Citizenship.EU

03/17/2026

Italy's Constitutional Court has upheld the June 2025 citizenship reform restricting Italian citizenship by descent. We know this is disappointing for many previously eligible descendants, but the story isn't over. A second constitutional challenge, which is broader in scope, is still expected in June 2026.

Italy's first constitutional court hearing on the country's 2025 citizenship reforms has found the law legal. Learn what this means for citizenship applicants.

11/07/2025

Your ancestor’s paperwork could hold your EU passport.

When applying for EU citizenship by descent, proving whether and when your ancestor gave up citizenship in Europe can make or break your application.

Here’s what to check first:

• Family documents like passports, birth, or marriage certificates

• Federal archives like USCIS Genealogy or NARA

• Local court records for pre-1991 naturalizations

• U.S. Census or Social Security data for citizenship clues

• Genealogy databases like Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org

Knowing exactly when your ancestor naturalized helps confirm whether your citizenship line remains valid — and which EU country laws may apply.

We created Citizenship.EU to make the first steps even easier for you -- and we're the first service of our kind offering a central service for citizenship by descent across the whole European Union.

Read the full guide at Citizenship.EU:

https://citizenship.eu/citizenship-by-descent/eu-ancestry-citizenship-finding-proof-of-my-ancestors-us-naturalization/

11/06/2025

Irish heritage in your family? Here’s when registration matters.

If you have Irish ancestry and were born outside of Ireland, the Foreign Births Register (FBR) is often the key step to gaining Irish citizenship by descent.

Here’s what to know:

1. You don’t need to register if your parent was born in Ireland and held Irish citizenship when you were born.

2. You must register if your Irish connection comes through a grandparent, or if your Irish parent wasn’t born in Ireland.

3. Once your name is entered in the FBR, you’re officially an Irish citizen and can apply for an Irish passport.

4. Registration also helps preserve citizenship for your children, if they’re born abroad.

5. Processing typically takes 18–24 months, and the fees can vary.

The FBR is one of the biggest hurdles for most people considering Irish citizenship by descent, so it's important to spend time researching the ins and outs of both the law and your particular citizenship case.

Read the full guide Citizenship.EU:

https://citizenship.eu/citizenship-by-descent/irish-foreign-births-register-irish-citizenship-by-descent/

11/05/2025

New proposal, new timeline, same question: what happens to this pathway to Portuguese citizenship?

Portugal’s Socialist Party has countered the government’s ten-year citizenship proposal with a seven-year pathway that protects existing Golden Visa investors from retroactive rule changes.

Here's what you need to know:

1. Current Golden Visa holders and applicants before Jan 1, 2026 keep the five-year rule.

2. New residents from non-EU, non-CPLP countries face seven years instead of ten.

3. Residency time still counts during AIMA delays, protecting applicants from bureaucratic loss.

4. The proposal removes citizenship revocation powers and introduces new integration standards.

If approved, this plan would reshape how Portugal balances investment, integration, and fairness in citizenship law.

Read our founder's full analysis now.

11/04/2025

Germany is ending its three-year fast-track citizenship program.

In a major policy shift, Germany’s Bundestag voted to repeal the “turbo citizenship” pathway introduced in 2024.

Now, all applicants must meet the standard five-year residency requirement -- no exceptions for high integration or advanced language skills.

Here’s what stayed and what changed:

1. Fast-track citizenship is repealed after fewer than 1,000 applications.
2. Dual citizenship rights remain in place.
3. Five-year naturalization pathway continues.
4. The change has been driven by political pressure and low uptake.

Our latest report explains why Germany made this move, what it means for dual citizens, and how EU citizenship policy is evolving across Europe.

Read the full analysis: https://citizenship.eu/news-and-updates/germany-ends-fast-track-citizenship/

11/03/2025

Thinking about moving to Europe? Here’s where your grocery budget goes the furthest.

According to Eurostat’s 2024 Price Level Index, food and non-alcoholic beverages cost 20–25% less than the EU average in Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Czechia.

That means a typical €250 monthly grocery basket drops closer to €190–€220—without sacrificing quality.
For dual citizens or anyone reclaiming EU citizenship by ancestry, these lower living costs can make life in Europe not only possible, but sustainable.

Dual citizenship can get you there in half the time of naturalization. We can help you start.

Data: Eurostat, Price Level Indices 2024 (Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages)

11/03/2025

Unlike most EU countries, France treats ancestral citizenship as recognition, not acquisition.

That means you must prove you already possess French nationality—sometimes in court.

Why?

The administrative route (Certificate of French Nationality) is strict and document-based. Even minor uncertainty can lead to rejection.

Many applicants must instead take the judicial path, filing a declaratory action with a French court.

Cases often hinge on complex family histories, missing records, or legal interpretations of nationality law.

That’s why many applicants seek help from legal professionals or specialized citizenship services.

Our latest analysis breaks down:

1. When to pursue administrative vs. judicial recognition

2. Common reasons for rejection and appeals

3. How the French court process works for ancestral citizenship

Read the full guide now: https://citizenship.eu/citizenship-by-descent/french-citizenship-by-descent-why-it-often-requires-court-cases/

10/31/2025

Across the U.S., more LGBTQIA+ Americans are taking a hard look at their future—and deciding to look abroad.

Since 2024, LuxCitizenship has seen a 54% surge in Americans exploring dual citizenship through ancestry. Within that, the share of applicants who identify as LGBTQIA+ has grown 30%.

When you read their stories, the data becomes deeply personal.

• Parents seeking refuge for their trans children.
• Teachers leaving states that have stripped civil rights protections.
• Individuals planning ahead, not out of panic, but prudence.

Many point to Luxembourg for its legal equality, safety, and values. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2015. Gender change without restrictions since 2018. Protections in the workplace since 2006.

For this growing group, reclaiming European citizenship isn’t only about heritage—it’s about agency, belonging, and hope.

Full analysis and data here: https://citizenship.eu/news-and-updates/lgbtqia-americans-eu-citizenship-by-ancestry/

10/30/2025

The U.S. passport is no longer one of the ten most powerful in the world.

According to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, the United States now ranks 12th, tied with Malaysia.

That means American travelers have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 180 destinations—fewer than citizens of Singapore, Japan, or most EU countries.

For years, the U.S. passport symbolized unrestricted mobility. Its decline tells a different story:

Fewer new visa-waiver agreements
Slower diplomatic expansion
Rising competition from nations investing in global mobility

In other words, travel freedom is no longer a given. It’s something you have to plan for.

Read the full analysis, including our recommendations, here:

The 2025 Henley Passport Index shows the U.S. passport has fallen out of the top 10 most powerful passports. Learn what caused the decline, what it means for global mobility, and why many Americans are exploring European citizenship.

10/30/2025

The U.S. passport is no longer one of the ten most powerful in the world.

According to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, the United States now ranks 12th, tied with Malaysia.

That means American travelers have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 180 destinations—fewer than citizens of Singapore, Japan, or most EU countries.

For years, the U.S. passport symbolized unrestricted mobility. Its decline tells a different story:

Fewer new visa-waiver agreements
Slower diplomatic expansion
Rising competition from nations investing in global mobility

In other words, travel freedom is no longer a given. It’s something you have to plan for.

Read the full analysis, including our recommendations, on the blog today.