The primary grounds of acquisition of citizenship under ordinary naturalisation is a certain period of residence in the country The minimum period of residence required for ordinary naturalisation in EU countries ranges from 3 to 10 years. Important to note that only certain types of residence (permanent, continuous, etc.) may count for naturalisation purposes. Some countries require you to hold permanent residence, pass civic and language test, before naturalising application is submitted. Poland has the lowest naturalisation period (3 years) based on residence offering the fastest citizenship path among all the other EU countries.
The grounds of citizenship for third country nationals is set based on the following
– Permanent residence permit, temporary permit, refugee or stateless status
– Proof of Continuous or interrupted residence.
– Language, or integration test.
– Ordinary or discrete naturalisation.
– Good character
Here is the list of EU countries and naturalisation period.
| Member State | Naturalization | Continous Residence | Interrupted Residence | Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) | Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) |
| Austria | 10 years | 6 or 10 years (with exceptions) | 6 or 10 year | 6 or 10 year | |
| Belgium | 5 years | 5 years with max. 6 months interruption | no minimum | 5. years | |
| Bulgaria | 5 years | 5 years | x | ||
| Croatia | 8 years | 8 years | uninterrupted residence period of 8 years, which can include prior temporary residence status and residence period as beneficiaries of international protection) | Citizenship not granted on basis of temporary residence permit. Only if permanent resi- dence is granted plus uninterrupted residence period of 8 years, which can include prior temporary residence status) | |
| Cyprus | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 7 years | |
| Czechia | 5 years | 5 years | Or 7.5 years with the last 2.5 years without interruption | 5 years | |
| Denmark | 9 years | 9 years | 2 years | ||
| Estonia | 8 years | 8 years, of which at least five years on a permanent basis | (5 years) | x | |
| Finland | 5 years | 5 years | Or 7 years with the last 2 years without interruption | x | Only if afterwards continuous residence permit is granted and if the applicant has a continuous residence permit for min 1 year prior to the decision on the application. |
| France | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | |
| Germany | 8 years | 8 years | Interruptions of max. 6 months permitted. In total, duration of absence may not exceed half of the minimum period required. | (8 years); applicants who successfully attended an integration course (7 years); special integration achievements (6 years) | (8 years) Only time-limited residence permit which may also lead to permanent residence; |
| Greece | 7 years | 3, 7 or 12 years | 7 years | (7 or 12 years) | |
| Hungary | 8 years | 8 years | 8 years | ||
| Ireland | 5 years | 1 year, immediately prior to the application | 4 years during the 8 years prior to the year immediately preceding the application | 5 years | (5 years), with the exception of student permits |
| Italy | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years of temporary or permanent permit) | ||
| Latvia | 5 years | 5 years, interruptions possible, but last year prior to applica- tions needs to be continuous | 5 years | ||
| Lithuania | 10 years | 10 years, interruptions possible | (citizenship is granted only to holders of permanent residence permit plus uninterrupt- ed residence period of 10 years which can include prior temporary residence). | (citizenship is granted only to holders of permanent residence permit plus uninterrupt- ed residence period of 10 years which can include prior temporary residence). | |
| Luxembourg | 7 years | 5 years, including one year of continuous residence immedi- ately prior to the application | 5 years | 5 years | |
| Malta | 5 years | 6 years | Continuously for at least one year and for four years out of the preceding six years | 5 years | 5 years |
| Netherlands | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | |
| Poland | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | (10 years, but the condition is to obtain a permanent residence permit before submitting the application) | |
| Portugal | 6 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | |
| Romania | 8 years | 8 years | 8 years | ||
| Slovakia | 8 years | 8 years | 8 years | ||
| Slovenia | 10 years | 5 years | |||
| Spain | 10 years | 10 years | x | ||
| Sweden | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | ||
Source: European commission
