March 24th, 2024 at 04:16 pm

Dual Citizenship: 7 Countries That Offer Passport Based On Ancestry

Should you be an American with ancestry from another nation, you may be eligible for dual citizenship. You might be allowed to relocate to your parents’ or grandparents’ home country if you have a second passport from that nation. Alternatively, you might live in both nations and come and go as you choose. You may travel to see family or benefit from any healthcare or educational incentives that your ancestry may offer.

How may one apply for a second passport via family descent? This essentially needs documentation of a family relationship with a citizen. However, some nations insist on having a parent, while others accept a grandparent or great-grandparent.

As every nation has its regulations, you should first inquire about if and how the nation recognizes dual citizenship by getting in touch with its embassy. These are the seven nations where the procedure is the simplest.

1. Canada

Since this is one of the easiest countries to gain dual citizenship by ancestry, let’s start with our neighbor to the north. Was a parent of yours a Canadian citizen or born there? You’ve become a citizen of Canada, congratulations! All you will need to do to receive your Canadian passport is to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship.

To accomplish this, you’ll need to present a few documents, like the provincial or territorial birth certificate of your parents. You will be able to live, work, and/or attend school in Canada thanks to this. Additionally, you will qualify for government-funded medical treatment.

Once you have your citizenship document, just follow the normal procedures to apply for a passport. As there are no passport service offices run by the Canadian government in the United States, you will have to complete the process by mail. Go to the Canadian passport services website to begin the process.

Just bear in mind that having dual citizenship with the United States and Canada has certain drawbacks, including the need to file tax reports for both nations.

2. Mexico

It is not unusual for Mexican-American Americans to think about returning to their ancestral home. A few advantages? a more affordable standard of living, more affordable healthcare, and gorgeous, pleasant weather. Additionally, obtaining dual citizenship is simple if one of your parents is a citizen of Mexico. Begin by registering your birth with the Mexican consulate in your neighborhood.

Your birth certificate, a current U.S. passport or other form of identification, the birth certificates or passports (or certificates of naturalization, if that is how they became citizens) of your Mexican parents, and, if relevant, their marriage or death certificates, must all be provided in original.

There is a minor cost involved, and two adult witnesses—who may be embassy staff members—are needed. Your parents might also need to show up if they weren’t married when you were born. Applying for a Mexican passport is as simple as visiting your local Mexican consulate with your passport application and the necessary paperwork.

3. Italy

In the US, there are more than 15 million Italian Americans. Should you belong to this group and frequently travel to Italy to visit family, you may wish to think about acquiring dual citizenship. Italy has one of the most generous citizenship-by-descent schemes in the world, but it can be a drawn-out procedure. It’s also not necessary for the citizen from whom you are derived to be a parent. They might be a great-grandparent or a grandmother.

Naturally, a ton of paperwork, such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, will be required to demonstrate the familial relationship. Some have discovered that the best course of action is to enlist the assistance of an Italian-speaking attorney with a focus on citizenship to assist in locating these records. Alternatively, a business such as the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program may be utilized.

Why make the effort? You will have easy access to all 27 of the European Union’s member nations in addition to being able to live, work, and study in Italy.

4. Israel

Similar to the aforementioned nations, if one of your parents was born in Israel, you are qualified for dual citizenship. However, there is an additional group of qualified Americans.

The government of Israel welcomes individuals from other nations whose mothers or grandmothers were Jews under the Law of Return, which was passed to fortify and develop Israel. Stated differently, individuals who identify as Jewish by ethnicity are qualified for dual citizenship in Israel. If you become a Jew, you are also qualified.

Your partner, children, and grandchildren are also eligible. However, to receive an Israeli passport, you will need to provide official documentation—such as birth, marriage, or death certificates—proving your grandmother’s Jewish ancestry. It takes roughly six months to complete all citizenship requirements, but your passport won’t arrive until after your first anniversary as an Israeli citizen.

Having dual citizenship with the United States and Israel has several serious drawbacks. You cannot marry inhabitants of “enemy” states, therefore your chances of getting married are limited. You are now required to serve in the military as are all Israeli citizens above the age of 18.

5. Ireland

You are eligible to seek dual citizenship if at least one of your parents or grandparents was born in Ireland. Start by registering your birth through Ireland’s Foreign Birth Registration, which is an online process that needs a good deal of supporting documents.

Included in this are the original civil birth certificate of your Irish relative, a certified photocopy of their most recent state-issued identification (like a passport or driver’s license), two original proofs of address, photo documentation, and their most recent state-issued ID (or death certificate, if they are deceased).

Up to a year and a half may pass throughout the foreign birth registration process. After registering, you can use the Passport Online Service or an Irish consulate to apply for an Irish passport after applying for dual citizenship.

The favorable tidings? You can live and work anywhere in the United Kingdom and move freely throughout the European Union if you have an Irish passport.

6. Germany

Germany used to have quite tight restrictions regarding dual citizenship based on ancestry, but in recent years, those laws have been relaxed. You may apply if you were born after 1975 and one of your parents was a lawful German citizen. However, eligibility for those born before 1975 is restricted to cases where your father was a lawful German citizen. Nevertheless, there are further, subtler ways that your German ancestry may qualify you; you can find out by completing an online questionnaire.

Visit your local German consulate or submit an online application to the German Federal Office of Administration to apply for German citizenship by descent. Gather the required papers and download the form bundle and document checklist. These consist of, among other things, an ID card, a passport, proof of impunity (no arrest record), documentation establishing paternity (birth, marriage, etc.), and a certificate of good behavior from the United States.

It may take up to three years after your application is submitted for you to acquire your German citizenship certificate. At the German consulate in your area, you can apply for a German passport. You will have full access to all the benefits of becoming an EU citizen, including unrestricted mobility and the absence of visa requirements for living abroad in Europe, as soon as you obtain your passport.

7. Poland

Should you be descended from Polish parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents, you may be eligible for dual citizenship. This family member has to have resided in Poland after 1920 and been born there, or in one of the former areas. You are officially already a Polish citizen because of your Polish ancestry.

To find out if you are truly qualified, however, you should take an online quiz as there are some restrictions. You will need to have that citizenship verified if you think you meet the requirements.

Although it can be a drawn-out and challenging procedure, organizations like Nomad Capitalist can assist with navigating the legal requirements and paperwork. And in the end, it’s undoubtedly worthwhile. Possessing a Polish passport entitles you to live and work anywhere in the European Union, just like possessing a passport from any other EU nation.