A person is considered a dual national when he owes allegiance to more than one country at the same time. Dual citizenship requirements cannot be overlooked when acquiring a citizenship in a foreign country through citizenship or residence by investment schemes (CRBI). Residence schemes offer a path to naturalize for citizenship after a certain number years of legal residence.
Law firms and agents promoting CRBI schemes must not forget to advise about dual citizenship to their clients. While many developed nationals allow dual or multiple citizenship status (US, UK, Australia etc), large number countries still forbid dual citizenship eg. China, India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Japan, Qatar etc.
- Russia, South africa allow dual citizenship but must be reported.
- United States, United Kingdom require their citizens enter their countries only with their passports.
- Greece, Iran, Argentina and Morocco does not accept renouncing nationality. It is not legally possible or not accepted in practice.
- India does not allow dual citizenship and holding multiple passports for Indians are illegal
- Spain, Latvia and Pakistan allows dual citizenship only with selected countries
Dual Citizenship Restricted
| China, India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Japan, Qatar, Norway, Malaysia |
Andorra, Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos, Kuwait, Estonia, Lithuania (allowed in exceptional cases) |
Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Mauritius, Nepal Burma United Arab Emirates, Venezuela (not allowed after 25) |
Top Countries applying for CBI/RBI schemes
Let us take a look at top countries applying for investment based citizenship and residency schemes and we will review the dual citizenship requirements accordingly
| Antigua CIP | Portugal GV | Greece GV |
| China Russia Syria Lebanon Libya Bangladesh Pakistan |
China Brazil South Africa Turkey Russia |
China Russia Turkey Lebanon Egypt Iraq Ukraine Syria Jordan Iran |
| United Kingdom (Tier1 Investor) | Latvia GV | Ireland IIP |
| China Russia United States Hong Kong India Kazakhstan Pakistan Egypt Canada Australia Brazil |
Russia China Ukraine Uzbekistan Kazakhstan Belarus Azerbaijan |
China USA UAE Russia Bahrain |
Dual Citizenship
HNW families applying for RBI/Golden visa or CBI schemes must be aware of the dual citizenship restrictions in their country of birth.
| China | Not Allowed |
| Russia | Allowed but must be reported to Federal Migration Service within 60 days else an offense |
| Turkey | Allowed |
| Brazil | Allowed |
| Lebanon | Allowed |
| Libya | Not allowed |
| Egypt | Allowed but must inform appropriate Egyptian officials. |
| Iraq | Allowed since 2006 |
| Ukraine | Not allowed |
| Syria | Allowed |
| Jordan | Not allowed |
| Iran | Not recognized |
| Canada | Allowed |
| Australia | Allowed |
| United States | Allowed |
| South Africa | Allowed but must be reported |
| India | Not allowed |
| Uzbekistan | Not recognized |
| Azerbaijan | Not allowed |
| Kazakhstan | Not Allowed |
| Pakistan | Pakistan allows dual citizenship only with the below countries:
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