural integration. You may be required to prove this by passing language and culture/history tests.

It is the best way to obtain citizenship for those who do not have ancestral ties or funds for investment.

Easiest Countries to Get Citizenship by Investment

Some countries offer citizenship by investment programs that grant immediate citizenship to foreign nationals who invest in their economy. Some of the easiest countries to obtain citizenship by investment include the following.

Turkey

Turkey offers one of the easiest and fastest paths to obtaining citizenship by investment. You can become a Turkish citizen and get your passport within three to four months, without any requirement to spend time in the country. 

There are several investment options available to applicants. You can obtain Turkish citizenship if you:

• Purchase real estate worth $400,000 with restrictions on reselling for at least 3 years.
• Purchase government bonds, make a fixed capital investment, or buy shares in a Turkish company worth at least $500,000.
• Start a new business that will employ at least 50 local workers.

You must also meet other specific eligibility criteria, such as having a clean criminal record and no history of illegal stay in the country.

Paraguay

Paraguay does not offer direct citizenship based on financial contributions. However, it is one of the few countries that grant immediate permanent residency to foreign investors. 

Its citizenship by investment program, also called the SAUCE program, grants permanent resident status to individuals who invest a minimum of $70,000 in a new Paraguayan corporation. This makes it one of the cheapest investment residency programs worldwide.

The business can be in any legal sector of the economy, including agriculture, technology, and retail services. Also, you do not have to make a lump sum investment. You can spread the $70,000 across several years in line with your approved business plan. However, most investors prefer to pay the full amount at once.

You must only be present at least once in three years to maintain your residency rights. However, the residency requirement is more stringent if you want to gain citizenship. You’ll have to demonstrate at least three years of continuous residence in the country.

Vanuatu

Vanuatu is one of the easiest countries to obtain citizenship by investment. It offers two distinct investment paths to citizenship without any residency requirements. Vanuatu’s citizenship programs are:

• Development Support Program (DSP) – requires a non-refundable donation of $130,000 to the government to qualify. The donation increases to $180,000 if you include your family members (family of 4) on the application.
• Citizenship Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP) – requires a donation of $105,000 and a redeemable $50,000 investment in a government-approved investment fund.

Vanuatu processes CBI applications fast. You can get your citizenship and passport in less than three years. The passport is valid for 10 years, and you can renew it without visiting the country. Vanuatu’s passport grants visa-free travel to about 120 countries.

Dominica

Dominica offers some of the easiest pathways for individuals to gain citizenship through financial contributions. You can become a Dominican citizen through a:

• Contribution of $200,000 to the Economic Diversification Fund. The contribution amount will increase if you’re including family members.
• Property investment worth at least $200,00 and paying at least $75,000 to the government.

You must also provide proof that you legally sourced the investment funds.

St. Kitts & Nevis

St. Kitts & Nevis has one of the oldest and easiest citizenship by investment programs. Established in 1984, its CBI program allows foreign nationals to gain citizenship within six months following an investment or other financial contribution to the country. You can qualify for citizenship by:

• Contributing at least $250,000 to the Sustainable Growth Fund
• Investing at least $325,000 in approved real estate development or $600,000 in private property. Whichever you choose, you must hold the investment for at least 7 years.

There are no residency requirements. You can obtain your citizenship and passport without visiting the country. St. Kitts & Nevis’ passport grants visa-free entry to 150+ countries.

Portugal

Portugal’s golden visa program is one of the easiest paths to obtaining EU citizenship. Although not a direct route to citizenship, it allows foreign nationals to obtain Portuguese permanent residency and become eligible for citizenship after five years with minimal residency requirements.

To qualify for Portugal’s golden visa, you must make either of the following contributions.

• Donate €250,000 to an approved cultural heritage project.
• Invest at least €500,000 in an approved investment or venture capital fund
• Invest at least €500,000 in a scientific research program.

If your application is approved, you’ll receive a permanent residence permit, and you can qualify for Portuguese citizenship after five years. You must only be present in Portugal for 7 days per year to qualify.

However, changes are being proposed to tighten Portugal’s immigration requirements. It’s not yet clear how these proposed new rules will affect the golden visa program.

Some countries where it’s also relatively easy to obtain citizenship by investment include:

• Antigua and Barbuda – offers direct citizenship for a minimum investment of $230,000, and you only have to be physically present for 5 days in the first 5 years of becoming a citizen.
• Cambodia – offers expedited citizenship (3 – 4 months) for a minimum donation of $245,000 with no physical presence requirements.
• Grenada – grants citizenship to foreign investors who contribute at least $235,000 to their economy. You can include your children below 30, parents, and grandparents.
• St. Lucia – offers a streamlined pathway to obtaining a second passport. You can get a St. Lucian passport by contributing a minimum of $240,000 to the country’s economy.

Easiest Countries to Get Citizenship by Descent

Certain countries allow you to claim citizenship if you have a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who was a national of that country. Some countries where it’s easy to acquire citizenship by descent are as follows.

Italy

Italy citizenship by descent is one of the easiest to claim, provided you can prove your Italian ancestry. You can qualify for Italian citizenship by descent if you have at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy.

You may also qualify if your Italian ancestry traces back to a great-grandparent or beyond, if you can prove that you have a genuine connection to Italy. You can show a genuine connection through recent family ties or residency in Italy. 

You must provide documentary evidence of your ancestry and connection to Italy. You cannot use sworn testimonies or statements as proof to get Italian citizenship.

New Zealand

New Zealand grants citizenship by descent to individuals born abroad to at least one parent who holds New Zealand citizenship by birth or grant. However, you must register with the Department of Internal Affairs to qualify. Once you’ve completed your citizenship registration, you can apply for a New Zealand passport.

You cannot claim citizenship by descent from a parent who held citizenship by descent. And you cannot pass your citizenship by descent to your children. If you want your children to have New Zealand citizenship, you must apply for citizenship by grant.

Spain

Spain allows you to claim citizenship by descent if any of your parents or grandparents were Spanish citizens, regardless of where you were born. You can acquire Spanish citizenship by descent if 

• You were born abroad to a Spanish parent or grandparent
• A Spanish national adopted you before you turned 18
• Your parents were both born in Spain
• You are a Latin American national with Spanish ancestry

In 2022, Spain modified its immigration laws to grant citizenship to individuals whose Spanish mothers/grandmothers lost their citizenship due to marriage before 1978 and the children/grandchildren of Spanish exiles.

Individuals with Sephardic ancestry can also apply for citizenship by descent after two years of continuous residence in Spain.

Poland

Polish citizenship by descent, also called confirmation of citizenship, grants Polish nationality to individuals with proven Polish ancestry. It is a process that recognises that you’re a Polish citizen by blood (jus sanguinis) and issues a confirmation. So if you have a Polish parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent, you can apply to confirm your citizenship.

To qualify:

• Your ancestor must have been born or resided in Poland after 1920
• They must not have lost their citizenship at any point

Once you have the necessary records proving your Polish descent, you can register your citizenship and apply for a Polish passport.

Ireland

You can apply for Irish citizenship by descent if you were born outside the island of Ireland and either of your parents or grandparents was an Irish citizen. Children born to Irish citizens abroad automatically receive Irish citizenship. Individuals born to Irish grandparents must first register with the Foreign Births Register.

If you’re claiming Irish citizenship by descent through a great-grandparent, you must also register with the Foreign Births Register. However, you can only do so if your parents registered with the Foreign Births Register before you were born.

Countries with the Easiest Citizenship by Naturalisation

Citizenship by naturalisation is the most common way individuals without family ties acquire citizenship in a new country. It generally requires a specified residency period and other specific country requirements.

Most countries require 5 years of legal residency and upward to become eligible for citizenship. However, some allow shorter residency periods for specific groups, such as spouses of citizens. In most countries, you’ll also be required to have language skills and a clean criminal record.

The countries with the easiest requirements and citizenship process include:

• Argentina
• Peru
• Paraguay
• Germany
• Ireland
• Canada
• Armenia 
• Portugal

The easiest countries to get citizenship by naturalisation in terms of residency requirement are as follows.

Countries with a 2-year Residence Requirement

You can apply for citizenship by naturalisation after two years of residence in some countries. However, you must meet other citizenship eligibility criteria. For example, you may be required to prove strong ties to the country and stable income.

Countries that allow naturalisation after 2 years include:

• Argentina
• Dominican Republic
• Peru
• Spain – for Latin American nationals and descendants of Sephardic Jews

There’s no residency requirement if you’re married to an Argentine or have an Argentine child.

Countries with a 3-year Residence Requirement

You can become eligible for citizenship after three years of residence in some countries. The easiest countries to get citizenship after a 3-year residence include:

• Armenia
• Canada
• Ecuador
• Honduras
• Israel
• Paraguay
• Poland
• Serbia

Countries with a 4-year Residence Requirement

Countries that require 4 years of legal residence to qualify for citizenship include:

• Australia
• Brazil
• Ethiopia

For Brazil, you can become a citizen after a year of residence if you’re married to a Brazilian or have a Brazilian child.

Countries with a 5-year Residence Requirement

You can only be eligible for citizenship in most countries after 5 years of legal residence. Countries with a 5-year residency requirement include:

• Albania
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Chile
• Germany
• Ireland
• France
• Nicaragua
• Portugal
• Sweden
• USA

Countries with Different Residency Timeframes

In some countries, you can only qualify for citizenship after an extended residency period. It could be as long as 15 to 20 years. Countries with the most extended residency timeframes are:

• 7+ years – Cyprus, Greece, Romania
• 10+ years – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Latvia
• 15+ years – Andorra, Austria, China, Palau, UAE, and Saudi Arabia
• 20+ years – Equatorial Guinea, Bhutan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, and Syria

Countries That Offer Citizenship by Birth 

You automatically receive citizenship if you’re born in certain countries, regardless of your parents’ nationality. Countries that grant unrestricted citizenship by birth include:

• Barbados
• Fiji
• Mexico
• Panama
• Jamaica
• Argentina
• Cuba
• Brazil
• Dominica
• Peru
• Uruguay
• St. Kitts and Nevis

Australia, Colombia, Italy, South Africa, and the Netherlands offer birthright citizenship to children born to non-citizens within their territories only in exceptional cases.

Easiest Countries to Get Dual Citizenship

It’s relatively easier to obtain dual citizenship in some countries than in others. Countries where it’s easiest to get dual nationality are mostly those that offer citizenship by investment, citizenship by descent, and an expedited path to citizenship for partners of their citizens.

You can acquire a second passport in some countries within a few months and 1 to 2 years in others. The easiest countries to obtain dual citizenship include:

• St. Kitts and Nevis
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Dominica
• Grenada
• St. Lucia
• Vanuatu
• Turkey
• Ireland
• Poland
• Italy
• Argentina
• Portugal
• Peru
• Hungary
• Brazil 
• Spain

Easiest Countries to Get Permanent Residency 

Several countries offer a streamlined path to permanent residence and eventually citizenship. While some grant direct permanent residence to eligible foreign nationals, others require a period of temporary residence to qualify for permanent residence.

The requirements vary across different countries, but generally include:

• Financial stability – verified employment or self-employment
• Language proficiency
• Specific skills or academic qualifications
• An economic investment

The easiest countries to get permanent residency status include:

• Uruguay
• Canada
• Germany
• Australia
• Ireland
• Paraguay
• Portugal
• New Zealand

How Can IAS Help

A second passport offers several benefits, including enhanced travel access, security and stability, economic growth opportunities, tax advantages and educational opportunities. If you were born in a different country from your parents’ nationality, you may be a dual citizen or already on the path to becoming one.

However, citizenship by naturalisation or investment is the most common path to dual nationality for individuals without family ties outside their home country. If you’re considering acquiring a second passport through naturalisation, the first step will be to obtain an appropriate residence permit for your chosen country.

IAS provides bespoke immigration and citizenship services to clients across the globe. Our team of expert immigration lawyers can help you determine the best immigration route to obtaining a second citizenship in your desired country.

Our lawyers will assess your situation, determine your eligibility, and guide you through the visa application process. We’ll assist you in compiling the required supporting evidence and completing your application to the highest standard.

We are always available to help you at any time. You can reach us today at +44 (0)333 414 9244, via email, or on our website for immediate assistance with your case.