Summary

  • Italy: Dual citizenship is easily obtained through ancestry or marriage. Best cities to live in: Rome, Turin, Verona, Bologna.
  • Dominica: Citizenship can be acquired through a minimum investment of $100,000. Best cities to live in: Roseau, La Romana, Portsmouth.
  • Grenada: Obtaining citizenship takes only three months, with options for donation or real estate investment. Best place to live in: St George's, Grand Anse, Carriacou.

Dual citizenship is something some people need for different reasons. For some people, it is for marriage; others want to start a business; some are travelers; others just like the new country. And for some, it is for retirement. Either way, second citizenship or additional citizenship in a new country is a good thing, as it helps one in many ways.

However, when looking for another citizenship, it is always good to consider several countries to choose from, depending on your needs. Different countries have different regulations and processes for offering another citizenship. As a result, it is easy to get citizenship in some countries, while for others, it is difficult. Here are the easiest countries to get citizenship.

UPDATE: 2023/11/23 12:21 EST BY MARIA BOU INK

13 Of The Easiest Countries In Which To Get Dual Citizenship

People look for easy dual citizenship to eliminate any obstacle they can face, from travel restrictions or requirements to reduced taxes on investments and other reasons. Therefore, this list was updated to include additional countries to get the easiest dual citizenship for US citizens and other citizens worldwide.

Related: Anyone Can Become A Citizen On This Norwegian Island, But They Can't Perish There

13 Italy

View of Rome, Italy at night
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View of Rome, Italy at night

Surprisingly, Italy is one of the easiest countries to get dual citizenship. If any of the applicants’ ancestors were born in Italy, they may apply to become Italian citizens. It is also possible for them to become a citizen if their parents were born in this European country.

Another way to get Italian citizenship is by getting married to an Italian and residing in the country for three years, discovering its beautiful cities. Additionally, if the citizenship applicants were born in Italy and resided there until eighteen, they may be eligible for citizenship.

  • Best cities to live in Italy: Rome, Turin, Verona, Bologna…

12 Dominica

Wavine Cyrique
Shutterstock 

Black sand beach with waterfall at Wavine Cyrique in Dominica

Dominica is a Caribbean country where citizenship may be obtained with a little expenditure. Furthermore, this investment benefits applicants for dual citizenship as well. A minimum of $100,000 must be invested, plus costs. To file for citizenship, applicants must be represented by an Authorized Agent. A background check, physical examination, and in-person interview are further requirements. Obtaining full Dominican citizenship will take from five to fourteen months in total. Furthermore, Dominicans enjoy certain rights in the UK due to their Commonwealth status. Similarly, a visa is not required to travel to any 50 nations.

  • Best cities to live in Dominica: Roseau, La Romana, Portsmouth

11 Grenada

Cruise ship at St George's Grenada
Photo by Hugh Whyte on Unsplash
Cruise ship at St George's Grenada

It is one of the easiest countries to get citizenship. The country will provide one with citizenship just three months after application. The country does not even require one to be there in person. However, during the application, one must feature key members such as parents, siblings, grandparents, or spouses.

The applications can be made in two ways. For one of them, the applicant is required to donate at least USD 150,000 to Grenada's National Transformation Fund. In cases where the family is of 4, the donation amount goes up to $200,000. The second method is investing USD 220,000 in a local real estate business for five years.

  • Best place to live in Grenada: St George's, Grand Anse, Carriacou...

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10 Ireland

Kylemore Abbey, Kylemore Abbey, Pollacappul, County Galway, Ireland
Photo by Alex Grodkiewicz on Unsplash
Kylemore Abbey, Kylemore Abbey, Pollacappul, County Galway, Ireland.

Ireland is the most accessible country to get citizenship by descent. The countries allow people to go back as far as three generations. This means that if a person's great-grandparent was of Irish nationality, then getting citizenship becomes easy.

However, for this case to work, the government will always verify to make sure that one's grandparent had actually registered births and was a citizen of the country.

  • Best place to live in Ireland: Dublin, Belfast, Cork...

9 Mexico

Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato Cathedral and Plaza de la Paz in Guanajuato, Mexico
Shutterstock / R.M. Nunes
Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato Cathedral and Plaza de la Paz in Guanajuato, Mexico

In Mexico, people can apply for citizenship after five years of living in the country. In cases where the person is of Mexican descent, the period is reduced to just two years. However, in case the applicant has a Mexican spouse or children or has contributed socially, artistically, athletically, or culturally to the country, the period is also reduced to 2 years.

An applicant must also be able to speak Spanish and understand the culture and history of the country. However, for Mexico, one is required to give up citizenship of the other country.

  • Best place to live in Mexico: Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, Guadalajara...

8 Canada

Woman Draped In A Flag Of Canada
Photo by Andre Furtado on Pexels
Woman Draped In A Flag Of Canada

Canada has many foreign citizens due to its good policies towards foreigners, and the country has many opportunities. In Canada, one must have lived there for at least 1,095 days out of 5 years and have a permanent resident status.

Another requirement is to have met personal income tax obligations for the past three years out of the five one has been in the country. An applicant should also be able to speak either English or French and demonstrate knowledge of the country's rights, institutions, values, and history.

  • Best places to live in Canada: Montreal, Toronto, Calgary...

RELATED: This American Town Is Only Accessible From Canada

7 Malta

Marsaxlokk, Malta
Photo by CALIN STAN on Unsplash
The coastal town of Marsaxlokk, Malta

It is an English-speaking European country with a good climate and a business environment. The country is known to be tax-friendly and offers many attractions to its visitors. To apply for citizenship in Malta, they must have stayed there for at least 12 months.

One way to gain citizenship is by investment, and the applicant is required to donate at least 650,000 euros to the government national development fund, purchase real estate worth 350,000 euros, invest 150,000 euros in government bonds or stocks, or lease a property that will cost 16,000 euros per year for five years.

  • Best place to live in Malta: Valletta, Sliema, Mdina...

6 Peru

Rainbow Mountain in Peru
Photo by McKayla Crump on Unsplash
Rainbow Mountain in Peru

For someone to get a residence permit, they should be willing to go to school in the country, start a business, or prove the ability to earn more than $1,000 monthly in pension or investment. Once one gets a residence permit in Peru, they must live there for two years before they can apply for citizenship.

Before one can get a passport, one has to go through a language test. In some cases, the applicant may be required to change their name to a Spanish style. However, the country offers dual citizenship.

  • Best place to live in Peru: Arequipa, Lima, Cusco...

5 Singapore

Singaporean Passport
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Singaporean Passport on world map

Singapore is a country that has been welcoming new citizens, and there has been a high number of people taking citizenship. The country is well-developed and moving fast in the right direction, making it ideal for someone looking for citizenship.

Singapore requires marrying a country's citizen to gain permanent residency, obtain employment, or start a business. One is eligible for citizenship after staying in the country for two years. However, the country has some investment requirements when applying for citizenship. The country requires one to renounce their previous citizenship to gain Singapore citizenship.

  • Best place to live in Singapore: Holland Village, Orchard, Sentosa...

RELATED: Staycation In Singapore: The Best Luxe Hotels Money Can Buy

4 New Zealand

Nugget Point Lighthouse on the coast of New Zealand
Photo by Marcus Lenk on Unsplash
Nugget Point Lighthouse, South Island, New Zealand 

New Zealand is a developed country that has good immigration policies that travelers can use to get permanent residency and possible citizenship. The country is well known for its Skilled Migration program. The program has several criteria, but one must be below 55 years of age, skilled in a certain field, and experienced in his work. That way, one can apply for a resident visa.

  • Best place to live in New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington...

3 Australia

Sydney Opera house at sunset
Image by Patty Jansen from Pixabay
Sydney Opera house at sunset

Australia is an attractive country with several programs that can give a chance to a tourist to visit. One can easily get a resident visa through school, work, and other factors. When it comes to moving to Australia by means of work, a person must be below 50 years of age and have work experience. From there, applying for citizenship is easy. With plenty of places to check out in Australia, this country offers endless perks to residents.

  • Best place to live in Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth...

2 Paraguay

La Santisima Trinidad de Paraná, Itapua, Paraguay
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La Santisima Trinidad de Paraná, Itapua, Paraguay

It is enough for one to hold a USD 5,000 bank deposit and a couple of years living in Paraguay to get citizenship in this amazing South American country. People will have to stay in Paraguay for only 183 days per year for a three-year period for them to become citizens. No restrictions on the country of origin apply, and one can make any income to be eligible to apply for citizenship in Paraguay. Additionally, people investing their money in bank deposits in this country will earn attractive interest rates in return.

  • Best place to live in Paraguay: Asuncion, Villaricca, San Lorenzo...

1 Guatemala

Colorful street with volcano in the distance
Shutterstock 
Historic street in Antigua, Guatemala 

Guatemala has loose resident requirements and offers an inexpensive program that allows people to apply for citizenship. It is enough for one to purchase government bonds for only USD 50,000 to apply for citizenship or residency, per the Guatemalan Investment Program. This process needs a maximum of 8 months to be completed, and the passport can be granted immediately after this period. Additionally, the cost of living in Guatemala is affordable. Thus, it's a great decision to move to this beautiful country. It is essential to have a clean criminal record, proof of health insurance, and some other documents when applying for Guatemalan citizenship.

  • Best place to live in Guatemala: Mixco, Guatemala City, Jalapa...