IMI Daily: The Only 10 Ways to Get a New Citizenship in 2026

Citizenship can be obtained through a limited set of legal mechanisms. Ten distinct pathways exist, but recent legislative changes are narrowing several of them while the investment‑based route continues to expand. Understanding each route, its requirements, costs, and current status is essential before pursuing a second passport.

1. Descent (Jus sanguinis)

• Passes nationality from parent to child regardless of birthplace.
• Many countries apply it automatically at birth; strategic claims can reach back to grandparents or great‑grandparents.
• Examples: Ireland grants citizenship to anyone with an Irish‑born grandparent via its Foreign Births Register; several European states accept great‑grandparent claims.
• Costs: Typically a few hundred dollars for registry and filing fees.
• Recent changes:
  • Italy removed its unlimited generational claim in 2025, capping transmission at two generations; the cap was upheld by the Constitutional Court in March 2026.
  • Canada’s rollout of an expanded descent program has been delayed, with the immigration department acknowledging unclear guidance.

2. Birth on Territory (Jus soli)

• Grants citizenship to anyone born within a country’s borders, independent of parental status.
• Currently only 33 countries apply it automatically, 27 of which are in the Americas.
• Key updates:
  • The U.S. Supreme Court (30 June 2026) struck down an executive order, reaffirming that children born on U.S. soil are citizens under the 14th Amendment.
  • Portugal tightened its rule in May 2026, raising the parental residence requirement from 1 year to 5 years and ending automatic birthright citizenship.
  • Brazil offers immediate permanent residency to foreign parents of a Brazilian‑born child, with eligibility for naturalization after one year—the fastest family‑based route worldwide.

3. Adoption

• Most nationality laws extend citizenship to children adopted by citizens.
• In the United States, a foreign‑born child adopted by U.S. citizens automatically receives citizenship upon entry as a permanent resident, without a separate application.
• The right expires when the adoptee reaches adulthood, and the date of adoption—not the application date—determines eligibility, making older adoptions potentially ineligible today.
• For adult applicants, this pathway is largely theoretical.

4. Marriage and Family

• Marriage to a citizen rarely confers citizenship directly but usually shortens the naturalization period.
• Examples:
  • Brazil: spouses may naturalize after 1 year of permanent residency.
  • Turkey: eligibility after 3 years of marriage.
  • St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines allow spouses to register without any residency requirement.
• Some jurisdictions also grant rights to parents of citizen children, widows/widowers, and adult children of citizens (e.g., Brazil).
• Authorities often verify the authenticity of the relationship, and a few laws treat husbands and wives differently.

5. Naturalization through Residency

• The standard “earned” route: live legally for a set period, meet language and civics tests, then apply.
• Typical residency clocks:
  • 2 years – Argentina, Dominican Republic (shortest, though Argentina now requires continuous physical presence).
  • 5 years – most European and many Latin American states.
  • 10 years – Spain, Italy, Switzerland for most applicants.
• Recent trends:
  • Portugal doubled its standard requirement from 5 to 10 years in May 2026.
  • Peru is moving from a 2‑year to a 5‑year requirement pending regulations.
• Distinction between “paper residency” (permit validity) and actual physical presence can affect whether a short clock is viable.

6. Fast‑Track Naturalization

States reserve shortened pathways for groups they favor:

7. Investment and Donation (Citizenship‑by‑Investment)

• The only pathway that explicitly requires a financial contribution.
• Current programs (as of 2026):
  • Caribbean: St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
  • Other regions: Vanuatu, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Cambodia, São Tomé & Príncipe, El Salvador, Sierra Leone.
• Cost range:
  • Donation floors as low as US $90,000 (São Tomé & Príncipe).
  • Contributions up to US $1 million (El Salvador).
  • Cambodia raised its thresholds to US $1 million for investment and US $3 million for donation (Dec 2025).
• Processing typically takes months, with no residency requirement.
• The market is expanding: Argentina created a citizenship‑by‑investment agency (2025), St. Vincent & the Grenadines announced a 2026 launch, and Botswana is seeking expressions of interest for a program with a US $75,000 floor.
• The European Court of Justice halted Malta’s program in April 2025, but other jurisdictions continue to grow.

8. Merit and Exceptional Contribution

• Heads of state or parliaments may grant citizenship to individuals deemed exceptionally valuable (athletes, scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, philanthropists).
• Usage: Rare but legislated in many countries. Austria granted 419 such citizenships between 2007‑2022 (≈ 0.2 % of total naturalizations).
• Malta shifted from a donation‑based scheme to an expanded merit route after the EU ruling.
• Gulf states frequently use this clause for Olympic athletes and high‑profile entrepreneurs.
• No fixed price, timeline, or entitlement; decisions are discretionary.

9. Ethnicity and Repatriation

• Laws that invite members of a defined ethnic group to return and obtain citizenship, sometimes without any ancestral documentation.
• Examples:
  • Israel: Law of Return – citizenship for Jews, their children, grandchildren, and spouses.
  • Armenia: Grants citizenship to ethnic Armenians regardless of generational distance.
  • Kazakhstan: Formal repatriation status for ethnic Kazakhs abroad.
• Some states restrict citizenship to a particular ethnicity (e.g., Liberia limits it to persons of Black African origin), making the route unavailable to most applicants.

10. Restoration

• Returns citizenship to individuals who lost it, often extending to descendants.
• Key programs:
  • Germany: Unlimited restoration for victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants, without residency or language tests.
  • Austria: Similar provision extended to direct descendants in 2020.
• Closing windows:
  • Spain’s “grandchildren law” stopped accepting applications in October 2025 after a surge of claims.
  • Portugal’s Sephardic‑Jewish restoration route closed in May 2026 after over 75 000 approvals since 2015.

How to Audit Your Options

1. Fixed‑Fact Group – Descent, birth, adoption, family, ethnicity, restoration.

   • Costs are usually modest (hundreds of dollars for documentation).
   • Verify eligibility now; many of these windows are closing rapidly.

2. Earned Group – Residency‑based naturalization, fast‑track naturalization, merit.

   • Requires time, language/civics exams, and often proof of genuine ties.
   • Fast‑track options depend on nationality, military service, or refugee status.

3. Investment Group – Citizenship‑by‑investment.

   • Involves six‑figure contributions; the only pathway currently expanding.

Practical steps

• Check ancestry and historic ties first; a great‑grandparent claim could cost far less than a donation.
• Monitor legislative deadlines: Italy’s descent cap (2025), Spain’s restoration closure (Oct 2025), Portugal’s Sephardic route (May 2026), and the U.S. birthright affirmation (June 2026).
• Assess residency feasibility: distinguish between “paper” permits and actual days spent in the country, especially for short‑clock programs (Argentina, Dominican Republic).
• Consider authenticity checks for family‑based routes; many states scrutinize marriage or parental relationships.
• Weigh speed vs. cost: investment programs deliver passports in months but at high expense; naturalization can take 2‑10 years but may be cheaper overall.