How to Get a Second Citizenship: The Four Routes Compared

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Passports in different colours beside old family photos and a boarding pass

How to get a second citizenship by birth, descent, residency or investment: real timelines, requirements, hidden obligations and which route fits you.

Key takeaways

  • There are four routes to a second citizenship, and the cheapest ones, descent and residency, are the slowest or the easiest to overlook.
  • As of October 2026, US birthright citizenship stands: the Supreme Court struck down Executive Order 14160 in Trump v. Barbara on 30 June 2026.
  • Italy tightened citizenship by descent in March 2025, and Portugal doubled its standard naturalisation period to ten years in May 2026.
  • Some passports bring lifelong duties such as US tax filing or military service, and some countries take away your original citizenship when you acquire another.
  • Citizenship by investment is fast, but the EU is putting Caribbean programmes under heavy pressure, which affects what those passports will be worth later.

Most people assume a second passport is something you buy, and that buying one starts somewhere north of a quarter of a million dollars. That picture is wrong in two ways. Investment is only one answer to the question of how to get a second citizenship, and for many internationally mobile people it isn't the most sensible one. And a fair number of readers already have a claim they've never checked, sitting in a grandparent's birth certificate in a drawer somewhere.

This article compares the four routes: birth, descent, naturalisation through residency, and investment. For each one you'll see how it works, who it realistically suits, how long it takes, what's required and where it tends to go wrong. We also look at the obligations attached to some passports, because the real cost of a second citizenship often shows up years after you've received it. It's the first part of a four-part series.

How to get a second citizenship: what are your options?

There are four ways to acquire a second citizenship: being born in a country that grants citizenship to children born on its soil, descent from a citizen parent or grandparent, naturalisation after years of legal residence, and a qualifying investment in a country that runs a citizenship by investment programme. Lawyers call the first two jus soli ("right of the soil") and jus sanguinis ("right of blood").

The routes differ less in paperwork than in what they ask of you. Birth and descent depend on facts that are already settled by the time you think about them, so the work lies in proving them. Naturalisation costs time, usually five to ten years of genuinely living somewhere. Investment costs money and buys speed. In practice, the resource you have more of, time or capital, usually decides the route before anything else does.

Why is relying on a single citizenship a risk?

Because your ability to travel, bank, live abroad and plan for your children then depends on decisions made by one government, and on how the rest of the world treats that government's passport.

Travel is the most visible part. An Indian founder running a company from Dubai typically needs a visa for a trade fair in Frankfurt or a board meeting in London. Each trip means consulate appointments and weeks of waiting, and a refusal stays on the record for the next application. Over a career, that friction costs real deals, which is why mobility is one of the most common reasons people look for a second citizenship.

Banking is where single-nationality risk bites hardest, and it rarely comes with warning. Russian business owners in the UAE have reported payment problems since 2023, and in February 2024 the Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported that several major UAE banks had begun closing accounts held by Russian nationals and restricting payments with Russia, out of concern about US secondary sanctions. Most of the people affected aren't sanctioned themselves; their passport simply put them in a risk category. A second nationality can make a real difference where a bank's appetite is set by nationality, for example when an active trading company needs a corporate account. It doesn't make anyone invisible, though. Banks ask for every nationality you hold, and sanctions screening applies to the person, not to the document in their hand.

Political change is slower and more personal. Many German entrepreneurs living abroad want an alternative ready in case the direction at home moves somewhere they can't accept. Since 27 June 2024 Germany has allowed its citizens to acquire another citizenship without losing their German one, so building that option no longer means giving anything up today. Whether to keep German citizenship in the long run becomes a separate decision they can take later, with a second passport already in hand.

Then there's family. A citizenship you acquire can often pass to your children, which widens their choices for study and work long after your own plans are settled.

None of this means your current passport is about to fail you. It means the time to build an alternative is while you don't need it, because the routes that cost the least take the longest.

How does citizenship by birth work, and does it still apply in the US?

Citizenship by birth means a country grants nationality to almost anyone born on its territory, and as of October 2026 the United States still does: on 30 June 2026 the Supreme Court held in Trump v. Barbara that Executive Order 14160, which sought to deny citizenship to some US-born children of non-citizen parents, violates the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The order, signed in January 2025, never took effect because federal courts blocked it. Because the ruling rests on the Constitution rather than on an ordinary statute, overturning it would take a constitutional amendment rather than a fresh executive order. That has not stopped the attempts. A further order in August 2026 tried to exclude narrower categories of children, and a federal court blocked it the following month on the strength of the Supreme Court decision. That litigation is still running, so the final outcome is pending, even though birthright citizenship stands as things are today.

Unconditional birthright citizenship is mostly a feature of the Americas, with the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina among the best-known examples. Most of Europe and Asia doesn't grant it, and neither does the UAE: a child born in Dubai to expatriate parents takes the parents' nationality, regardless of how long the family has lived there.

Birth tourism and why a child's passport rarely helps the parents

Birth tourism describes travelling to a birthright country for the purpose of giving birth there so that the child acquires its citizenship. The child's citizenship is valid, but the US has made the travel harder. Under a State Department rule from January 2020, consular officers treat travel primarily to obtain US citizenship for a child as an impermissible reason for a visitor visa, and misrepresenting the purpose of a trip can lead to a lasting visa ban.

The bigger misunderstanding concerns the parents. A US citizen must be at least 21 before they can petition for a parent's green card, so the parents gain no right to live in the US for two decades. What the child does gain from day one is US tax citizenship, which follows them wherever they live (more on that below).

Typical timeframe: at birth, plus a few months for documents. Main requirement: birth on the territory. Main limitations: fixed timing, no rights for the parents, and lifelong obligations for the child in some countries. It realistically suits families who are already living in, or moving to, a birthright country anyway.

Could you already qualify for citizenship by descent?

Quite possibly. Many countries pass citizenship to children born abroad, and some extend it to grandchildren or further back, so a claim can exist for decades before anyone in the family notices it.

Ireland is the classic example. If one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, you can apply for entry in the Foreign Births Register, and once registered you're an Irish citizen, which also makes you an EU citizen with the right to live and work across the Union. Timing matters for the next generation, because you count as an Irish citizen only from the date of registration, so a child born before you register has no claim of their own. Germany has also reopened lines that older laws closed, including for descendants of people stripped of their citizenship under the Nazi regime.

Citizenship by descent eligibility: what changed in Italy in 2025

Italy used to be the most generous country in Europe here, with no generational limit at all. That ended with Decree-Law 36 of 28 March 2025, converted into Law 74 of 23 May 2025. Since 29 March 2025, when the decree came into force, people born abroad who hold another citizenship generally qualify only if a parent or grandparent held exclusively Italian citizenship, or if an Italian parent lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years before the applicant's birth. Only applicants whose documented application had already been submitted by 11:59 pm Rome time on 27 March 2025 are covered by the old rules, and a booked appointment on its own was not enough. In other words, the door closed overnight, the day before the decree was even dated. The new rules were challenged on constitutional grounds, which left thousands of claims in limbo for a year. In March 2026 Italy's Constitutional Court rejected those challenges, so the restriction now stands, which is worth knowing if anyone has told you the courts might still save your case.

The practical work in a descent claim is the document chain: birth and marriage certificates for every generation between you and the ancestor, often with apostilles and certified translations. A single break, such as an ancestor naturalising elsewhere before the next generation was born, can end the claim. Expect anything from several months to a few years, driven mostly by how quickly you can assemble records across countries and by consular backlogs.

It suits anyone with a parent or grandparent from a country that passes citizenship by descent. The main risk is that rules change with little notice, as Italy showed, so a claim you postpone may not exist when you get round to it.

How long does naturalisation through residency take?

In most countries, between five and ten years of lawful residence, usually with language and integration requirements, and the clock typically starts when your residence permit is issued rather than when you arrive.

Country Standard residence period (as of October 2026) Points to know
Germany 5 years Three-year fast track abolished in October 2025; dual citizenship allowed since June 2024
Portugal 10 years (7 for EU and Portuguese-speaking countries) New law in force since 19 May 2026; time counts from the first residence permit
United States 5 years as a permanent resident (3 if married to a US citizen) Physical presence and continuous residence tests
Canada 1,095 days of physical presence within 5 years Days are counted precisely
UAE Not available through residence Citizenship is granted only by nomination, under amendments introduced in 2021

Naturalisation is the cheapest route in fees and the most expensive in life commitment. You have to actually live in the country, which usually makes you tax resident there, and absences beyond the permitted limits can reset the count. For a Dubai-based entrepreneur this is the uncomfortable part: the UAE doesn't offer naturalisation through residence, and you can't run up years towards a European passport while your life stays in Dubai.

Portugal shows the second risk. Many people who moved there planned around a five-year path; since May 2026 most non-EU nationals need ten years, with no grandfathering for those who hadn't yet applied. Treat any published residence period as the minimum, never as the plan.

It suits people who are willing to relocate properly and settle, and it produces some of the strongest passports available. It doesn't suit anyone who wants to stay where they are.

What is citizenship by investment, and how is it different?

Citizenship by investment (CBI) means a country grants citizenship in exchange for a qualifying contribution or investment, usually within months and with little or no residence requirement.

The best-known programmes are run by five Eastern Caribbean states: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. Since July 2024 they've applied agreed minimums, with the lowest government donation set at USD 200,000. Applicants go through background checks and must document the source of their funds in detail.

The pressure from Europe is the part most buyers underestimate. In April 2025 the EU Court of Justice ruled that Malta's citizenship by investment scheme breached EU law because it effectively sold citizenship without a genuine link to the country. Since 30 December 2025, an EU regulation allows the Union to suspend a country's visa-free Schengen access because it runs such a programme, and Vanuatu has already lost its visa waiver over its scheme. According to the government of Antigua and Barbuda, the European Commission wrote to all five Caribbean states in June 2026 asking them to phase out their programmes by June 2028. As of October 2026, the programmes are still running and the governments are negotiating, but much of these passports' value rests on visa-free Schengen access, which the EU can withdraw.

Part 2 of this series looks at the programmes in detail.

What obligations come with a second citizenship?

Depending on the country, a second citizenship can bring tax filing duties and military service obligations, and in some cases it costs you the citizenship you already hold.

The US is the outlier on tax. American citizens are taxed on their worldwide income and must file US returns wherever they live, including in a country with no income tax, such as the UAE. Giving up US citizenship is possible (the State Department cut the renunciation fee to USD 450 in April 2026), but it doesn't settle past filing obligations, and some people with larger wealth or incomplete filings can face an exit tax.

Military service is the second obligation people forget. Greece, for example, requires male citizens to serve, with deferral or exemption rules for those living permanently abroad, and countries such as South Korea and Turkey also have compulsory service. For a son who acquires such a citizenship by descent, this can matter more than anything else on the list.

The third obligation is the most permanent. India doesn't allow dual citizenship: under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act 1955, an Indian who voluntarily acquires another nationality stops being an Indian citizen and must surrender the passport. Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) offers a lifelong visa and many practical rights, but no vote and restrictions on buying agricultural land. Austria works similarly: an Austrian who acquires another citizenship loses Austrian citizenship automatically unless a retention permit was approved in writing beforehand. Part 4 of this series covers these rules country by country.

A Dubai-based family weighs its options

Rahul is 44, holds an Indian passport and has run a logistics company from Dubai for nine years. His wife is also Indian, and their two children were born in Dubai. He travels to Europe around eight times a year and loses several weeks annually to visa applications. He wants a second citizenship for mobility, and he wants it within a couple of years.

Birth gives him nothing: his children are Indian, not Emirati. Descent leads nowhere either, because nobody in either family held another nationality. Naturalisation would mean moving the family to Europe for five to ten years, which also raises tax residence questions while he still runs a Dubai company.

That leaves investment, and with it the real decision. A Caribbean passport could arrive within months and give him visa-free travel to the Schengen area today. The price is his Indian citizenship, which ends the moment he acquires the new one, and with it his ability to buy agricultural land his family still farms near Pune. He also has to accept that the Schengen access he's paying for is now being negotiated between Brussels and the Caribbean.

The family's choice comes down to speed versus keeping Indian citizenship, and the answer may differ for each family member. Seeing that clearly before anyone signs anything is the most valuable part of the exercise.

Which route to a second citizenship fits you?

The right route depends on whether you have a family claim, how much time you have, and whether you're willing to move.

Route Typical time Cost Effort Who it suits
Birth At birth Low, unless travel and medical care abroad are needed Low, but timing is fixed Families already living in or moving to a birthright country
Descent Several months to a few years Low: documents, translations, legal support Medium to high, depending on the document chain Anyone with a parent or grandparent from a country that passes citizenship on
Naturalisation 5 to 10+ years Low in fees, high in life commitment High: real residence, language, integration People ready to relocate and genuinely settle
Investment Usually several months High (from USD 200,000 for Caribbean donations, as of October 2026) Medium: due diligence and source of funds People who need speed and can document their wealth

Our view is that you should check descent first, whatever else you're planning. It's the cheapest route by a distance, it often leads to an EU passport, and the Italian change showed how quickly such a claim can disappear. If descent fails and you're willing to move, naturalisation produces the strongest long-term result. Investment makes most sense when speed matters more than anything else, and as a mobility tool it works best when you understand from the start that its value depends partly on politics outside the issuing country.

Two warnings apply to every route. Check what your current country does when you acquire another citizenship before you apply, because in places like India and Austria the answer is final. And don't treat a second passport as a way around tax, sanctions or bank compliance, because it won't work as one.

Who this is for, and who it isn't for

This article is for entrepreneurs, investors and families whose lives already cross borders, especially if your current passport limits your travel, complicates your banking, or leaves you without a fallback if politics at home changes. It's also for anyone who wants a plan B passport in place before there's any urgency.

It's less relevant if you already hold a strong passport, live where you want to live, and have no family or business reason to diversify. And it isn't for anyone hoping a second nationality will hide them from tax authorities, sanctions screening or a bank's due diligence; it won't.

What should you decide before choosing a route?

Start with what you already have. Check your family tree for descent claims, and check whether your current country allows dual citizenship, because both answers can change the whole plan. Then be honest about time and place: naturalisation only works if you'll live in the country for years, and investment only works if you can document your funds and accept the political risk around the programme. Finally, look beyond the passport itself to what comes with it, whether that's US tax filing, military service for your children or the loss of your original nationality.

A second citizenship affects your banking and your tax position as much as your travel, which is why at GWS we look at it alongside those areas rather than in isolation.

The second citizenship series

FAQ

How long does it take to get a second citizenship?

It depends on the route. Birthright citizenship is immediate, descent usually takes several months to a few years, naturalisation typically takes five to ten years of residence, and citizenship by investment usually takes several months.

Can I get citizenship by descent through a grandparent?

In some countries, yes. Ireland allows it if a grandparent was born on the island of Ireland. Italy has restricted it since March 2025 for people who hold another citizenship, so the answer depends on the country and on when the rules last changed.

Does having a child in the US give the parents residency?

No. A US citizen must be at least 21 to petition for a parent's green card, and the child becomes subject to US tax filing obligations for life.

Is a plan B passport worth it if my current passport is already strong?

It can be, if your concern is political change at home, family mobility or banking, rather than travel. Check first whether your current country allows dual citizenship, as Germany has since June 2024 and Austria generally does not.

Will a second passport solve banking problems linked to my nationality?

It can help where a bank's policy is based on nationality, but banks ask about every citizenship you hold, and sanctions screening applies to you as a person.

Want to know more?

If you'd like to understand which route could fit your situation, you're welcome to book a call with our team.

Sources

About Global Wealth Strategy

Global Wealth Strategy (GWS) is an independent international advisory firm based at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Founded in Germany in 2018 and now headquartered in Dubai, GWS helps entrepreneurs, investors, high-net-worth individuals and families bring structure to their international lives: from company structuring and banking to asset protection, real estate, residency and succession. Every engagement starts with a clear roadmap across the areas that matter for the client, and GWS can implement it end to end. Our advisory is fee-based and independent, and we work alongside specialist legal and tax partners to turn complex cross-border situations into clear, coordinated strategies.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and requirements change, and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Please seek qualified professional advice before acting.

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