What are the easiest countries to get citizenship?

Gabriela Peratello

20.06.24

10 minute read

Becoming a legal citizen in a country gives you the right to live and work there in freedom – but the application process can be complicated.

You’ll need to understand your eligibility, provide supporting documents, and make sense of complex foreign bureaucracy.

However, some countries offer easier routes for US citizens to get their second passport. You may be able to pay for fast-tracked citizenship or apply for your passport after living in your chosen country for just a few years.

We’ll take a look at some of the easiest countries to apply for citizenship, including the best ways to get citizenship by investment, descent, birth, and naturalization.

Citizenship types

There are a few different types of citizenship, such as citizenship by investment and naturalization. Let’s take a look at some of the common options.

Citizenship by investment

Those with suitable funds can invest in a country’s economy in exchange for citizenship. This may mean finding real estate opportunities, donating to charity, or investing in public debt.

There are often additional requirements to get residency or citizenship by investment, such as language skills or a clean criminal record. It’s not just a case of simply buying your second passport.

Many countries offer citizenship by investment, including Austria and Malta.¹

Learn all about Portugal's Golden Visa in our full guide

Citizenship by birth (birthplace)

You can qualify for citizenship by birth if you’re born within a country’s borders, even if your parents aren’t citizens. Also known as jus soli, this type of citizenship defines someone’s nationality by where they’re born.

You can’t access citizenship by birthplace everywhere, but countries like Mexico and Canada allow unrestricted birthright citizenship to those born in the country.²

Citizenship by descent

Citizenship by descent is a common choice for those with a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent born in your chosen country.

Although every country has different rules and restrictions, you’ll typically need to prove that you have a bloodline link to that country.

This type of citizenship can be a complicated application process, so it’s important to look into any supporting documentation you’ll need to get your second passport.

Citizenship through naturalization

To qualify for citizenship through naturalization, you’ll need to get residency in your chosen country before applying for citizenship.

Every country has different rules about how long you’ll need to live there before you can qualify for your second passport. For example, you can apply for citizenship after 2 years of living in Argentina, but you’ll need Portuguese residence for at least 5 years before you can become a citizen.³

You may also need to meet other requirements during the citizenship process, such as passing language or history tests.

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Easiest countries to get citizenship by investment

Some countries make it easy to get citizenship if you invest money in the local economy. Let’s take a closer look at some of the easiest countries to get citizenship by investment.

Malta

Malta’s Citizenship by Naturalization for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment Program® (CES) expedites the process of naturalization by investment, helping you get residency and citizenship in the country.

You’ll need to invest at least 690,000 EUR in the local economy through real estate or as a charitable donation.

You can apply for citizenship in Malta within 3 years, depending on the size of your investment – and you’ll get an EU passport as part of your citizenship rights. This lets you live or work anywhere in the EU without applying for a visa.⁴

Portugal

The Portugal Golden Visa program is a popular choice for Americans.

You’ll need to invest at least 250,000 EUR in the Portuguese economy – and you’ll also need to live in the country for at least 7 days in your first year and then 14 days every 2 years. After 5 years, you’ll be able to apply for citizenship.⁵

You don’t have to spend long in the country during your 5 years of residency, so this is one of the easiest countries to get citizenship if you’re based in the US.

Turkey

Turkey has a range of different investment options, depending on how much you want to spend. It’ll only take 3 to 4 months for your application to be approved. This makes it one of the fastest ways to get your second passport.

You don’t need to spend time in the country – and you’ll access visa-free travel to 120 locations with your Turkish passport. The minimum investment amount to qualify for citizenship is 400,000 USD.⁶

These aren’t the only countries that offer easy citizenship by investment.

Other locations include:
Antigua and Barbuda Cambodia Dominica Moldova St. Kitts and Nevis¹

Easiest countries to get residency by investment

You may need to get residency before applying for citizenship. Let’s take a look at some of the easiest countries to get residency by investment.

Cyprus

If you want to get residency in Cyprus, you’ll need to invest at least 300,000 EUR in the local economy – and you’ll need an annual income of more than 50,000 EUR.

Cyprus is a desirable place to live – and you’ll get an EU passport with Cypriot citizenship, letting you live and work in any EU member state.

You should get your residency permit within 3 months, making this one of the easiest and fastest European countries to get residency, provided you have suitable funds.

You can even maintain your residency without actually living in the country. You’ll only need to visit once every 2 years.⁷

Latvia

You can get residency in Latvia by investing 500,000 EUR in Latvian property, business, or banking. You’ll also need to pay processing fees to be eligible for a 5-year residence permit in the country.

Latvia’s Golden Visa Program is a simple process – and you won’t need to continuously live in the country to maintain your residency. You’ll also access EU rights of residence, including visa-free travel around the continent.

Once you’re a legal resident, you’ll be able to apply for citizenship through naturalization after 10 years. It might not be the fastest process, but it’s one of the easiest.⁸

Paraguay

Paraguay is one of the cheapest countries to get residency. You can buy permanent residence for 5,200 USD – and you’ll become eligible for citizenship after 3 years.

The country is known for its low cost of living and favorable tax system, perfect for foreigners looking for a different way of life.

Paraguay isn’t the easiest place to get full citizenship rights, so you may want to do your research before moving abroad. If you only want residency, however, it’s a convenient choice.⁸

Countries offering citizenship by birth

Currently, 33 countries have unrestricted birthright citizenship, including:

Argentina
Brazil
Cuba
Dominica
Jamaica
Mexico
Peru
St. Kitts
Uruguay

A few other countries offer restricted citizenship by birth, meaning they only allow it in special cases. This includes South Africa, Italy, Colombia, Australia, and the Netherlands.²

Easy countries to get citizenship by descent

Citizenship by descent can be a complicated application process, so make sure to carefully research your options. What is the easiest country to get citizenship by descent?

Italy

You’ll be eligible for Italian citizenship by descent if you have Italian parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents.

Unlike other countries, there’s no upper limit to the number of generations that can be used to prove your bloodline – making it one of the easiest countries to get a second passport.

If you’re applying through a grandparent or great-grandparent, you may be able to get citizenship without proving your Italian language skills, too.⁹

New Zealand

If you were born outside New Zealand, but one of your parents is a citizen, you can apply for citizenship.

This is a straightforward process. You’ll need to fill out an application form, as well as send off any documents and fees to get your citizenship. You should receive a response to your request within 30 days.

You can access 182 countries with a New Zealand passport, so it’s worth exploring if your family member is already a legal citizen.¹⁰

Spain

It’s relatively easy to get citizenship by descent in Spain. You can apply for citizenship if at least one of your parents is a legal Spanish citizen or if you have a grandparent who was a Spanish national but had their citizenship revoked.

If you’re a citizen of a Latin American country, but your grandparent was born in Spain, you may also qualify for citizenship by descent.¹¹

Some additional countries offer citizenship by descent, such as:

India

Latvia
Malaysia
South Korea
Vietnam¹⁰

Countries with the easiest citizenship by naturalization

Citizenship by naturalization involves having legal residency in a country for a certain period of time, helping you eventually qualify for citizenship.

Residency doesn’t necessarily mean you have to live in the country. Each country will have different rules about what you need to do to qualify for your second passport.

Let’s take a closer look at some popular options for this type of citizenship.

Countries with 2-year residence requirement

Although you often need to live in a country for at least 5 years before you can get your passport, some countries are a little more lenient.

In Argentina, for example, you can apply for citizenship by naturalization if:

You’re at least 18 years old You’ve lived in Argentina for at least 2 years on a temporary or permanent residence permit You can prove you have an honest income You can express your request in front of Argentine federal judges³

The same goes for Peru. You’ll need to be a legal resident for at least 2 years before you can apply to become a citizen – and you’ll also need an annual income of around 12,670 USD.¹²

Other countries with a 2-year residence requirement include the Dominican Republic and Spain, in some cases.¹³

Countries with 3-year residence requirement

In some countries, you can apply for citizenship after 3 years of residency.

In Poland, you can apply to be a citizen if you’ve been living on a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term residence permit, or the right of permanent residence for 3 years. You’ll also need to prove that you have a stable income.

If you’ve been married to a Polish citizen for at least 3 years, you can apply for citizenship after only 2 years of residency.¹⁴

Serbia, Canada, Paraguay, and Armenia all require you to live in the country for 3 years before getting citizenship.¹³

Countries with 4-year residence requirement

In countries like Brazil, you’ll need to live as a legal resident for at least 4 years before you can apply for citizenship.

However, if you marry a citizen or your child is born in Brazil, you’ll only need to live there for a year.¹⁵

Ethiopia and Australia also let foreigners apply for citizenship after 4 years of residency.¹³

Countries with 5-year residence requirement

In many countries, you’ll be required to live as a legal resident for at least 5 years before you can apply for citizenship. This is the case in Portugal. You’ll also need to prove you’ve got a clean criminal record and an A2 level of Portuguese.¹⁶

You can apply for citizenship in Ireland after 1 year of continuous residence immediately before the date of your application, as well as at least 4 years in the 8 years before that.¹⁷

Other countries with a 5-year residency requirement include Belgium and Barbados.¹³

Countries with different residency timeframes

Each country has a different residency requirement for foreigners to qualify for their passport. Let’s take a look at some residency timeframes across the globe.

5+ years	10+ years	15+ years	20+ years
Finland Greece Croatia Romania Denmark	Italy Lithuania Cyprus Latvia¹⁸ Angola	Chad Gambia Nigeria¹⁹	Austria²⁰ Bhutan Oman¹⁹

What are income visas and how can they help you?

A passive income visa, also known as a retirement visa or a visa for those of independent means, can prove to a country that you’re financially self-sufficient.

These visas can make it easier for you to get citizenship abroad, as they demonstrate that you can support yourself and successfully contribute to a country’s economy.

Many countries offer income visas, such as Portugal’s D7 visa. You’ll need to make 860 EUR per month to qualify for this type of visa – and you can get dual citizenship in Portugal, too.²¹

Common questions

If you’re applying for citizenship abroad, you may have a few queries about the application process. We’ll answer all your questions!

What is the easiest country to get citizenship?

The easiest country to get citizenship can depend on your situation. You can typically get Turkish citizenship within 4 months if you go down the investment route. New Zealand also offers convenient citizenship by descent if you’re related to a citizen.

Countries that don’t require you to spend a lot of time living there make it easier to maintain your citizenship, particularly if you want to continue living in the US.

You can get Canadian citizenship after living in the country for just 3 years. You’ll also need to pay a processing fee of 630 CAD and pass French and history tests.²²

Which countries offer citizenship by investment programs?

Many countries offer citizenship by investment programs for foreigners to get their second passport. Malta, Spain, Austria, and Portugal are popular choices in Europe.

Countries like Egypt, Cambodia, Jordan, Grenada, and St. Lucia also let foreigners invest in exchange for residency or citizenship rights.¹

Can you get dual citizenship in an easy country?

Dual citizenship is available in many easy countries, such as Paraguay and Ireland.²³ This gives you a chance to live in 2 different countries as a legal citizen – and it’s great if you have family in both locations.

However, some countries don’t offer dual citizenship. You may have to give up your US citizenship to qualify for a Spanish passport, for example.²⁴

What are the benefits of having multiple citizenships?

Citizenship gives you the same rights as someone born in your country of choice. You can also appreciate multiple different cultures and help other family members get residency or citizenship in the future.

If you get EU citizenship, you can travel, live, work, study, or retire in any member state – and you won’t need citizenship in each individual country to enjoy certain freedoms.

How long does it take to get citizenship in the easiest countries?

Turkey is an easy country to get citizenship by investment, as you can get your application approved within 3 to 4 months.

In Argentina and the Dominican Republic, you can apply for citizenship once you’ve been a legal resident for at least 2 years, but you may need to wait 5 years for citizenship in countries like Ireland.

How many citizenships can you have?

Technically, you can get as many citizenships as you want. However, some countries don’t allow dual or multiple citizenship, so you’ll need to look into any rules and restrictions.

You may need to give up your US citizenship before you can get your second passport, so make sure to carefully consider your options.

Getting citizenship can be a tough process, but there are plenty of countries that make it easier for Americans to get their second passport.

Make sure to look into all available possibilities before applying to become a citizen in another country – and consider dual citizenship to maintain your links to the US.

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Sources:

Sources checked on 05.09.2024

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