Citizenship describes legal bond between a person and a state, that comes with important rights and privileges. Citizenship gives a new national identity and belonging. The most important rights that comes with citizenship are equality, freedom, and right to vote.
The terms ‘citizenship’ and ‘nationality’ are often used interchangeably to denote the legal bond between an individual and a state. While ‘nationality” is the preferred legal term, ‘citizenship’ is used more broadly to describe the rights, duties, and practices linked to this formal status. In certain contexts, the term ‘nationality’ also denotes belonging to a national or ethnic community.
Migration as a result of globalization has changed the world and citizenship laws are constantly evolving. Citizenship bas come one of the most legal status, and millions of people are waiting to become a citizen at great costs.
Today we will see the easiest ways to acquire citizenship for free.
- Citizenship by Blood – This is one of the easiest and common way to get get citizenship. Find out if your ancestry through your parents or grandparents. Citizenship can be transmitted through blood relation.
- Citizenship by Birth – Ever heard about birth tourism? Just go to US/Canada, give birth to a baby, citizenship is automatic.
- Citizenship by Marriage – Marrying is also fastest ways to become a citizen. In most cases you have to spend reduced time usually 1-3 years to acquire spouse citizenship. Eg. Spain requires only one year
- Citizenship by Naturalization – Naturalizing is a slow process. In most countries you have to spend atleast 5 years and fully integrate to become a citizen. Some countries have high naturalization fees
- Citizenship by exceptional achievements – This type of citizenship granted to exceptional talented people in science, sports, arts, etc.
- Citizenship by Military service – Serving in Armed forces or in military is the quickest way to become a citizen in many countries. Keep in mind some countries require compulsory military service for citizens.
- Citizenship by investment – This type of paid citizenship is only acquired for passport. Usually takes 3 months, and prices start from $100,000 if you can afford. The Right to vote is restricted by some countries.
Easiest Citizenships
1. Spain
Spain gives citizenship to spouses after just one year of marriage and living in the country. It is one of the easiest ways to acquire spanish citizenship.
2. Canada
Canada reduced the naturalizing time to become a Canadian citizen after just 3 years of living. The process is faster if you are speaking french or francophone.
Canada is super attractive for many migrants, with best healthcare, education and great country to do business. The trend in wealthy families immigrating to Canada always high. Birth tourism is also popular in Canada.
Canada is a safe country, with some of the best universities in the world for education. Toronto and Ontario rated as the best international cities to live, work and do business in Canada.
3. Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean, also a largest economy. The year-round golf courses are major attraction with over 2.7 million americans visiting San Domingo every year. Many visit for natural beauty and others chose to stay permanently.
Dominican republic should not be confused with Commonwealth of Dominica.
The country is offers fastest citizenship after just 2 years of living in the country through naturalization. Foreigners must apply for residence permit first and reside there legally. It is also possible to buy a property for $200,000 and ask for residence permit.
Dominican Republic does not have a citizenship by investment program
4. Argentina
Argentina is also one of the south american country that grants easiest citizenship to foreigners after they have resided uninterruptedly only two years. Very few countries in the world offer citizenship in just two years. You can get residency in Argentina by just showing income of $1000 per month or just $20,000 in your bank account. Remember, the whole process may take upto 1.5 years.
There is a judicial process that is carried out exclusively before the Argentine federal courts. And it grants you the Charter of Argentine Citizenship.
Argentina does not restrict dual nationality. The Argentine passport is also a very good passport with visa free access to 170 countries, as of 2019.
5. Israel
Israel’s Law of Return, which gives every Jewish person the “right to aliyah,” or the right to immigrate to Israel through religion.
It is possible to naturalize for Israel citizenship by living three out of five years, and renouncing previous nationality.
Spain and Portugal are giving citizenship to shepardi jews of origin. Sephardi Jews were considered to be the descendants of Spanish Jews who were expelled or fled from the country five centuries ago following the expulsion of theJews from Spain in 1492.
6. Peru
Peru is another latin american country, where citizenship is easiest and fastest after just 2 years of living. The two year rule applies to anyone regardless of how they became Peruvian residents (investor, professional, religious, etc).
Peruvian residency is granted immediate to investors, retirees if they prove income or assets of atleast $25,000 in their bank account or permanent income of $1000 per month
Citizenship by marriage also two years
Peruvian passport is really a good passport with visa free access to 132 countries as of 2019. Peruvians can visit EU schengen area, Russia, South Africa etc.
7. Paraguay
Paraguay is a little known gem in South America. grants citizenship to foreigners after just 3 years of permanent residency. You can get immediate permanent residency in Paraguay by just depositing $10,000 in a zero interest bank account. Buying a real estate or agricultural land also qualifies for permanent residency immediate.
Dual citizenship is tolerated.
The Paraguayan passport is a really a very good passport and dont underestimate it. This passport has visa free access to Russia, EU schengen area, United Kingdom, Ireland etc, to a total of 133 countries. This passport value is tied to Grenada passport in the Caribbean where citizenship by investment scheme is running.
8. Bolivia
Bolivia is also one of the very few countries in the world, grants you citizenship, if you marry and have lived there for just 2 years. Foreigners who have been a legal resident in Bolivia can naturalize for citizenship after just 3 years
9. Ecuador
Ecuador grants you citizenship, if you are legal resident or married for three years. It is easy to get residency in Ecuador if you buy real estate, deposit in bank $30,000 . Dual citizenship is tolerated in Ecuador.
The Ecuador passport is not as powerful as other south american passports, but it has visa waiver with China, Russia but no access to EU/UK.
10. Honduras
Honduras like any other south american country, only requires three years of legal residence to become a citizen under ordinary naturalization conditions. This time is reduced to just one year for economic investors, central americans by birth and is one of the easiest citizenships to obtain.
Spanish americans can become Hondurans after living two years. Dual citizenship is not restricted.
The Honduran passport is a also a very good passport with visa free arrangement to Russia, EU schengen, UK, Ireland,Turkey etc.
Hardest Citizenships
1. Vatican
The Vatican state is the smallest country in the world. Only 450 out of 800 people have vatican nationality in the world.
The Vatican citizenship is impossible for ordinary people unless you are a cardinal or somebody employed in Vatican. Other forms of citizenship such as birth, descent do not exist.
The Vatican City State law on citizenship, residence and access, which was promulgated on 22 February 2011, classifies citizens in three categories:
- Cardinals resident in Vatican City or in Rome;
- Diplomats of the Holy See;
- Persons residing in Vatican City because of their office or service.
Unlike most countries, Vatican citizenship only lasts as long as you meet those requirements. The retired Swiss Guard and cardinals transferred out of Rome don’t maintain their citizenship.
The Vatican passport issued by the Holy See or Vatican City State. The Vatican City state can issue normal passports for its citizens, while Holy See issues personal,diplomatic and service passports.
2. North Korea
North Korean (DPRK) citizenship awarded to foreigners is the rarest, and most difficult citizenships in the world. Most North Koreans’ first do not have passports, as most of them do not travel outside the country.
DPRK Citizenship can be passed by blood or by descent. North Korea adopted a nationality law in 1963: 15 years after being founded on September 9, 1948.
Naturalization laws are not known, but to become a North Korean is to write a formal application to the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly. Even after becoming citizens, the law requires permission to enter and exit the country (visa)
The North korean passport is also very difficult and most expensive to obtain for its citizens, costing approx $5000 after passing through strict bureaucracy.
DPRK passport although first introduced in 1950’s, rarely issued. North Korean citizens is recognized in 39 countries and has visa-free or visa on arrival access to 39 countries and territories. North Korean (DPRK) passport holders can visit Dominica, St Vincent, Kyrgyzstan, Guyana without visas.
3. Palau
Palau citizenship to foreigners is extremely rare, as the country provides no opportunity to become a citizen by residence or naturalization. It is possible to become palauan national by descent. Dual citizenship is not recognized.
Palau is a presidential republic in free association with the United States, which provides defense, funding, and access to social services with 21,000 residents.
Palauan passport has visa on arrival access to 118 countries including United States, United Kingdom, EU schengen area and Russia.
4. Equatorial Guinea
This African country’s citizenship is most difficult to obtain. It takes 40 years of living in this country to become a citizen. Equatorial Guinea is the third-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The 1990 law increased the period of residence necessary for naturalization to 40 years. Dual nationality remains prohibited, except in case of a bilateral treaty permitting it.
5. Andorra
Andorra is a tiny, independent principality situated between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains. It’s known for its ski resorts and a tax-haven status that encourages duty-free shopping.
Andorran citizenship is quite hard for foreigners because one must live for atleast 20 years to become a citizen. This time is reduced to 10 years for those who study or do education in Andorra.
Any Andorran may live in France without requesting a visa. Andorra is not in EU and also does not participate in Schengen area. Since there are no airports, the country is only accessible to foreigners via the Schengen countries of Spain or France, entrance is not possible without entering the Schengen area first
Dual nationality is also strictly forbidden by Andorran law.
6. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia rarely grants citizenship unless you are a muslim. The country very rarely grants citizenship to foreigners. But it is possible to become citizen, if you have lived a long time after 15-20 years, renounced previous nationality and converted to islam.
Children born to foreigners do not have the right to citizenship, but may be given nationality if they have a Saudi father.
Saudi Arabia recently launched Gold card permanent residence scheme to foreigners, in a bid to open up the country to foreign investment. Nearby Kingdoms Qatar and Bahrain require 25 years of legal residence to become a citizen.
7. China
Foreigners naturalizing in the country with 1.4bn population is very rare. It is also one of the most difficult citizenship to obtain in the world. Majority of foreigners remain with permanent resident status without acquiring citizenship. This is because you either has to be a relative of chinese citizen or live as permanent resident for a long time.
Dual citizenship further prohibited for chinese citizens. However, acquiring citizenship in via Hong Kong is one way to get Chinese nationality.
8. San Marino
San Marino is the smallest country in the world, nestled within Italy with just a population of 33,000 residents.
Sammarinese citizenship is totally unheard of and quite rare.
Citizenship is possible for foreigners who legally reside in in the territory of San Marino for a 30 years for citizenship. It is difficult, takes a lot of time
Citizenship through marriage has a reduced time of 15 years.
9. United Arab Emirates
UAE is one of the wealthiest countries the world and the country has recently attracted significant foreign direct investment. 80% of the population foreigners and only 20% local emirati population
UAE citizenship possible to any person with Arabic proficiency who has settled in the United Arab Emirates legally for 30 years and has maintained a good reputation, fluency in Arabic and has not been convicted of crimes.
Emirati nationality law governs the citizenship based Federal Law No.17 of 1972 concerning nationality and passports. It is primarily citizenship transmitted through blood.
Citizenship by marriage to emiratis possible, if marriage lasts for at least 7 years with the condition of having at least one child, or 10 years in the absence of children. Right to vote is limited to citizens by descent . The Granting of Emirati Nationality is also possible by presidential decree to exceptional persons.
10. Bhutan
The Kingdom of Bhutan citizenship is difficult and quite hard. Bhutanese citizenship is only possible if both parents are Bhutanese nationals. Foreigners must live in Bhutan for atleast 15 years to naturalize as a citizen. Additional conditions include sound mind, no criminal record, knowledge of Dzongkha language proficiently.
The small Buddhist nation of Bhutan, tucked between China and India
Dual citizenship is prohibited, and Bhutanese citizens who acquire foreign citizenship cease to be citizens of Bhutan.
It is important to note that, the government may deprive naturalized Bhutanese citizens of their citizenship at any time if it finds that person has shown by act or speech to be disloyal in any manner whatsoever to the King, country or people of Bhutan
11. Switzerland
Switzerland is one of the most popular countries in the world, when it comes to citizenship. In recent years, the acquisition of swiss citizenship has become hard since tightening of rules.
In general it takes 10 years of legal residence in Switzerland and also a permanent resident to become a swiss national. Integration to swiss culture, language and tradition is crucial as the applications are evaluated in three levels (Federal, cantonal and municipal)
Swss citizenship under simplified or facilitated possible if you have been married to a Swiss citizen for three years and lived in Switzerland for a total of five years
No restrictions on multiple citizenships in Switzerland. The Swiss passport, one of the widely respected, powerful passport in the world. The passport is issued in Red color, contains 4 languages.
