A Transnational marriage is a marriage between two people from different countries. Also known as marital or spousal citizenship, refers to the acquisition of citizenship through marriage to a citizen of a particular country. In some countries, marrying a citizen can be a pathway to obtaining citizenship or at least permanent residency. Several countries offer reduced years usually three, to naturalize for citizenship by marriage (men or women). In some countries (eg. Brunei, Cuba) the only way for a foreigner to become a citizenship is through marriage.
Individuals considering citizenship via marriage should carefully research the laws of the country in question and understand the implications and requirements involved in the process. It’s advisable to consult with legal professionals or immigration experts to navigate the complexities of such applications. The application may require evidence of a genuine marital relationship, such as a marriage certificate and other supporting documentation. In some countries authorities physically inspect, to prevent sham marriages.
Spain has the quickest time one year after marriage and being resident.
- Spain – 1 year
- Singapore – 2 years
- Italy – 3 years
- United Kingdom – 3 years
- United States – 3 years
- Japan – 3 years
Here are the list of countries that offer citizenship by marriage.
| Afghanistan | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and the marriage was concluded in accordance with Islamic Sharia law. |
| Albania | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been married to an Albanian citizen for at least 3 years and has lawfully and continuously resided in Albania for 1 year. |
| Algeria | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: has been married for 3 years and resident for 2 years, good behavior, and a sufficient income. |
| Angola | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been the spouse or legally recognised partner of a citizen for 5 years, with common household. Other conditions: see A06, except not required to be adult, show integration in Angolan society, or no conviction of crime. |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Registration (entitlement) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen, with common household, for 3 years. Other conditions: oath of loyalty. |
| Argentina | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the male spouse of a female citizen. Other conditions: see A06 (except residence requirement). |
| Armenia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen. Other conditions: see A06 (except residence requirement and language proficiency). |
| Australia | n.a | No direct basis for acquisition. Person who is the spouse of a citizen has to apply in his/her own right under mode A06. However, under AUS 22(9) where a person is the spouse, de facto partner or surviving spouse or de facto partner of a citizen at the time of making his/her application, the Minister may treat a period in which the person was not present in Australia but was spouse or de facto partner, and was a permanent resident of Australia, and had a close and continuing connection with Australia, as a period in which the person was present in Australia for the purposes of satisfying the general residency requirement. |
| Austria | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 5 years, with common household, and has been resident in Austria for 6 years, with a permanent residence permit at the time of the application. No residence requirement if the person left Austria with his/her spouse before May 9, 1945. Other conditions: see mode A06. |
| Azerbaijan | n.a. | n.a. |
| Bahamas | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the female spouse of a male citizen. Other conditions: oath of allegiance. Registration can be denied in the interests of national security or public policy, or if the person within a period of 5 years immediately preceding the application was sentenced to death or a prison sentence of at least 12 months, is not of good behaviour, is a danger to public safety, has been declared bankrupt, or has insufficient means for self-support. |
| Bahrain | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Naturalisation is possible for female spouses of male nationals only. |
| Bangladesh | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the wife of a Bangladeshi citizen and has been ordinarily resident in Bangladesh for 2 years. Other conditions: renunciation of citizenship and domicile of other country, and evidence proving her husband’s citizenship of Bangladesh as well as a marriage certificate. The Government may also require other information regarding, for example, income or knowledge of Bengali language. |
| Barbados | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the female spouse of a male citizen. Other conditions: oath of loyalty (only for British protected persons and persons who are not Commonwealth citizens or citizens of Ireland). Registration can be denied in the interests of national security or public policy. |
| Belarus | n.a. | n.a. |
| Belgium | Declaration | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: proficiency in language of the country (certification), no convictions for serious criminal offence, adequate social integration in local community, 5 years of residence in Belgium (three years of which in common household). Only applies to marriage, not to registered partnership. |
| Belize | Registration (discretionary) | Person is the spouse, or the widow or widower, of a citizen by descent or registration, and has been resident in Belize for 1 year immediately prior to the application. Other conditions: sound mind and intent to continue to reside in Belize. |
| Benin | Automatic | Person is the wife of a male citizen, unless she declares before marriage that she declines citizenship. Government may oppose. |
| Bhutan | n.a. | n.a. |
| Bolivia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: see A06 (residence requirement is reduced to 2 years). |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for at least 5 years (including the time of application), has been granted permanent residence in BiH, and does not pose a threat to security of BiH. Other conditions: renounces or loses in any other way another citizenship, unless regulated otherwise by a bilateral agreement with the state in question (renunciation or loss of another citizenship will not be required if that is not allowed, or is not reasonable to request). |
| Botswana | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen, has been resident in Botswana for 5 years, and has lodged a declaration of intention to naturalise 2 and a half years earlier. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Brazil | Ordinary naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen, has been continuously resident in Brazil for at least 1 year immediately prior to the application and continues to do so. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Brunei | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the wife of a citizen and irrespective of whether she is of full capacity. Other conditions: good character and oath of allegiance. |
| Bulgaria | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years and has had permanent residence in Bulgaria for 3 years. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Burkina Faso | Automatic | Person is married to a citizen, unless person declares s/he does not wish to acquire citizenship. Government may oppose within 1 year. |
| Burundi | Declaration; Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a Burundian citizen; Person is the husband of a Burundian citizen and has been resident in Burundi for 5 years. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Cambodia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen, with common household, for 3 years. |
| Cameroon | Declaration; Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a citizen. Cameroonian citizenship can be declined or acquired at the moment of marriage. Other conditions: government may oppose acquisition of citizenship by decree within 6 months of marriage; Person is the husband of a citizen. Other conditions: see A06 (except residence period). |
| Canada | n.a. | n.a. |
| Cape Verde | Declaration | Person is married to a citizen. |
| Central African Republic | Automatic | Person is a woman married to a citizen. Citizenship is acquired at the moment of marriage, unless she declares that she declines acquisition. Other conditions: government may oppose acquisition within 6 months of the marriage. |
| Chad | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and requests for citizenship at the time of celebration of the marriage. Government can oppose acquisition of citizenship within 1 year of marriage. |
| Chile | n.a. | n.a. |
| China | n.a | n.a |
| Colombia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen, or is in a long term relationship with a citizen and has been legally and continuously resident in Colombia for 2 years immediately preceding the application. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Comoros | Automatic; Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is a woman who marries a citizen. Acquires automatically unless she declines to do so; Person is a man married to a citizen. Other conditions: see A06 (except that residence period is reduced to 5 years). |
| Costa Rica | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and loses his/her original citizenship upon marriage, or has been married and resident in Costa Rica with a citizen for 2 years. |
| Croatia | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and is resident in Croatia with a permanent residence permit. Other conditions: respect for the legal order, customs and culture of the country. |
| Cuba | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and the union either resulted in offspring or the person has been resident in Cuba for 2 years uninterrupted since the marriage was celebrated. Other conditions: renunciation of citizenship of another country. |
| Cyprus | Registration (discretionary) | Person is the spouse or widow(er) of a citizen, and has resided in Cyprus, with common household for 3 years (i.e. cohabitation must not be less than 6 months per year and the aggregate of cohabiting years must not be less than 2 years in total within the 3-year period). Other conditions: good character, mental capacity, intention to continue to reside in Cyprus. Minister may reduce residence and cohabitation requirements but not below 2 years. |
| Czech Republic | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse or registered partner of a citizen with common household. |
| Denmark | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years (and the spouse has been citizen for 3 years), with common household, and has been resident in Denmark for 6 years (if 2 years marriage: 7 years residence, if 1 year marriage: 8 years residence). Other conditions: see mode A06. |
| Djibouti | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen. Other conditions: see A06 (except that residence period is reduced to 5 years if there are children of the marriage). |
| Dominica | Registration (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been resident in Dominica, or in the service of the government, or had partly such residence and partly such service, for 3 years immediately prior to the application. Minister is explicitly allowed to waive certain requirements. Other conditions: good character, full capacity, adequate knowledge of English and of the duties of a citizen, intent to reside in Dominica or to continue government service, and oath of allegiance. |
| Dominican Republic | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the male spouse of a female citizen and has been resident in the country for at least 6 months uninterrupted (no requirement of common household during that period). The female spouse of a male citizen is exempt from the residence requirement. |
| East Timor | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been married for more than 5 years with a citizen. Other requirements: residence in Timor-Leste for at least 2 years, ability to speak one of the official languages. If the previous citizenship is lost as a consequence of the marriage, Timorese citizenship is acquired automatically. |
| Ecuador | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen or is in a factual relationship with a citizen. Ordinary residence requirement of 3 years is waived for foreign women who marry (or are widows of) an Ecuadorian male citizen. They do not have to obtain permission from their husband for naturalisation. Residence requirement is reduced to 2 years for foreign males who marry an Ecuadorian female citizen, or if at least one child was born on Ecuadorian territory to him. |
| Egypt | Declaration | Person is the wife of a male citizen, notifies the minister of interior of wish to acquire citizenship, and the marriage lasts for at least 2 years thereafter (unless terminated by husband’s death). Minister may oppose during the 2 year period. |
| El Salvador | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been resident in El Salvador for 2 years, either before or after the marriage was celebrated. |
| Equatorial Guinea | Declaration | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: couple have lived together in Equatorial Guinea for 10 years (unless in service of state abroad). |
| Eritrea | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is legally married to an Eritrean citizen. Other conditions: person has lived in Eritrea with the spouse for at least 3 years, has renounced other citizenship, and signs oath of allegiance. |
| Estonia | n.a. | n.a. |
| Ethiopia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen. Other conditions: marriage took place at least 2 years previously, person has lived in Ethiopia for at least 1 year, and renounces citizenship of another country. |
| Finland | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years, with common household (in case the citizen has died, the spouses must have lived together for 3 years before death), and has 4 years of permanent uninterrupted residence in Finland, or 6 years of permanent residence since the age of 15, with the last 2 years uninterrupted. (A spouse means the husband or wife of the citizen or a person cohabiting with the citizen in a relationship resembling marriage. Provisions on a spouse also apply to a registered partner.) Other conditions: see A06. |
| France | Declaration | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 4 years, with common household, and has been resident in France for 3 years (5 years of marriage is required if person has less than 3 years of residence in France). No criminal record of a certain kind and no “unworthiness” or “assimilation defects”. |
| Gabon | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been married to a Gabonese citizen for at least 3 years. Government may oppose acquisition during the 6 months following the acquisition. |
| Gambia | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is married to a citizen and has been ordinarily resident in The Gambia since the marriage for at least 7 years. |
| Georgia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen and has been lawfully resident for 2 years. Other conditions: knowledge of the language as well as the history and the basic principles of the law, renunciation of other citizenship, and positive security check. |
| Germany | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has resided in Germany, with common household, for 3 years. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Ghana | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen. If the application is by a man based on marriage to a woman who is a citizen, the authorities may request the applicant to show that the marriage was effected in good faith, and the applicant must reside permanently in Ghana. |
| Greece | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen, has resided in Greece for 3 years since the marriage and has a child in wedlock with the spouse. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Grenada | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen (or was married to a person who was a citizen during the subsistence of the marriage). Other conditions: oath of loyalty (only for British protected persons and persons who are not Commonwealth citizens or citizens of Ireland). |
| Guatemala | n.a. | n.a. |
| Guinea | Automatic; Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is a woman married to a citizen, unless declares before the marriage that she declines citizenship and can conserve her other citizenship. Other conditions: Government may oppose acquisition within 6 months of marriage; Person is a man married to a Guinean woman. Other conditions: as for A06 but residence period reduce to 2 years. |
| Guinea Bissau | Declaration | Person has been married to a citizen for at least 3 years and resident in Guinea Bissau at least 1 year, and declares the will to acquire citizenship. |
| Guyana | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen (with exceptions in the interests of national security or public policy). |
| Haiti | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been married to a female citizen for 2 years. Other conditions: renunciation of citizenship of another country. |
| Honduras | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen by birth. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Hungary | Naturalisation (entitlement); Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the spouse or widow of a citizen and has been married (unless the marriage is terminated by the death of the spouse) and resident in Hungary for 3 years. Other conditions: see A06; Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been married (with common household) for at least 10 years, or for at least 5 years if they have a child. Other conditions: clean criminal record, no threat to Hungarian interests, and knowledge of Hungarian language. |
| Iceland | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been resident in Iceland for 3 years (or 5 years in case of registered partnership). Other conditions: see A06. |
| India | n.a. | n.a. |
| Indonesia | Declaration | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Ordinary naturalisation conditions do not apply except those relating to residence and renunciation of citizenship of another country. |
| Iran | Automatic; Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen; Person is the husband of a female citizen. [IN WHAT WAY DOES HUSBAND HAVE FACILITATED ACCESS TO NATURALISATION?] |
| Iraq | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen (5 years residence) or the husband of a female citizen (5 years residence and other conditions under A06). |
| Ireland | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse or civil partner of a citizen for 3 years and was resident in Ireland with the spouse for 3 out of the last 5 years (including the year preceding the application). Other conditions: see A06. Minister is explicitly allowed to waive certain requirements. |
| Israel | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen or of someone who has applied for citizenship and who meets or is exempt from the requirements listed under mode A06. Person may obtain Israeli citizenship even if s/he her/himself does not meet the requirements under mode A06. |
| Italy | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years. If person has been resident in Italy for 2 years, 3 years of marriage is not required. Other conditions: no serious crimes and no threat to security of Italy. |
| Jamaica | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: oath of loyalty (exception for Commonwealth citizens and citizens of Ireland). Registration may be denied if the marriage is one of convenience to acquire citizenship, if the spouses lack intention to have a common household after marriage, or in case of conviction for certain criminal offences. |
| Japan | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been domiciled or resident in Japan for 3 consecutive years. Or the person has been married with a citizen for 3 years and has been domiciled in Japan for 1 consecutive year. Other conditions: see A06 (except requirements relating to age and full capacity). |
| Kazakhstan | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen and has been lawfully and permanently resident for 3 years. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Kenya | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been married to a citizen for a least 7 years. |
| Kosovo | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen, has been married for at least 3 years, and has been resident (on the basis of any type of residence) in Kosovo for 1 year. The spouse of a citizen shall not acquire citizenship if the marriage has been established against the Law on Family. |
| Kuwait | Declaration | Person is the wife of a male citizen, provided that she declares her wish to acquire citizenship and that the marriage has lasted for at least 15 years from the date of her declaration. |
| Kyrgyzstan | Registration | Person is a female foreign citizen or stateless person, is married to a citizen, has been resident for 1 year and arrived in the country with the purpose of having permanent residence. Other conditions conditions: see A06 (except language requirement). |
| Laos | n.a. | n.a. |
| Latvia | n.a. | n.a. |
| Lebanon | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen and she has lived in the country for 5 years. |
| Lesotho | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is a woman who marries a citizen. |
| Liberia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is a woman of Negro descent who is married to a citizen. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Libya | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person who is a female spouse of a male national can acquire facilitated naturalisation after 2 years of marriage. |
| Liechtenstein | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been the spouse or registered partner for 5 years, or resided in Liechtenstein for 10 years before entering the marriage or registered partnership. Other condition: renunciation of citizenship of another country. |
| Lithuania | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has legally resided in Lithuania for the last 7 years. Other conditions: see A06 (except legal source of support). |
| Luxembourg | n.a. | n.a. |
| Macedonia | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for at least 3 years and has been resident in Macedonia for at least 1 year. Other conditions: see A06 (except language proficiency and renunciation requirement). Or person has been the spouse of a citizen for at least 8 years, permanently resides abroad, and has a genuine bond with Macedonia. Other conditions: see A06 (except language proficiency and renunciation requirement). |
| Madagascar | Declaration | Person is a woman married to a citizen and declares the desire to acquire citizenship, or the woman automatically loses her original citizenship or she is stateless. Government may oppose acquisition within 2 years on grounds that the woman is undeserving or of serious mental or physical incapacity. |
| Malawi | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a citizen and has been ordinarily resident for 5 years. Other conditions: knowledge of a vernacular language or English, good character, suitable citizen, and renounce other citizenship. |
| Malaysia | Registration (discretionary) | Person is the female spouse of a male citizen and has been resident in Malaysia (holding Malaysian permanent resident status) for 2 years immediately preceding the application and intends to do so permanently. Other conditions: good character and oath of allegiance. |
| Mali | Automatic | Person is married to a citizen unless s/he declines citizenship. Government may oppose within 1 year of marriage. |
| Malta | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been married to a citizen for five years and is still married and living with the spouse at the time of the application (or, if separated, with common household for 5 years). No residence requirement if spouse of person acquires citizenship due to exceptional service (mode A24). |
| Mauritania | Automatic or naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the female spouse of a male citizen (automatic at marriage) or the male spouse of a female citizen follows (conditions under A06 apply except for residence requirement). |
| Mauritius | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen. Other conditions: has been living with spouse in Mauritius for at least 4 years, and it is not in the interests of national security or public policy not to grant citizenship. |
| Mexico | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been resident in Mexico, with common household, for 2 years immediately prior to the application and with no more than 6 months of total absence due to residence abroad. Residence requirement is waived if citizen works abroad in public service of Mexico. |
| Moldova | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years. Other conditions: see mode A06. |
| Mongolia | n.a. | n.a. |
| Montenegro | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years and has been resident in Montenegro for 5 years. Other conditions: see A06 (except loss/renunciation of citizenship of another country and language competence). |
| Morocco | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a citizen, with regular and continuous residence in Morocco for at least 5 years. Other conditions under A06 do not apply. |
| Mozambique | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been married to a citizen for at least 5 years. |
| Myanmar | n.a. | Person can become a ‘naturalised’ citizen if s/he is the only and lawful spouse of a citizen and has been continuously resident in Myanmar for 3 years. Other conditions: good character and sound mind. |
| Namibia | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been married to a citizen for at least 10 years. |
| Nepal | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the wife of a male citizen. Other conditions: proof of marriage relationship and renunciation of citizenship of another country. |
| Netherlands | Naturalisation (entitlement); Declaration Naturalisation (entitlement); Declaration Naturalisation (entitlement); Declaration Naturalisation (entitlement); Declaration | Person has been the spouse of a citizen, with common household, for 3 years. Person must have been resident in the Netherlands for 3 years in case of sustained relationship other than marriage or registered partnership. Other conditions: see A06; Person has been resident in the Netherlands for 15 years (only for marriage and registered partnership).Person has been the spouse of a citizen, with common household, for 3 years. Person must have been resident in the Netherlands for 3 years in case of sustained relationship other than marriage or registered partnership. Other conditions: see A06; Person has been resident in the Netherlands for 15 years (only for marriage and registered partnership).Person has been the spouse of a citizen, with common household, for 3 years. Person must have been resident in the Netherlands for 3 years in case of sustained relationship other than marriage or registered partnership. Other conditions: see A06; Person has been resident in the Netherlands for 15 years (only for marriage and registered partnership).Person has been the spouse of a citizen, with common household, for 3 years. Person must have been resident in the Netherlands for 3 years in case of sustained relationship other than marriage or registered partnership. Other conditions: see A06; Person has been resident in the Netherlands for 15 years (only for marriage and registered partnership). |
| New Zealand | n.a. | n.a. |
| Nicaragua | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been permanently resident in Nicaragua for 2 years as the spouse of a citizen. |
| Niger | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is married to a citizen. Other conditions: 3 years residence in Niger after marriage, good character, not involved in banditry or trafficking in drugs or other illegal activity, sufficient means, integrated into Niger society. |
| Nigeria | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is a woman married to a citizen. Other conditions: good character, intention to be domiciled in Nigeria. Must renounce another citizenship that is not a citizenship from birth. |
| North Korea | n.a. | n.a. |
| Norway | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen, with common household, and has resided in Norway at least 3 out of the last 10 years with residence or work permits of at least 1 year. |
| Oman | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen and the couple have resided in the country for at least 15 years. If person is the husband of a female citizen, the couple must have lived in the country for 15 years and have a male child. |
| Pakistan | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the wife of a citizen. Other conditions: oath of loyalty and possession of a certificate of domicile. |
| Panama | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been resident in Panama for 3 years uninterrupted. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Paraguay | n.a. | n.a. |
| Peru | Declaration | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been resident in Peru, with common household, for 2 years. Other conditions: clean criminal record, good behaviour and morals, no contagious disease, and sound mind. |
| Philippines | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the male spouse of a female citizen and has been continuously resident in the Philippines for 5 years. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Poland | n.a. | n.a. |
| Portugal | Declaration | Person has been the spouse or unmarried partner (recognised by a court of law) of a citizen for more than 3 years. No effective connection to community requirement. Other conditions: no effective link with another country, no conviction for committing a crime that carries a prison sentence of 3 years or more, and no public function or non-obligatory service for a foreign state. |
| Qatar | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Female spouse of a male citizen can apply for naturalisation after 5 years of marriage. |
| Romania | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has resided in Romania, in common household, with the spouse for at least 5 years. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Russia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been married to a citizen for 3 years and lives in Russia. Other conditions: see A06 (except residency requirement). |
| Rwanda | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person has been married to a Rwandan citizen for at least 3 years. |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: no danger to public defence, safety or order, no sentence to death or a prison sentence of at least 12 months, good character, not declared bankrupt, sufficient means for self-support, and oath of loyalty. |
| Saint Lucia | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: no danger to public defence, safety or order, adequate knowledge of English, no sentence for a criminal offence that carries a prison sentence of at least 6 months or for a drugs-related offence, good character, residence in the country, and oath of loyalty (with exceptions). |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Registration (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Registration can be denied in the interests of defence, public safety or public order, if the person was sentenced for a criminal offence to death or to a prison sentence of at least 12 months during the 7-year period preceding the application, is not of good character, is a danger to public security, has been declared bankrupt, or has insufficient means for self-support. Other condition: oath of loyalty (only if person has reached the age of 21, and only for British protected persons and persons who are not Commonwealth citizens or citizens of Ireland). |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is married to a citizen. Other conditions: domiciled in STP, renounce other citizenship (renunciation may be dispensed with on reciprocal basis with other states). |
| Saudi Arabia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen. Other conditions: renunciation of citizenship of another country. |
| Senegal | Declaration | Person has been married to a citizen for at least 5 years. Government may oppose within 1 year. |
| Serbia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years, has permanent residence in Serbia, and submits a written statement of loyalty. |
| Seychelles | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been married to a citizen for at least 10 years and resident in Seychelles for at least 5 years. Other conditions: pass language test, not sentenced to imprisonment for more than 1 year. |
| Sierra Leone | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is a woman married to a citizen. |
| Singapore | Registration (discretionary) | Person is the female spouse of a male citizen, and has been continuously resident in Singapore for 2 years immediately prior to the application. Other conditions: good character, intent to reside permanently in Singapore, renunciation of citizenship of another country, and oath of allegiance. |
| Slovakia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen, with common household in Slovakia, for 5 years. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Slovenia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for at least 3 years and has continuously resided in Slovenia for at least 1 year before the application. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Somalia | Automatic | Person is a woman married to a Somali citizen. |
| South Africa | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a South African citizen, is a permanent resident and has been married and ordinarily resident in South Africa for ‘a prescribed period’. |
| South Korea | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been domiciled in South Korea for 2 consecutive years while being married. Or the person has been married with a citizen for 3 years and has been domiciled in South Korea for 1 consecutive year. Other conditions: see A06 (except renunciation requirement). |
| South Sudan | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been living in South Sudan with the spouse for at least 5 years. |
| Spain | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been married and resident in Spain for 1 year immediately prior to the application. Other conditions: see mode A06 (except renunciation requirement). |
| Sri Lanka | Registration (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen by descent or registration, of sound mind, and and has been resident in Sri Lanka throughout a period of 1 year immediately preceding the date of the application. Other conditions: intent to continue to ordinarily reside in Sri Lanka, renunciation of citizenship of another country, and oath of allegiance. Minister may refuse the application for reasons of public interest. |
| Sudan | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is a woman married to a citizen and has been resident in Sudan with her husband for at least 2 years. |
| Suriname | Declaration | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years, and both have been resident at the same address in Suriname for 2 years, or person was and is still resident in Suriname for at least five years, or children have been born from the relationship. Spouse must be a citizen at the time of celebration of marriage as well as the time of declaration. |
| Swaziland | Declaration | Person is a woman married to a citizen. |
| Sweden | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of, or living in conditions resembling marriage with, a citizen for 2 years (or 3 years of residence in Sweden in case of registered partnerships or cohabitation). 10 years of marriage is required if the person lives abroad. |
| Switzerland | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been in a marriage or civil union with a citizen for 3 years (with residence and common household also for 3 years). If the person married to a citizen is resident abroad, only after 6 years of marriage and ‘strong ties to Switzerland’. Other conditions: see mode A06. |
| Syria | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen. |
| Taiwan | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is domiciled in Taiwan, has been resident for 3 continuous years of which at least 183 days annually, and is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: see A06. |
| Tajikistan | n.a. | n.a. |
| Tanzania | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is the wife of a citizen. Other conditions: renounce other citizenship. |
| Thailand | Naturalisation (discretionary); Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen; Person is the husband of a female citizen. Other conditions: see A06 (except requirements relating to residence and language). |
| Togo | Automatic; Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is a woman who marries a citizen (unless she declines citizenship); Person is a child who marries a Togolese citizen |
| Trinidad and Tobago | n.a. | n.a. |
| Turkey | Automatic | Person has been the spouse of a citizen and resident in Turkey for 3 years, lives in family unity and avoids acts incompatible with marriage unity. Other condition: does not pose a threat to national security. |
| Turkmenistan | n.a. | n.a. |
| Uganda | Naturalisation (entitlement) | Person is a foreigner married to a citizen for at least 5 years. |
| Ukraine | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been married to a citizen for 2 years. Other conditions: see A06 (except residency requirement). |
| United Arab Emirates | Declaration (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen and the couple have been married for at least 3 years. |
| United Kingdom | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse or civil partner of a citizen and has been resident in the UK for 3 years. Other conditions: see A06. |
| United States of America | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen and resident in the United States for 3 years with common household. (Residence requirement can be waived under certain circumstances.) Other conditions: see A06. |
| Uruguay | n.a. | n.a. |
| Uzbekistan | n.a. | n.a. |
| Venezuela | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been the spouse of a citizen for at least 5 years. |
| Vietnam | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the spouse of a citizen. Other conditions: see A06 (but requirements relating to language, residence and ability to make a livelihood do not have to be fully met). |
| Yemen | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is the wife of a male citizen and has been married for 4 years. Other naturalisation requirements do not apply. |
| Zambia | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person is or was married to a citizen for a period of at least 5 years. Other conditions: applicant has not been declared a prohibited immigrant nor convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment, and the marriage was not entered into for the purpose of acquiring a status or privilege in relation to immigration or citizenship. |
| Zimbabwe | Naturalisation (discretionary) | Person has been married to a citizen for at least 5 years. |
Source: GlobalCIT Database
