Want a new passport? Depends where you’re born… and how patient you are. Sometimes, becoming a citizen just means filling in a form and smiling for a photo. Others… It’s decades of waiting and proving you belong. And in some countries, it depends on the size of your bank balance. The system feels random until you see why. What makes it easy in some countries, while others make it nearly impossible? On today’s blog, we’re explaining how to become a citizen in different countries.
Naturalization Through Residency:
Let’s start with a pretty common path, naturalization through residency. In many countries, if you’ve lived and worked there for a certain amount of time on a visa, you become eligible for citizenship. The rules for how long you wait and how you get that citizenship are very different, though. Take the U.S., for example. You need five years of permanent residency. Or three years if you’re married to a citizen. When you finally become eligible, you get tested on English and civics. It’s important to score well on the latter by answering questions the average American citizen couldn’t answer with a gun to their head. That applies to most citizenship tests, to be fair. And no, you don’t get a gun with your U.S. passport. Things are similar, but probably politer – in the U.S.’ northern neighbor, Canada. They just want you to have three years of physical presence there as well.
Some European countries make things a little harder. Italy requires ten years of continuous residency for non-EU citizens, but only four years for EU citizens, and five years for refugees. We’ll get to some other citizenship issues with countries like Italy soon. Places like Germany want to know you’re in it for the long haul. You’ll need to live there for five years, learn German, and the use of die, der, and das alone has probably excluded us for life, and complete integration courses.
These help teach you the language, as well as the German legal system, history, values, and way of life. They’re either heavily subsidized or free, depending on your legal status. Your last test is called “Life in Germany”, which we assume involves testing your cold tolerance, beer drinking, and awkward humor skills. You also have to declare your commitment to freedom and democracy in Germany. As well as declaring “your commitment to Germany’s special historical responsibility for the tyrannical National Socialist regime and its consequences”. Meaning you have to promise to be super, super anti-Nazi. Which should be an easy requirement for everyone to fulfill. Right?
Speaking of, countries like Switzerland are even tougher. And why wouldn’t they be? You get high salaries, one of the best standards of living in the world, and all the lakes, mountains, and chocolate you could ever want. So, for that sought-after Swiss passport, stay there for ten years. Because Switzerland is also divided into very different regions, linguistically and culturally, you have to live in the specific canton you’re applying from for between two to five years. And make sure you get along with your neighbors. Because when it comes time for your citizenship exam? You need community approval.
Many municipalities require a municipal council vote or an interview before you become Swiss. So trim your hedges and keep the noise down. Especially in non-party-central Switzerland. They also want proof you’re not just hiding in the Alps; you need to take part in Swiss social and cultural life and actually know some Swiss people. So you really want to get in on those PTA meetings and the annual Yodeling Festival.
Ancestral & Historical Ties:
Other places, especially former imperial powers, offer easier citizenship requirements for nationals of former territories. Sort of a “sorry we took over your land and colonized you” thing. A guilt passport, basically. That’s what Spain does for citizens of most Latin American countries, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and… Portugal? As well as for those of Sephardic origin, the people it chased out in the 15th century.
Portugal is included in this group because it’s a good friend and neighbor. Most people need to live in Spain for at least ten years to be eligible for citizenship. But for citizens of former Spanish colonies, the requirement is only two years. That’s a huge reduction. They still need to demonstrate knowledge of the Spanish language and culture, something significantly easier for Latin American citizens, we assume. The UK does things a little differently.
While some citizens of the Commonwealth have an easier “right of abode”, the right to live and work there, getting UK citizenship is as much of a pain for them as it is for most people. But some can immediately claim British nationality. As long as they were born in a former colony and have at least some British people in their family tree. According to UK immigration, people can claim British nationality if they were born between 1949 and 1982 in a British colony and have a UK-born grandparent. Born after 1983?
Then your parent needs to have been born in a post-1949 colony, and your grandfather must be UK-born, but even then, every case is judged separately. And you need at least a little bit of a stiff upper lip.
Citizenship by Place of Birth:
What if this sounds like too much work? And you’re just content with being a citizen of the place you were born in? Turns out, that’s not so simple sometimes either. There’s a major dividing line in how citizenship is handed down by countries. Jus soli vs. jus sanguinis. Which is fancy Latin for “you get it automatically when you’re born” vs. “you get it via your parents’ nationality.”
The U.S. and Canada grant automatic citizenship to anyone born in their country. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can just hop on a flight, give birth in Canada, and your kid gets a maple leaf stamped on their forehead. First of all, doctors generally recommend that pregnant women not travel in their last month of pregnancy. Because no one wants a baby delivered in a Ryanair bathroom. Some airlines won’t let you fly at all. Others will ask for a letter from your doctor confirming your due date, even as early as week 28 of your pregnancy.
But countries that grant birthright citizenship also set up their regulations to prevent “birth tourism”. In the U.S., a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has the right to deny entry to anyone. They can use their judgment with pregnant women, taking into consideration when the child is due and how long the woman intends to stay.
As of January 2020, if a U.S. consular officer overseas thinks a woman may be traveling to the U.S. to give birth, they can also deny her B visa application in the first place. If someone somehow gets through all these loopholes, they will likely get a lifetime ban for future travel and visas to the U.S., and let’s be real. If you’re paying out of pocket to give birth in the U.S., you might as well put that money toward an investment visa and get a property or business out of it. Birthright citizenship is most common in countries built by immigrants, places that have always attracted new arrivals. Anything else would’ve been chaos when up to 10–20% of the population was foreign-born.
Most of the countries that have Jus Soli laws are in the Americas. Even though the U.S. and Canada are the most prominent examples, over 33 countries offer birthright citizenship. These include Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica, Peru, and Uruguay.
In the U.S., birthright citizenship was introduced in 1868, after the abolition of slavery. Enslaved people who lived in the country for generations hadn’t been citizens of anywhere. Because they weren’t even considered people, much less citizens. But now you had a whole group of people with no papers or official homeland of record. Introducing birthright citizenship via the Fourteenth Amendment meant that they all automatically became Americans. Not with fully equal rights, of course. That would take about another century.
Citizenship by Blood in Monoethnic Nations:
Other countries, like Italy, Greece, and Japan, recognize citizenship by blood ties. Meaning if you’re born to Italian parents in China, you can still get Italian citizenship. This is usually a product of cultures that have historically been monoethnic. And generally want to preserve ethnic unity and ancestral ties. However, this has negative consequences for legal immigrants to the country. Because the children of those immigrants? Could be born there, raised there, schooled there, and speak the language fluently.
But still not be citizens. But if you’re an American with an Italian great-grandpa who’s only learned how to say “ciao”? You could be getting interviewed for your passport later this year. This justifiably creates some tension between governments and immigrant communities in those countries. Professor Valentino Larcinese from the London School of Economics points out that there are “one-to-two million non-naturalized immigrants in Italy under the age of 18”. While there are only tens of thousands of people outside the country looking for passports. Children of immigrants who were born in Italy can apply once they turn 18.
But they only have a one-year window, after which it gets a lot more complicated. And they must have lived in Italy their whole lives. So, if your family moved back to their home country for a year and took you along? Ineligible. Of course, jus sanguinis remains popular in many European countries for another reason as well. Letting descendants of former emigrants claim citizenship gives people with Italian ancestry a path back and helps boost the population.
Many of the countries mentioned are facing declining birth rates. And have fewer young people supporting more and more old people. The total fertility rate in Europe is down to 1.38 live births per woman as of 2023. A level of around 2.1 is needed to keep the population stable. Incentivizing young Italians to return can help correct this huge demographic shift. Of course, opening up citizenship to immigrants could do the same.
Especially since there are far more citizens at home than descendants abroad interested in claiming it. But jus sanguinis laws, by definition, make things harder for immigrants of different ethnic backgrounds.
Citizenship by Investment:
If this all sounds way too hard and confusing. Don’t worry. Head down to the Caribbean, buy a home, and enjoy your new passport! Countries like St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia give out citizenship for investments. Other countries, including the U.S., give investment visas. Many Caribbean countries skip over the “visa” part completely and just hand you a passport. But the fastest citizenship you can get globally? Vanuatu. It takes just one to two months. You’ve taken longer to throw out expired food. And you don’t even have to show up in the country. Which is good because that’s like three connecting flights from almost everywhere.
Investors and their families can submit citizenship applications online. After which, they might have to visit the country to provide biometric data. But that can also be done at a Vanuatu consulate. The minimum amount you have to invest? $130,000. More if you’re going as a couple or a family. But in return, you get no global income tax, and visa-free travel to 110+ countries. Oh, and the ability to live in a tropical paradise. Far, far away from most other places. A big selling point.
Many Caribbean islands, including Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda, have similar investment schemes. Getting citizenship there might take slightly longer, around three to six months, but it still gets you that tropical paradise goal. The amounts you have to invest vary. But you can at least pick what you invest them in.
In St. Lucia, for example, you can contribute $240,000 to the National Economic Fund. Or invest at least $250,000 in an approved enterprise, or buy $300,000 worth of real estate. Most of them don’t even have a residency requirement. You literally never have to live there. Except Antigua and Barbuda. This requires investors to visit for five days… within their first five years of citizenship. If you have almost half a million to invest, we’re sure you can afford a one-week vacation to Antigua and Barbuda.
These small, island, and not too wealthy countries make obtaining citizenship incredibly easy. Unlike small, very wealthy countries, as you’ll soon see. Why? Mostly because they need money. Whether it’s via investments in real estate or contributions to their national funds, that money can be used for national development projects.
In St. Lucia, the average income per capita was just over $12,300 in 2023. So the government looks to outside investments to get all the help they can. And people with lots of money find these destinations attractive. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Not only can they build a fifth home here. But there’s also no income tax on foreign-sourced income. Also, no inheritance tax or capital gains tax. The region also advertises banking with “high levels of confidentiality” and a passport that can protect your assets from legal challenges in your home country. So whether you’re rich by hard work or rich by shady means, the Caribbean offers an attractive citizenship destination for many. Some relatively well-off people also get these citizenships to avoid political instability or war in their home countries when they see it coming. The good thing about these investment schemes is that you don’t have to give up your original citizenship.
In fact, 49% of all countries allow dual citizenship. But that means a little over half don’t. So before you go applying for a foreign passport, make sure you still get to keep your original one. You never know which citizenship will prove more useful in the future. Especially after the sea levels rise and the robots take over us all.
Citizenship is Nearly Impossible (Gulf States):
Then there are places where you can work, live, cry, and stamp your feet all you want, but you’re still not getting citizenship. Like many of the Gulf states. It’s rare for a country in this part of the world to naturalize anyone. That’s an honor reserved only for locals of their ethnicity.
Qatar, for example, is often ranked as the most difficult country in the world for obtaining citizenship. What does it require? To start with, 25 years of residency in the country. You also have to be proficient in Arabic, a famously difficult language for non-native speakers to learn. Besides that, you need a clean conduct record and proof that you have serious money to build a life there. And you may need to convert to Islam for some citizenship paths. Not all. But if you want to marry a Muslim Qatari woman, for example, you’ll need to convert. And after you do all that and finally get citizenship? Qatar doesn’t permit dual nationality. So you’ll have to throw your original passport in the trash. Keep in mind, you can also lose your citizenship.
For example, if you work in a country that does not have good political relations with Qatar”. As you can imagine, with rules like these, only a handful of people get Qatari citizenship each year. And considering that 89% of Qatar’s population is made up of foreign, non-citizen residents… why keep the rules so strict?
Because citizens get benefits. A lot of benefits. Economic, of course. Political? Not really. The Al Thani family and its advisors make most of the decisions. And as a citizen, you can either like it or… keep that to yourself. Financially, though, Qatar takes care of its people; it’s one of the perks of swimming in oil money. Citizens get high-paying government jobs. Tax-free incomes. Free healthcare. Free higher education. Housing support. Subsidies that cover utility bills. And even newlywed support. The latter isn’t financial; more like a state-provided marriage counselor to help set your relationship up for life. It’s called the First Year of Marriage Program. And supposedly, experts help newlywed couples by promoting good communication, problem-solving skills, and family values.
Plus, the country offers some pretty insane retirement benefits. The minimum pension is over $4,100 per month as a minimum, with a housing allowance upwards of $1,600 to boot. Tough citizenship rules are a trend for small, very wealthy countries.
Just look at Liechtenstein, with its population of nearly 40,200. The average per capita income $197,000 a year. No wonder they want to keep all that wealth to themselves. You actually need to be a resident even longer to be eligible for citizenship in Liechtenstein, 30 years as opposed to Qatar’s 25. Unless you get married to a local… Liechtensteiny? Liechtensteiner. Then you can get it after only five years.
Citizenship by Merit:
There is one more pathway to citizenship, although it applies to very few people. But if you’re eligible, you can even become a citizen of countries like the UAE. It’s called citizenship by merit. Many countries offer visas for people who have demonstrated excellence in athletic, artistic, or scientific fields. But some countries skip the visa and go straight to offering citizenship to people like that. These countries include Malta, Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Spain, Bulgaria, and Latvia. And yes, the UAE. In countries like the U.S. and Slovenia, which offer visas for merit, you can also apply for citizenship after a few years of living there.
But in Malta, for example, you just need to be an individual who has “rendered exceptional services to the country or humanity”. Your summer spent playing at the local bar with your brother’s band, or getting second prize at the high school science fair, isn’t going to cut it. You can qualify for contributions to culture, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, tech, science, sports, and public service. A lot of countries that offer this citizenship will also give your partner and children passports. And some, like Austria, will waive their usual requirements for knowledge of the German language, for example.
One problem with this path to citizenship is how subjective it is. There’s no checklist of prizes to win or goals to hit; the government just decides whether you’re special enough. Getting rejected for that must really hurt. Famous examples of gaining citizenship by merit include Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. They were granted Greek citizenship after they lent significant support to locals following the 2018 wildfires near Athens.
U.S. basketball player Lorenzo Brown got Spanish citizenship by merit to play for the country’s national team. It’s simple. Just become an incredibly successful person in your chosen field.
Conclusion:
Citizenship can look simple on paper, but the reality is a maze built from history, money, culture, and politics. Some countries open the door if you stay long enough. Others want you to prove your ancestors lived there centuries ago. Some will hand you a passport in return for an investment, while others barely hand out a dozen a year. The rules may seem random, but they tell a clear story about what each country values. In the end, becoming a citizen is not just paperwork. It is about what a nation protects, what it fears, and what it believes makes someone truly belong.
FAQs:
1. Why do some countries make citizenship so difficult?
Usually, because they want to protect national identity, limit population growth, or preserve economic benefits for existing citizens.
2. Which countries are the easiest to gain citizenship in?
Caribbean nations that offer citizenship by investment, such as St Kitts and Nevis or St Lucia, are among the easiest.
3. Which countries are considered the hardest for citizenship?
Gulf states like Qatar and small wealthy nations such as Liechtenstein have some of the strictest rules.
4. What is the difference between birthright citizenship and citizenship by blood?
Birthright citizenship means you get citizenship simply by being born in the country. Citizenship by blood means you inherit citizenship through your parents, regardless of where you are born.
5. Can you have dual citizenship in most countries?
About half of the world allows dual citizenship, but the other half does not. Some countries require you to give up your original passport.
6. Is citizenship by investment legal everywhere?
Yes, but only in countries that choose to offer it. These programs are legal and often used to raise money for national development.
