If you have I always wanted to be a citizen of another country. Start by digging up your family tree. Anyone with a parent or grandparent from any of the nine European Union countries may qualify for double citizenship. EU passports allow you to live, work, study and travel freely in one of the 27 member countries of the EU.
However, determining whether you qualify for a second passport is just the first step. If you are eligible, you will need to track documents from both the country in which your ancestors were born and from their home countries. You need to fill out many documents that may be in a language you don’t understand. You may need to wait years as your application goes through a bureaucratic process before you hold your new passport in your hand. Nevertheless, I recently acquired citizenship in two EU countries based on the descent of Poland and Portugal. The process was long, frustrating and expensive, but in the end it was worth it. Not only do I have a stronger connection to my heritage, but my family and I now have the option to travel abroad and travel around Europe without restrictions. Furthermore, my children inherit my Polish citizenship and they can pass on European citizenship to their children, unless Polish immigration laws change.
Keep in mind that citizenship laws can be complicated and some exceptions and nuances may make or break your point. Using lawyers in a country you are trying to acquire citizenship could be a wise investment. A good lawyer will provide an honest assessment of the likelihood of obtaining citizenship and help you complete the application. It can take weeks to get all the documents that need to be applied, depending on what documents you need, what you already have, and whether you need documents from the country where your grandparents moved. When you submit a citizenship application, the process can take months to years.
Not many countries allow grandchildren to claim citizenship based on their estates. But there are a few. It is always worth considering whether the country where your grandparents or great grandparents migrated will provide a path to citizenship. If your parents are citizens of other countries, you probably have more options, and the path to citizenship can be very easy. We have focused on nine countries that make it easier for immigrant grandchildren to acquire citizenship, but they are not the only ones.
Croatia
Croatian grandchildren may be eligible for citizenship. The country, full of hut beaches and forests, grants citizenship to Croatian descendants who left forever before 1991. However, if your grandparents move to another country that was part of Yugoslavia, you are not eligible for citizenship regardless of when they leave.
Czech Republic
Anyone with Czech grandparents might be able to pack their bags and move into the heart of Bohemia. To qualify for Czech citizenship, your grandparents must have been born in the Czech Republic and remained there until at least 1918.
Germany
If you have German grandparents, you may be eligible for a German passport. German citizenship cannot skip generations. But that doesn’t mean that one of your parents needs to have a German passport. As long as you have parents eligible for German citizenship, you may be. However, there is one notable exception. If German ancestors were victims of Nazi persecution due to religion, political affiliation or race, there is no need to show an unbreakable chain of citizenship. It’s true if your German ancestors were stripped of their citizenship and were unable to convey it to their children.
Hungary
Hungary is home to the historic city of Budapest, located along a calm bank of the Danube. Hungarian grandparents may be the key to obtaining their passport from this beautiful country. You don’t need to be skilled in Hungary to become a Hungarian citizen, but you may be asked to demonstrate basic language skills. However, before you enroll in a language course, make sure your grandparents should not lose their Hungarian citizenship. If your grandparents left before 1929, Hungary probably revoked their citizenship. Furthermore, prior to 1957, most Hungarian women who married non-Hungarians lost their citizenship.
Ireland
Approximately 10% of the US population has Irish heritage. If one of your grandparents is from Emerald Isle, you may be eligible for Irish citizenship. However, you must register your birth on the Irish foreign birth register before applying for an Irish passport.
Italy
Over 15 million Americans have Italian heritage. If you are one of them, you may be able to apply for Italian citizenship. If one of your grandparents is born in Italy and you were still a citizen at the time of your parents being born, you may be able to request an Italian passport. In the past, it was relatively simple for a person with Italian ancestors to acquire Italian citizenship. However, in 2024, Italy made this process even more complicated. Many once qualified people lost their claims to citizenship overnight. Under this new law, if your grandparents become a citizen of the United States (or other countries) while your parents are still minors, you are no longer eligible for Italian citizenship.
Lithuania
Lithuania gives citizenship to some of its citizens, but only if they meet narrow standards. First of all, your grandparents (or great grandparents) must have been a Lithuanian citizen before 1940. Second, you are eligible for Lithuanian citizenship only if your ancestors left before 1990. There are several exceptions to these criteria, but they are heavily dependent on the individual situation.
Poland
If you have inherited Pierosie’s love from your Polish parents or grandparents, you may have the right to hone your citizenship. To gain Polish citizenship, your parents or grandparents must have lived in Poland since 1920. You also need to prove that your ancestors have never lost their citizenship. For example, if your grandparents had held elected offices outside of Poland, they automatically lost their citizenship. Serving a non-Polish army is another way that citizenship can be revoked. However, there are narrow exceptions to those who served the Allied forces during World War II. Even if you have Polish roots, but are not eligible for Polish citizenship through descent, you may still be able to obtain Polish citizenship through a presidential grant. However, this process is much more complicated.
Portugal
Portugal is more than just a popular holiday spot. It is home to over 14,000 Americans. If you have Portuguese grandparents, you a Move yourself with the people of Portugal. However, this requires that you prove your proficiency with the Portuguese by taking a language exam or by providing evidence from a reputable instructor that you have completed a course in Portuguese. If you don’t know the language yet, start by studying with free apps like the duo Lingo or Babbel. Having other relationships with Portugal, such as frequent visits to Portugal and membership in Portuguese-American organizations, can also be helpful.
