How to Be Eligible for Dual Citizenship

Dual citizenship offers many advantages to persons living or working in a country that is not their place of birth. The requirements for claiming citizenship differ from country to country but generally fall into some basic categories. Claiming dual citizenship requires that the applicant meet certain residency, marriage or birth requirements.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Determine if you are eligible for dual citizenship based on where you were born. Some countries, like the United States, automatically confer citizenship on anyone born in the country, regardless of the parents' citizenship status. Others require that one or both of your parents have that country's citizenship prior to your birth.
2. Research the laws of the country your ancestors immigrated from. For example, Lithuania will grant citizenship to anyone who can prove that his or her great grandparents were Lithuanian citizens prior to 1940. Italy will grant citizenship to anyone who can prove Italian descent through the paternal line, regardless of the number of generations your family has lived abroad.
3. Make a substantial investment of money in your new country. You can do this by either bringing along a lot of cash or employing several of the locals. Each country that offers this avenue to citizenship has a different definition of "substantial", so be sure to check with a local immigration attorney to determine if you have made enough of an investment.
4. Bring some type of notoriety to the country where you are seeking dual citizenship. This means you have contributed something outstanding to the world in the arts, sciences or sporting events while residing in the country. This is one of the most difficult ways to get citizenship, and not every nation will offer this.
5. Claim another country's citizenship based on your parents' status. You may qualify for another country's citizenship based on the fact that your mother or father was a citizen of that nation at the time of your birth. Some countries will recognize this claim even if your parents later renounced their citizenship, especially if you were a minor at the time.

Tips & Warnings

• The U.S. government, contrary to common belief, does recognize dual citizenship. It discourages it, however, because of problems that can arise overseas when a dual citizen travels or conducts business.
• Dual citizenship has caused some serious problems for people traveling abroad. Some countries will use your actual or potential claim for citizenship to justify drafting you into their military service or detaining you for taxation purposes. Your rights to seek assistance from the American or Canadian consulates may be severely complicated by your citizenship status.