Acquiring a second passport, particularly from a European Union country, is a dream for many, and citizenship through ancestry can be the best option. Having lineage that traces back to an EU country, either your parent, grandparent, or in some cases great-grandparent, could be your ticket to becoming a citizen of the EU. Here, we will review some of the countries in Europe that grant citizenship by descent and outline the eligibility criteria.
Benefits of EU Citizenship
One of the main advantages of acquiring citizenship of a European country is the freedom of movement throughout the EU. As a non-EU citizen, there is only a 90-day stay limit within the Schengen Area, which comprises the 27 EU countries. However, as an EU passport holder, you have the ability to live, work, or study in any of the EU countries visa-free.
Also, being a citizen of the EU widens the field of career and investment opportunities, as well as the ability to attend high-quality, low-cost universities throughout the EU. If you are looking to establish residence in the EU, you will have the right to healthcare offered to the residents of that country and can access medical treatment when traveling throughout the EU.
Another major benefit is family reunification rights. If you are an EU citizen married to a non-EU citizen, EU rules facilitate the process for your family to join you in Europe.
You have the right to vote in local and national elections in your country of citizenship as well as EU-wide elections. Maybe most importantly is the ability to pass citizenship down to your children, celebrating your heritage for generations to come.
What is Citizenship by Descent?
Citizenship by descent is the process where individuals with direct ancestry in a country can claim citizenship based on their familial ties to that country. It is further outlined through the principle of jus sanguinis, where citizenship of a country is transmitted to a child at birth from one or both parents of that nationality. This is in contrast to jus soli, where a child acquires citizenship from the place where they are born, such is the case in the United States. Therefore, when proper documentation is presented, an individual can claim citizenship of a country from their ancestor, proving citizenship was passed down correctly from one generation to the next. The process to claim citizenship by descent is different in each country, with some having more strict guidelines than others.
Italy
To qualify for Italian citizenship by descent you must be able to prove an unbroken chain of Italian ancestry. However, under the most recent rules set forth in the March 28, 2025 emergency decree, only individuals with at least one parent, or grandparent, who was born in italy, or individuals whose parent resided in italy for at least two years prior to their birth, can claim italian citizenship by descent.
All applications filed in an italian consulate, municipality, or court, prior to March 28, 2025 are subject to the previous rules, according to which citizenship can be claimed with no generational limits as long as the ancestor who was born in italy was alive in 1861 (when italy became a nation) and as long as there is no interruption in the transfer of citizenship between one generation and the other.
Ireland
Ireland grants Irish citizenship by descent to individuals with at least one parent, or grandparent (and in some cases, great-grandparent) who was born in Ireland. If one of your parents was born in Ireland, you qualify to be an Irish citizen. Additionally, if one of your grandparents was born in Ireland, but your parents were born abroad, then you can apply for citizenship through the Foreign Birth Registration. The Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) is a register of those born outside of Ireland who became Irish citizens through their parents or grandparents. If one of your great-grandparents was born in Ireland, but neither of your parents or grandparents was born in Ireland, then you may be able to apply if your parent from your Irish family line was registered with the Foreign Births Registration at the time of your birth.
Another way to qualify through an Irish great-grandparent would be “citizenship by association”. This category requires the applicant to demonstrate a substantial and tangible connection to Irish society and the Irish state, as well as meet a residency requirement in Ireland. These applications are processed by the Irish Minister for Justice, who has absolute authority and discretion to waive, or not, the eligibility requirements and grant or deny a citizenship claim.
Poland
Polish citizenship by descent, also called “Confirmation of Polish Citizenship”, is granted to individuals who can prove an unbroken line of citizenship to a Polish ancestor. The Polish Citizenship Act came into effect in 1920, soon after Polish independence in 1918, which granted Polish citizenship to every person in the territory of Poland. Therefore, your Polish ancestor must have lived in Poland after January 1920 and, if emigrated, must have left the country after Poland became an independent country. Another important caveat is that before 1951, the acquisition of another citizenship caused the loss of Polish citizenship.
This means that the ancestral line must not have been broken which would have happened if an individual in the line of descent voluntarily renounced or lost Polish citizenship before the next generation was born.
Additionally, it’s not necessary that your ancestor emigrated from modern-day Poland, but they could have resided in a region that was part of Poland prior to WWII, even if the territory has since been lost.
Lastly, Polish citizens who emigrated to Israel between 1958 and 1984 and who became Israeli citizens upon arrival (based on the Israeli “Law of Return” for those of Jewish descent) lost Polish citizenship automatically. They and their descendants may be eligible to acquire Polish citizenship “by declaration”.
Germany
To qualify for German citizenship by descent, you must be able to prove an unbroken chain of German ancestry, which can also depend on whether you have a German-born parent or grandparent.
First, if one of your parents was a German citizen at the time of your birth, you may qualify for German citizenship.
Secondly, if one of your grandparents was a German citizen at the time of your parents’ birth, and you can prove a direct transmission of German citizenship, you may be able to claim German citizenship. Examples of scenarios that may have caused an interruption in the lineage include if your German ancestor acquired a foreign citizenship before the birth of their child, or if before 1953, a German woman married a foreign national, she automatically lost her German citizenship. Lastly, according to the German Citizenship Act of 1914, Germans who emigrated before 1904 and resided abroad for more than 10 years would have lost their German citizenship.
Also, on August 20, 2021, the Fourth Act amending the German Citizenship Law made possible additional pathways for citizenship by descent. If you or your ancestor lost or was denied citizenship due to Nazi persecution between January 30, 1933 and May 8, 1945, you can apply for German citizenship. Additionally, those born after the “Basic Law” came into effect on May 23, 1949 can apply for German citizenship “by declaration” if they were either unable to acquire German citizenship by birth due to previous gender-discriminatory provisions in the citizenship law or lost their German citizenship acquired by birth.
It’s also important to note that starting on June 27, 2024, Germany officially began allowing dual citizenship. This means when applying for German citizenship, you are not required to renounce your previously held citizenship.
Greece
Greek citizenship by descent is granted to individuals with a parent, grandparent, or in some cases great-grandparent, who was a Greek citizen. According to the “Greek Nationality Code”, citizenship by birth is granted to those who are born to a person of Greek nationality. Also, if you have a Greek grandfather or grandmother who was born in Greece or was naturalized, you would be eligible for Greek citizenship. If you have a Greek great-grandfather or great-grandmother who was born in Greece or was naturalized, you are also considered to be eligible for Greek citizenship.
However, if you’re applying through a grandparent or an even more distant relative, the relatives in between you and them may first have to go through the process of obtaining Greek citizenship, if they haven’t done so already. Therefore, to apply through a great-grandparent, your grandparent(s) would also need to be living and may need to apply for citizenship first.
Croatia
To qualify for Croatian citizenship by descent, according to Article 11 of the Croatian Citizenship Act, you must have a Croatian ancestor connected to you in a straight line and who permanently left Croatia to move abroad. This can be a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, and so on, as long as they are considered a Croatian emigrant. Also, if you are a Croatian, born on Croatian territory, who has emigrated permanently before 1991, you may also be eligible to apply for citizenship.
An emigrant is considered a person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia before October 8, 1991, with the intention of living abroad permanently. It’s important that your ancestor did not move to a Yugoslav state, or return to Croatia to live permanently. Another benefit of the Croatian citizenship by descent provisions is that the spouse of the Croatian descendant can also apply without meeting any residence or language requirements.
Portugal
Portugal grants Portuguese citizenship by descent to those who have a parent or grandparent born in Portugal who has not lost or renounced their citizenship. Portuguese citizenship can be granted to individuals born abroad with at least one ancestor with Portuguese citizenship to the second degree, i.e. parent or grandparent. Children born abroad to at least one Portuguese parent are entitled to Portuguese citizenship. Applications through a grandparent must include vital records demonstrating the Portuguese ancestry and the applicant must prove their connection to the Portuguese community, which can include knowledge of the Portuguese language.
Spain
Spain grants Spanish citizenship by descent for those with a parent, and in some cases grandparent, who was Spanish at the time of the birth of their child. Passed in 2022, the Law of Democratic Memory, also called the “Grandchildren Law”, introduces a new category of “citizenship by option”, or citizenship by descent, for grandchildren of emigrants with Spanish nationality.
Those eligible include individuals born outside Spain who have an original Spanish father, mother, grandfather or grandmother who had lost or renounced citizenship as a consequence of an exile for political, ideological, beliefs or sexual orientation and identity reasons. Also, descendants of a Spanish woman who lost her nationality because she married a foreigner before the entry into force of the 1978 Constitution can apply.
Lastly, those who have parents who got Spanish nationality by origin (through the Law of Historical Memory 52/2017) but could not become Spanish themselves because they were not 18 years old at the time would be eligible now. Previously, the criteria were that a child had to be 18 to apply for citizenship by option through their parent who had acquired Spanish citizenship, and they only had 2 years to make that application (until they turned 20). Now, those who were unable to apply because they were not yet 18, can claim their Spanish citizenship.
Malta Citizenship by Investment
Another popular EU citizenship program is actually not citizenship based on ancestry but citizenship granted in return for an investment in the country of Malta. Also called Malta citizenship by naturalization “for exceptional services by direct investment”, applicants must meet a set of investment and residence requirements. First is the purchase of a property (minimum value of €700,000) or lease of a residential property (minimum annual rent of €16,000) which needs to be maintained for a minimum of 5 years. Additionally, an investment to the National Development and Social Fund (NDSF) is required and the amount invested will correlate to the length of required residence. If €750,000 is invested, a residence in Malta is required of 12 months, or if €600,000 is invested, 36 months is required. Lastly, the investor must donate €100,000 to a registered philanthropic, cultural, sport, scientific, or artistic non-governmental organization or society. It’s worth noting that Malta is also a member of the European Union, and Maltese citizens are allowed all the same benefits enjoyed by citizens of other EU countries.
In conclusion, there are many countries in Europe that grant citizenship by descent to individuals that can prove a direct connection to their ancestor born in that country. If you have any questions regarding eligiblity or the application process, don’t hesitate to contact us directly.
