Everyone is a citizen of at least one country, except for persons who are not bound by citizenship in any country. Citizenship can be obtained directly from birth because the country of birth grants citizenship to everyone born in that country, or obtained through parents if the parent country grants citizenship to the child of its citizens, regardless of where the child was born. However, there are various ways to obtain citizenship later through naturalization. The naturalization process usually requires you to fill out an application, for example related to years of residence, marriage to a citizen, or investment. If you are already a citizen of one country, you can become a citizen of a second country, so you have dual citizenship.
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Method 1 of 5: Obtaining Dual Citizenship by Place of Birth
Step 1. Find out if your country of birth provides dual citizenship
You may have been born in a country that gave you citizenship, but never used it. The country may apply the ius soli non-conditional principle, which means that you automatically have the right to become a citizen of that country if you were born there, even if you did not exercise that right. For example, if you are a British citizen born in the US, you can acquire US citizenship through the non-conditional ius soli principle.
- Know the immigration laws in your country of birth. Most countries today no longer grant citizenship just by birth, so you should be aware of the laws of the country where you were born.
- A study published in 2010 by the Center of Immigration Studies found that at the time the study was published, only 30 of the 194 countries in the world were implementing the ius soli non-conditional principle. Of the 30 countries, only the US and Canada are developed countries that still adhere to the ius soli non-conditional principle, and grant citizenship rights to most children born there, including children of illegal immigrants.
- However, children of foreign diplomats or foreign heads of state born in the US cannot obtain citizenship through the ius soli principle.
Step 2. Find out how you can claim citizenship rights through the ius soli principle
You may find that the country of your birth, whose citizenship rights you have not exercised, grants you citizenship rights through the ius soli principle. If your country of birth gives you citizenship rights, know how to claim them.
- One of the easiest ways to obtain citizenship rights is to apply for a passport. You can apply for a passport through the embassy or consulate of the country of birth in your current country. You may be asked to bring the original proof of birth, or a certified copy thereof, to the consulate or embassy as proof that you were born there.
- For example, to apply for a Canadian passport, you can bring a birth certificate from your province/territory of birth as proof of Canadian citizenship, because Canada applies the non-conditional ius soli principle.
Step 3. Find out the dual citizenship rules in your current country as well as in your country of birth by doing some research
Consider whether taking citizenship rights in your country of birth means losing your citizenship in your current country of residence. This step is very important, because not all countries that apply the ius soli non-conditional principle allow their citizens to hold dual citizenship.
- For example, Pakistan applies a non-conditional ius soli with a few minor exceptions, but only allows dual citizenship with some countries.
- Examples of countries that apply the ius soli non-conditional principle and allow dual citizenship are the United States and Canada.
Method 2 of 5: Obtaining Dual Citizenship through Parents
Step 1. Find out if your parents' nationality can give you a second citizenship
Most countries in the world grant citizenship through blood flow, otherwise known as ius sanguinis.
- Under the ius sanguinis principle, you inherit the citizenship of one or both parents at birth.
- In the ius sanguinis principle, children inherit the citizenship of their parents wherever they are born. The only citizenship a child has is a derivative citizenship, if the country where the child was born does not apply the ius soli principle.
Step 2. If the citizenship rules in your parent's country are different from those of your country of residence, be aware of the rules
You may be able to receive a second citizenship through the ius sanguinis principle. For example, if you were born in the US to British parents, and you only became an American citizen through the ius soli principle, you can apply to become a citizen of the United Kingdom before the age of 18.
Step 3. Find out the dual citizenship rules in your current country as well as in your parent's country by doing some research
You may try to become a citizen through the ius sanguinis principle, but the country requires you to give up your current citizenship. In this case, you cannot have dual citizenship.
- Both the US and UK allow dual citizenship, but there are countries based on the ius sanguinis principle that do not allow dual citizenship.
- For example, Singapore applies the ius sanguinis principle but does not allow dual citizenship.
Step 4. Find out how you can get dual citizenship through the ius sanguinis principle
For example, if you are a US citizen born to British parents, and you are under 18 years of age, your parents must register you to become a UK citizen. In this scenario, the registration form and guide to becoming a citizen of the United Kingdom are available here.
Method 3 of 5: Gaining Dual Citizenship through Investment
Step 1. Consider obtaining dual citizenship through investment
Many countries issue visas or residence permits for investors. After a few years, the visa or residence permit can entitle you to citizenship. However, this method is very expensive, because the investments you have to make amount to hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
Step 2. Know the amount of investment you have to make in your destination country
For example, in the US, you have to invest an amount of US$1 million (or US$500,000 if you invest in a poor area or an area with high unemployment) to get a conditional permanent residency permit.
Step 3. Know the length of time that must pass before you get citizenship
Gaining dual citizenship through investment can take a long time, so make sure you know how long it will take. For example, the US and Belgium grant citizenship after 5 years, while Malta (which requires an investment of 1 million euros) will grant citizenship after only 1 year.
Step 4. Find out if the country of destination requires you to live there before granting citizenship
Some countries that issue investor visas require you to reside in the country before you can become a citizen, while others do not. For example, Cyprus doesn't require you to live there to become a citizen through investment channels, but the US does require you to live there before becoming a citizen.
Step 5. Check the citizenship laws of the country you are investing in
Not all countries allow dual citizenship. You may need to give up your current citizenship to gain citizenship through investment. If the country requires you to renounce your citizenship, you cannot have dual citizenship.
Method 4 of 5: Gaining Dual Citizenship by Marriage
Step 1. Consider becoming a citizen of your partner's country
If your spouse has a different nationality from yours, find out if your spouse's country grants you citizenship rights by marriage. You usually have to apply for a residence permit (which you can get by marriage), then wait a few years before applying to become a citizen.
Step 2. Know the laws in your partner's country
If you believe that you can acquire a second citizenship through your spouse, be aware of the citizenship laws of the partner's country.
- Citizenship laws, the process of registering as a citizen, and the time it takes to register will vary by country.
- For example, if you marry a citizen of the United Kingdom, you must meet several conditions before you can apply to become a citizen of the United Kingdom by marriage. You must be over 18 years of age, be in good health, have no criminal record, pass an English language test and be proven to be able to survive in the UK, and meet the citizenship requirements.
Step 3. Know the risks of a fake marriage
Getting married just to be a citizen of your spouse's country is a scam, and a criminal offense in many countries. Do not try to get married just for the sake of dual citizenship, because the risk is quite heavy.
Step 4. Know the citizenship laws in your spouse's country as well as in your current country of residence
Not all countries allow dual citizenship, and your partner's country may be one of them. If so, you cannot have dual citizenship.
Method 5 of 5: Gaining Dual Citizenship through Other Paths
Step 1. Get a work visa
You can work in another country. Some countries allow the conversion of a work visa to a permanent residence permit, then to citizenship.
- For example, in Australia, you can apply for various work visas with different rules.
- One of the work visas in Australia is the Skilled Individual visa, which allows you to enter Australia to work under certain conditions. After living 4 years in Australia, you can get Australian citizenship.
Step 2. Obtain citizenship through a special immigration program
In many countries, the first step to becoming a citizen is to obtain a residence permit. After obtaining a residence permit, you can apply to become a citizen through the naturalization process. Naturalization requirements vary by country.
- For example, in the US, you can obtain permanent residency through the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, which selects applicants at random from countries with low migration rates to the US.
- Check if your destination country has a similar or the same route to get a residence permit.
- After obtaining a residence permit, you can apply to become a citizen after fulfilling the residency requirements, generally a few years.
Step 3. Know the citizenship laws in the country of destination as well as in your current country of residence
Not all countries allow dual citizenship, and your destination country may require you to give up your old citizenship if you were granted citizenship through a visa, lottery, etc. If so, you cannot have dual citizenship.
Tips
- For each method of obtaining citizenship, you will have to fill out various forms regarding the type of citizenship or residence permit you want. The process you have to go through and the forms you have to fill out vary depending on the country of destination. Guidance and other information regarding the process and forms are generally available on the destination country's consulate website.
- Keep in mind that your country may allow dual citizenship, but does not recommend it by law. For example, the US allows dual citizenship, but does not recommend that its citizens have dual citizenship due to problems that may arise, such as consular protection when US law conflicts with the laws of another country whose nationality you also hold. Your country of residence will generally be able to claim your wrongdoing, and can cause problems if that country doesn't have a good relationship with the US.
- Keep in mind that people with dual citizenship must follow the rules of both countries to which they hold citizenship. Each country may apply its laws to you, especially if you are traveling to that country.
