15 Countries Offering Citizenship Based on ‘Right of Blood’

Over 50 countries worldwide offer citizenship by descent. For those with ancestral ties abroad, exploring citizenship by descent can open doors to living, working, and reconnecting with your heritage in your family’s country of origin. This process, also known as jus sanguinis or “right of blood,” grants citizenship based on the nationality of one’s parents or ancestors, rather than place of birth.¹ 

While eligibility requirements vary, many Americans can acquire a second passport through their bloodline. Here are 15 countries that welcome descendants back to their ancestral homelands and the benefits that citizenship by descent can provide.

1. Ireland

If you have a parent or grandparent born in Ireland, you may be eligible for Irish citizenship. The Emerald Isle has a rich cultural heritage and is known for its stunning landscapes, vibrant cities, and friendly people.

2. Italy

Italy is another popular destination for those seeking citizenship by descent. If you have an Italian ancestor who was alive after the country’s unification in 1861, you might qualify for Italian citizenship.

There is no generational limit, meaning you can trace your ancestry back several generations.

3. Germany

Germany offers citizenship to descendants of individuals who were stripped of their German citizenship during the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945.

This includes Jewish Germans and other persecuted groups who were forced to flee the country.

4. Poland

Poland allows individuals with Polish ancestry to apply for citizenship if their ancestors were Polish citizens after 1918. This includes those who left Poland during World War II or the communist era.

5. Hungary

Hungary offers simplified naturalization to individuals with Hungarian ancestry, regardless of their country of birth.

If you have a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who was a Hungarian citizen, you may be eligible.

6. Greece

Greece offers citizenship to individuals of Greek descent, particularly those with ancestors who were born in Greece or the former Ottoman Empire.

The country also has provisions for granting citizenship to the descendants of Greek refugees who fled Turkey during the population exchange of the 1920s.

7. Portugal

Portugal offers citizenship to descendants of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from the country during the Inquisition in the late 15th century.

The law, which came into effect in 2015, aims to redress this historical wrong.

8. Spain

Similar to Portugal, Spain offers citizenship to descendants of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from the country in 1492.

The law, which was passed in 2015, gives eligible individuals a fast-track to Spanish citizenship.

9. Lithuania

Lithuania offers citizenship to individuals with Lithuanian ancestry who left the country before 1940, when it was annexed by the Soviet Union. This includes descendants of Lithuanian Jews who fled persecution during World War II.

10. Israel

Israel’s Law of Return grants automatic citizenship to Jews, their children, and grandchildren. This includes individuals with at least one Jewish grandparent, regardless of their current religious affiliation.

11. Croatia

Croatia allows individuals with Croatian ancestry to apply for citizenship if their ancestors emigrated from Croatia before 1991. This includes descendants of Croatians who left during the Yugoslav era or earlier.

12. Czech Republic

The Czech Republic offers simplified naturalization to individuals with Czech ancestry who lost their citizenship before 1993, when Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

This includes descendants of Czechs who fled during the communist era.

13. Latvia

Latvia allows individuals with Latvian ancestry to apply for citizenship if their ancestors were Latvian citizens before 1940, when the country was annexed by the Soviet Union. This includes descendants of Latvians who fled during World War II.

14. Romania

Romania offers citizenship to individuals with Romanian ancestry who lost their citizenship before 1989, when the communist regime fell. This includes descendants of Romanians who fled during the communist era or earlier.

15. Slovakia

Slovakia allows individuals with Slovak ancestry to apply for citizenship if their ancestors were Slovak citizens before 1993, when Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This includes descendants of Slovaks who left during the communist era or earlier.

Exploring citizenship by descent can be a life-changing journey, connecting you to your ancestral roots and unlocking new opportunities across the globe. By researching your family history and understanding each nation’s eligibility criteria, you may find that a second passport is within reach.

Whether you dream of living abroad, expanding your career prospects, or simply embracing your cultural heritage, citizenship by descent offers a pathway to make that vision a reality.

Source:

1. Investopedia