Top Easiest European countries for citizenship

November 28th, 2024 at 08:32 am

Easiest European countries for citizenship

Europe is the most visited continent in the world, and it’s easy to see why. Beyond its breathtaking views and historic landmarks, Europe is home to amazing academic and career opportunities. While many people travel to European countries just to explore, others are interested in something more: obtaining citizenship in the easiest European countries for citizenship.

Securing a second citizenship can offer a variety of benefits. As a citizen, you’re entitled to the same rights as the locals—things like freedom of movement, access to top-notch education, healthcare, and more. There are several ways to gain citizenship, including through residency, naturalization, descent, marriage, or investment.

What Are the Easiest European Countries for Citizenship?

The following European countries are the easiest to get citizenship in:

• Portugal
• Malta
• Spain
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Belgium
• Ireland
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• France
• Norway

Portugal: Easiest European countries for citizenship

Portugal is one of the easiest places in Europe to get citizenship. One of the simplest ways to do this is through the Portugal Golden Visa. All you need to do is invest in a property, business, or real estate worth €500,000. The best part? You only need to spend seven days a year in Portugal for five years.

If you speak a little Portuguese (A2 level) and have spent at least 35 days in Portugal over the last five years, you could be eligible for citizenship. The perks of being a Portuguese citizen are great—like being able to pass on nationality to your children and traveling freely throughout the European Union without needing a visa.

Malta: Easiest European countries for citizenship

The fastest way to get Maltese citizenship is by investment. You need to invest €600,000 and can get citizenship after living in Malta for three years. If you want to get Maltese citizenship after one year of residence, you need to invest a larger amount of €750,000.

Once you obtain Maltese citizenship, you can enjoy benefits such as travelling visa-free to 186 countries plus to the USA and working and studying in EU countries. To get Maltese citizenship, you do not need to know either Maltese or English.

Spain: Easiest European countries for citizenship

If you want to become a citizen of Spain, the easiest way is to live and work in Spain for ten years. Benefits that accompany Spanish citizenship include voting in Spain, moving freely within 183 countries, and living and working anywhere you want in the European Union, among other benefits.

Through investment, you can also become a citizen of Spain. You need to apply for a Spanish Golden Visa if you want to get Spanish citizenship by purchasing a property of €500,000 value. You must have been a resident for ten years in Spain.

Netherlands: Easiest European countries for citizenship

You can get Dutch citizenship after living in the Netherlands for five years and passing the civic integration test. The Dutch language level you need is A2. The advantages of becoming a citizen of the Netherlands are: free movement in the EU states, voting, passing your Dutch citizenship to your kids, you can become a soldier, or police officer, run for mayor, or judiciary jobs.

However, if you want to become a Dutch citizen, you have to give up your current citizenship.

Poland

Poland offers you the opportunity to gain Polish citizenship after three years of residency and a regular income in Poland. If you have been married to a Polish citizen for at least three years, you can gain citizenship after two years of continuous residence in Poland. Once you get Polish citizenship, you can enjoy multiple benefits, such as having free entry to any EU country, good education, free health care, etc.

Belgium

To become a citizen of Belgium, you have to continuously live and work for at least five years in Belgium. You must meet other requirements as well, like knowing one of the official languages—Dutch, German, or French—and being socially and economically integrated. Being a Belgian citizen includes benefits such as passing on Belgian citizenship to kids, access to education, welfare benefits, etc.

Ireland

You have to live in Ireland with a residence permit for five years to become an Irish citizen. If your application is approved, you have to pay around €950. You do not need to fulfill any language requirements, and you don’t need to give up your current citizenship to become a citizen of Ireland.

Benefits of Irish citizenship include living, working, studying, and travelling in Ireland and the UK, EU, EAA, access to free education, etc.

Sweden

You can get Swedish citizenship by living and working in Sweden for a minimum of five years. Unlike certain countries, you do not need to know the language as a requirement to become a citizen of Sweden.

If you have been married to a Swedish person for at least two years, you have to stay only three years in Sweden before you obtain citizenship. Once you obtain Swedish citizenship, you can enjoy its benefits, such as border-free travel through different countries, quality education, etc. Another way you can become a Swedish citizen is through investment.