Ancestry & heritage pathways

Switzerland

Swiss Citizenship by Descent

Swiss citizenship by descent is for people who had a Swiss parent when they were born, including cases where Swiss citizenship passed through an intact…

citizenship Norway

Norwegian Citizenship by Descent

Norwegian citizenship by descent depends on having a Norwegian parent when you were born. A grandparent or older ancestor generally matters only if…

citizenship Iceland

Icelandic Citizenship Recovery

Former Icelandic citizens may have a restoration, notification, or shortened naturalization route. The correct route depends on how and when citizenship…

citizenship Iceland

Icelandic Citizenship by Descent

Icelandic citizenship by descent depends on having an Icelandic parent when you were born. A grandparent or older ancestor generally matters only if…

citizenship Iceland

Icelandic Citizenship for Stateless Birth

A stateless person born in Iceland can acquire Icelandic citizenship by notification before age 21 if they have lived continuously in Iceland since birth…

citizenship Iceland

Icelandic Citizenship for Young Residents

Some young people who grew up in Iceland, and some unaccompanied young people who are stateless or received protection there, can acquire citizenship by…

citizenship Iceland

Icelandic Citizenship through Adoption

A child adopted by an Icelandic citizen before age 18 can acquire Icelandic citizenship when the adoption is issued in Iceland or recognized there.

citizenship Denmark

Danish Citizenship by Descent

Danish citizenship by descent depends on having a Danish parent when you were born. A grandparent or older ancestor generally matters only if citizenship…

citizenship Sweden

Swedish Citizenship by Descent

Swedish citizenship by descent depends on having a Swedish parent when you were born. A grandparent or older ancestor generally matters only if citizenship…

citizenship Germany

German Citizenship by Adoption

Germany's Section 6 route is for people adopted as minors by a German parent. It generally requires proof of the adoption, timing, and the adoptive…

citizenship Germany

German Citizenship by Birth in Germany

This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in Germany or in another qualifying birth situation connected to…

citizenship Germany

German Citizenship by Descent

German citizenship by descent is for people who may already be German because citizenship passed from a German parent, grandparent, or older ancestor…

citizenship Germany

German Citizenship for Gender Discrimination

Germany's Section 5 declaration route is for people whose family line was blocked by older German citizenship rules that treated mothers, unmarried…

citizenship Germany

German Citizenship for Nazi Persecution

Germany's Section 15 StAG route is for people whose German citizenship was lost, denied, or never acquired because of Nazi-era persecution, and for their…

citizenship Germany

German Citizenship for Nazi-Era Loss

Germany's Article 116(2) route is for people whose German citizenship was taken away by the Nazi regime, and for their descendants. It generally requires…

citizenship Germany

Germany Residence Title for Former Germans

Germany has a residence route for former German citizens. A former German may be entitled to settlement or residence if they had ordinary residence in…

residency Ireland

Irish Citizenship Through Irish-Born Parent

If you were born abroad to a parent who was Irish when you were born and was born on the island of Ireland, you are generally Irish from birth. You…

citizenship Ireland

Irish Citizenship Through Parent Born Abroad

A person born abroad to an Irish parent who was also born abroad may qualify for the Foreign Births Register. The parent must normally have been Irish…

citizenship Ireland

Irish Citizenship Through a Grandparent

A person born abroad with an Irish-born grandparent can often become Irish by registering on the Foreign Births Register. Citizenship normally starts on…

citizenship Ireland

Irish Citizenship by Birth Before 2005

People born anywhere on the island of Ireland before January 1, 2005 are generally entitled to Irish citizenship. This includes Northern Ireland. Most…

citizenship Ireland

Irish Citizenship by Birth Since 2005

People born in Ireland or Northern Ireland from January 1, 2005 generally qualify through a parent's citizenship, unrestricted right to live there, or…

citizenship Ireland

Irish Citizenship through Adoption

An adoption can give a child Irish citizenship if an adoptive parent is Irish and the adoption qualifies under Irish law. An overseas adoption must be…

citizenship Ireland

Irish Citizenship via Public-Service Parent

A narrow exception can give Irish citizenship from birth to someone born abroad whose Irish parent was also born abroad. It applies when that parent was…

citizenship Singapore

Singapore Citizenship by Descent

Singapore citizenship by descent can apply to a person born abroad after 16 September 1963, but the qualifying parent rule differs for births before and…

citizenship Australia

Australia Adoption Visa

Australia's Adoption visa lets a child adopted outside Australia live permanently in Australia with an adoptive parent. It generally requires the child to…

residency Australia

Australian Citizenship Recovery

Australian citizenship by resumption is for former Australian citizens who lost or gave up Australian citizenship and want it restored. It generally…

citizenship Australia

Australian Citizenship by Adoption

Australian citizenship by adoption is for people adopted by an Australian citizen in a way Australian law recognizes. It generally turns on the adoption…

citizenship Australia

Australian Citizenship by Birth in Australia

This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in Australia or in another qualifying birth situation connected…

citizenship Australia

Australian Citizenship by Descent

Australian citizenship by descent is for people born outside Australia to a parent who was an Australian citizen when they were born. It generally requires…

citizenship Netherlands

Dutch Citizenship by Descent

Dutch citizenship by descent is for people whose Dutch citizenship passed through an intact parent-child chain. It generally requires proof of each…

citizenship Netherlands

Dutch Citizenship by Simplified Process

The Dutch option procedure is a simplified citizenship route for people with certain close Dutch ties or historical Dutch-citizenship situations. It…

citizenship Finland

Finnish Citizenship by Descent

Finnish citizenship by descent depends on having a Finnish parent when you were born. A grandparent or older ancestor generally matters only if citizenship…

citizenship Belgium

Belgian Citizenship Recovery

Former Belgian citizens may recover nationality through a declaration. Ordinary applicants need twelve months of legal residence and unlimited stay in…

citizenship Belgium

Belgian Citizenship by Adoption

Belgian citizenship by adoption can apply when a person was adopted before age 18 by a Belgian citizen and the adoption fits Belgium's…

citizenship Belgium

Belgian Citizenship by Birth in Belgium

This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in Belgium or in another qualifying birth situation connected to…

citizenship Belgium

Belgian Citizenship by Descent

Belgian citizenship by descent usually depends on having a Belgian parent when you were born. Born-abroad cases may also depend on where the Belgian parent…

citizenship Belgium

Belgian Citizenship for People Raised There

Belgium has a nationality declaration route for adults who were born in Belgium and have legally lived there since birth. It is separate from automatic…

citizenship United Kingdom

Automatic British Citizenship Through Parent

UK automatic citizenship by descent is for people born outside the UK on or after January 1, 1983 who had a British parent able to pass citizenship at…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship After 10 Childhood Years

UK Section 1(4) is an entitlement route for people born in the UK who did not become British at birth but lived there through their first ten years. It…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship After UK Family Residence

UK Section 3(5) is a registration route for minor children of a British citizen by descent when the child and parents build the required UK residence. It…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship Recovery

UK Section 13 resumption is for people who previously renounced British citizenship and want it back. It generally requires proof of the former British…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship Through Unmarried Father

UK Sections 4G-4I are registration routes for people who missed British citizenship because older law treated unmarried British fathers differently. They…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship Through Your Mother

If you were born outside the UK before 1983 and your mother was British, Section 4C may let you register as a British citizen by descent. A UK-born mother…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship Through a BOTC Mother

This route is for people born before 1983 who missed British Overseas Territories Citizenship (BOTC) because their mother could not pass on status in the…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship Through a British Parent

UK Section 3(2) is a registration route for minor children of a British citizen by descent where the British parent has lived in the UK for the required…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship Through an Unmarried BOTC Father

This route is for people who missed British Overseas Territories Citizenship (BOTC) because older law did not treat unmarried fathers the same way as…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship by Adoption

UK citizenship through adoption is for people adopted through a qualifying process by a British citizen. It generally requires proof of the adoption, the…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship by UK Birth Before 1983

This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in the United Kingdom or in another qualifying birth situation…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship by UK Birth Since 1983

People born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983 may already be British if a parent had a qualifying status when they were born. This usually means a…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship for Chagossian Families

Direct descendants of someone born in the British Indian Ocean Territory can apply for British Overseas Territories citizenship and British citizenship…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship for Historical Unfairness

UK Section 4L is a broad registration route for people who would have become British but for historical legislative unfairness or official acts or…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship for Other UK Nationals

Some people who already hold another type of British nationality can register as British citizens. The route can cover British overseas citizens, British…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship for Territory Citizens

UK Section 4A is for current British Overseas Territories Citizens who want to register as British citizens. It generally requires proof of BOTC status,…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Citizenship for UK-Born Children

A child born in the UK after 1982 may be entitled to register as British if they were not British at birth but later a parent became British, settled, or…

citizenship United Kingdom

British Overseas Territories Citizenship

This discretionary route is for adults who can show they would have become, or could have become, British Overseas Territories Citizens but for a specific…

citizenship United Kingdom

UK Ancestry Visa

The UK Ancestry visa is for Commonwealth citizens, Zimbabwe citizens, and British nationals (overseas) who have a qualifying UK-born grandparent and want…

residency United Kingdom

UK Citizenship for Stateless People

The UK has registration routes for people who are not recognized as citizens of any country. Eligibility depends on when and where the person was born and…

citizenship United Kingdom

UK Returning Resident Visa

The UK Returning Resident visa can restore indefinite leave to remain for someone who was previously settled in the UK but has been away long enough for…

residency United Kingdom

UK Right of Abode for Commonwealth Citizens

Some Commonwealth citizens have a retained right of abode in the UK through a UK-born parent or a pre-1983 marriage. It is not a visa: it is the right to…

other New Zealand

New Zealand Citizenship by Birth

Most people born in New Zealand before January 1, 2006 are citizens by birth. For later births, a parent generally must have been a citizen or entitled to…

citizenship New Zealand

New Zealand Citizenship by Descent

A person born abroad can usually register as a New Zealand citizen if a parent was a citizen by birth or an eligible grant when the person was born. A…

citizenship New Zealand

New Zealand Citizenship for Samoan Families

A special citizenship grant covers people born in Western Samoa between May 13, 1924 and December 31, 1948, and certain pre-1949 children or spouses. The…

citizenship New Zealand

New Zealand Permanent Resident Visa

A Permanent Resident Visa gives existing New Zealand residents indefinite permission to leave and return. Most applicants need two continuous years on a…

residency New Zealand

New Zealand Repeat Resident Visa

Some former New Zealand residents can recover residence after their visa expired because of travel. Eligibility depends on their rights and circumstances…

residency United Arab Emirates

Citizenship through an Emirati Mother

A child of an Emirati mother and a foreign father may apply for a discretionary UAE citizenship grant. Article 10 Bis allows a grant after at least six…

citizenship United Arab Emirates

UAE Citizenship by Parentage

UAE law recognizes citizenship by operation of law through a father who is an Emirati citizen by operation of law. It also recognizes a narrower…

citizenship Canada

Canadian Citizenship by Adoption

Canadian citizenship by adoption may apply if you were born outside Canada and legally adopted by a parent who was Canadian at the time, including…

citizenship Canada

Canadian Citizenship by Birth in Canada

This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in Canada or in another qualifying birth situation connected to…

citizenship Canada

Canadian Citizenship by Descent

Canadian citizenship by descent may apply to people born outside Canada through a Canadian biological parent or a Canadian legal parent at birth. The 2025…

citizenship South Korea

Korean Citizenship Through a Parent

This pathway is for people who may already have acquired South Korean nationality at birth through a Korean parent. The rule depends on the applicant's…

citizenship South Korea

South Korea Heritage Visa

South Korea's F-4 status is for foreign nationals who formerly held Korean nationality or are direct descendants of a former Korean national. General…

residency Luxembourg

Luxembourg Citizenship Recovery

Luxembourg has a reclamation procedure for some former Luxembourgish citizens. It generally requires proving that you previously held Luxembourgish…

citizenship Luxembourg

Luxembourg Citizenship by Birth or School

Luxembourg's option procedure can help some people whose life has already been closely connected to Luxembourg through birth, schooling, childhood…

citizenship Luxembourg

Luxembourg Citizenship by Family Descent

Luxembourg nationality by option is for adults with a Luxembourgish parent, adoptive parent, or grandparent where nationality did not automatically pass…

citizenship Luxembourg

Luxembourg Citizenship by Parent

Luxembourg citizenship by descent is for people whose Luxembourgish parent could pass nationality when the parent-child relationship was established. It…

citizenship United States

U.S. Citizenship Through Citizen Parent

This pathway is for people born outside the United States who may have been U.S. citizens from birth through a U.S. citizen parent. It generally depends on…

citizenship United States

U.S. Citizenship Through Parent After Birth

Some people born outside the United States became U.S. citizens after birth as children when they lived in the United States as lawful permanent residents…

citizenship United States

U.S. Citizenship by Birth

Most people born in a U.S. state or Washington, D.C., are citizens from birth. Federal statutes also cover qualifying births in Puerto Rico and the U.S.…

citizenship Austria

Austrian Citizenship by Descent

Austrian citizenship by descent is mainly for people who had an Austrian parent when they were born. It generally requires proof of the parent-child link,…

citizenship Austria

Austrian Citizenship for Persecuted Families

Austria's Section 58c declaration route is for a persecuted person or that person's direct descendants when the ancestor fits one of the law's precise…

citizenship Slovenia

Slovenian Citizenship by Ancestry

Article 13 can support a discretionary national-interest citizenship application by a person of Slovenian descent through a parent or grandparent. It…

citizenship Slovenia

Slovenian Citizenship by Descent

You may acquire Slovenian citizenship through a parent who was Slovenian when you were born. Some children are citizens automatically; others born abroad…

citizenship Japan

Japan Residence for Japanese Descendants

Japan's Long-Term Resident status can cover documented second- and third-generation descendants of Japanese emigrants. It is an ancestry-based residence…

residency Japan

Japanese Citizenship by Descent

A person is generally Japanese from birth if a legal parent was Japanese at that time. For a child born abroad who also acquired a foreign nationality at…

citizenship Israel

Israeli Citizenship Under the Law of Return

The Law of Return gives a qualifying Jewish person and specified close family members a right to immigrate to Israel, subject to proof and the law's…

citizenship Israel

Israeli Citizenship by Descent

This route is for a person who acquired Israeli citizenship at birth through an Israeli-citizen parent. A limited rule also covers a parent who died as an…

citizenship Malta

Maltese Citizenship by Descent

Maltese citizenship by descent is for direct-line descendants of an ancestor born in Malta whose parent was also born in Malta. It generally requires…

citizenship Spain

Spain Long-Term Residence

Spain's national long-term residence status is for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who have already lived legally and continuously in Spain for the required…

residency Spain

Spanish Citizenship by Option

Spanish nationality by option is a declaration route for the limited cases in Article 20 of the Civil Code, including certain parental-authority,…

citizenship Spain

Spanish Citizenship by Origin

Spanish nationality by origin covers people born to a Spanish parent, people born in Spain in specific protected cases, and people adopted by a Spanish…

citizenship France

French Citizenship Reinstatement

Reintegration is for someone who personally held and then lost French nationality. A declaration is limited to specified loss situations and requires clear…

citizenship France

French Citizenship by Birth in France

This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in France or in another qualifying birth situation connected to…

citizenship France

French Citizenship by Descent

French citizenship by descent is for people who had a French parent when they were born, including cases where French nationality passed through an intact…

citizenship France

French Citizenship for Siblings of Citizens

Some people born in France can declare French nationality as the sibling of a person who became French through France's birth-and-residence rules. This is…

citizenship France

French Citizenship through Adoption

A qualifying plenary adoption by a French citizen can make a minor French by parentage. Simple adoption is different: it does not confer nationality…

citizenship Cyprus

Cypriot Citizenship by Descent

Cypriot citizenship by descent is for people of Cypriot origin, including children born abroad to a Cypriot parent and some adults with older Cypriot…

citizenship Italy

Italian Citizenship Recovery for Ex-Citizens

Italian citizenship reacquisition is a temporary route for certain former Italian citizens who lost citizenship before August 16, 1992. It generally…

citizenship Italy

Italian Citizenship by Adoption

A person adopted as a minor by an Italian citizen may acquire citizenship once the adoption is effective for Italian law, but the 2025 limits on automatic…

citizenship Italy

Italian Citizenship by Birth in Italy

Italy has narrow citizenship-by-birth rules for people born in Italy. This can cover a child of an Italian parent, a person who would otherwise have had no…

citizenship Italy

Italian Citizenship by Descent

For a person born abroad who also has another nationality, Italian citizenship by descent now normally requires a parent or grandparent who held only…

citizenship Italy

Italy Long-Term Residence Permit

Italy's EU long-term residence permit is for non-EU citizens who have already lived legally and continuously in Italy for the required period, usually five…

residency Taiwan

Taiwan Citizenship Through Taiwanese Parent

Taiwan/ROC nationality by parentage is for people whose parent was an ROC national when they were born. It generally requires proof of the parent-child…

citizenship Estonia

Estonian Citizenship by Descent

Estonian citizenship by descent is for people who had an Estonian parent when they were born, including cases where Estonian citizenship passed through an…

citizenship Czechia (Czech Republic)

Czech Citizenship Confirmation by Descent

Czech citizenship confirmation is for people who may already be Czech because Czech or Czechoslovak citizenship passed to them through an intact…

citizenship Czechia (Czech Republic)

Czech Citizenship for Descendants

Section 31 allows a non-Slovak citizen to acquire Czech citizenship by declaration when at least one parent or grandparent is or was a qualifying Czech or…

citizenship Czechia (Czech Republic)

Czech Citizenship for Former Citizens

Section 31 allows certain former Czech or Czechoslovak citizens to acquire Czech citizenship by declaration. It covers the principal pre-2014 loss branch…

citizenship Czechia (Czech Republic)

Czech Citizenship for Former Czechoslovaks

Czechia's Section 32 declaration route is for a narrow group of people connected to former Czechoslovak citizens who were still CSFR citizens at the end of…

citizenship Czechia (Czech Republic)

Czech Citizenship for Stateless Children

This narrow rule applies when a child was born in Czechia, would otherwise have been stateless, both parents were stateless, and at least one parent held…

citizenship Czechia (Czech Republic)

Czech Five-Year Permanent Residence

A third-country national who has completed five years of qualifying continuous temporary residence in Czechia may apply for permanent residence.

residency Czechia (Czech Republic)

Czech Permanent Residence for Czech Heritage

This discretionary permanent-residence route is for people abroad who can prove Czech ethnic origin and a real connection to Czech language or culture. It…

residency Greece

Greece Heritage Residence and Status

Greece has specific identity and residence procedures for certain non-citizens whom Greek authorities recognize as people of Greek origin (omogeneis).…

residency Greece

Greek Citizenship by Descent

A child of a Greek citizen generally acquires Greek citizenship at birth. For a person born abroad, the practical process is to prove that a parent was…

citizenship Andorra

Andorran Citizenship from Birth

This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in Andorra or in another qualifying birth situation connected to…

citizenship Poland

Poland Confirmation of Polish Citizenship

Polish citizenship confirmation is for a person who may already be a Polish citizen under the law, often through a Polish-citizen parent or an earlier…

citizenship Poland

Poland Repatriation Visa

Poland's repatriation visa is a narrow route for a principal applicant of Polish origin who permanently resided before 1 January 2001 in a listed…

citizenship Poland

Polish Citizenship Recovery

Polish citizenship restoration is for people who personally had Polish citizenship and lost it before 1 January 1999. It is not a descent route for…

citizenship Poland

Polish Citizenship by Adoption

A foreign child fully adopted by one or more Polish citizens before turning 16 acquires Polish citizenship by law and is treated as having acquired it from…

citizenship Poland

Polish Diaspora Card

Karta Polaka is a Polish diaspora status document for people who can show Polish identity, basic Polish language ability, and a qualifying Polish family or…

other Lithuania

Lithuania Heritage Permanent Residence

A non-Lithuanian citizen who is legally a person of Lithuanian origin or has the right to restore Lithuanian citizenship may apply directly for a…

residency Lithuania

Lithuanian Citizenship Recovery by Descent

Lithuanian citizenship restoration is for a former pre-15 June 1940 Lithuanian citizen or that citizen's child, grandchild, or great-grandchild. It…

citizenship Lithuania

Lithuanian Citizenship via Ethnic Origin

Lithuania's simplified citizenship procedure is for a person who has never been a Lithuanian citizen, has a parent or grandparent who is or was ethnically…

citizenship Croatia

Croatian Citizenship by Parent

Croatian citizenship by origin is a parent-based route. For people born on or after 8 October 1991, the result depends on whether one or both parents were…

citizenship Croatia

Croatian Citizenship for Emigrant Families

Article 11 lets a qualifying Croatian emigrant and that emigrant's descendants apply for Croatian citizenship without living in Croatia or passing the…

citizenship Portugal

Portugal Citizenship for Great-Grandchildren

Portugal has a special naturalization route for people who have legally lived in Portugal for at least five years and have a Portuguese great-grandparent.

citizenship Portugal

Portugal Citizenship for New-Citizen Children

A minor child may be able to acquire Portuguese nationality when a parent acquired Portuguese nationality after the child's birth. The route depends on the…

citizenship Portugal

Portugal Permanent Residence

Portugal has consolidation routes for people who have already lived legally in Portugal for about five years, including permanent residence and EU…

residency Portugal

Portugal Residence by Birth or Upbringing

Portugal has special residence-permit routes for certain people born in Portugal, raised there, or connected to a parent's Portuguese residence. These…

residency Portugal

Portuguese Citizenship Recovery

Portugal has limited routes for certain former Portuguese citizens to get nationality back. These include some older loss situations, such as loss during…

citizenship Portugal

Portuguese Citizenship by Adoption

A person adopted by a Portuguese citizen may be able to acquire Portuguese nationality by declaration. The key facts are the adoption, the adoptive…

citizenship Portugal

Portuguese Citizenship by Birth in Portugal

Portuguese nationality law includes several birth-in-Portugal rules. A person born in Portugal may already be Portuguese, or may be able to confirm…

citizenship Portugal

Portuguese Citizenship by Descent

Portuguese citizenship by descent is mainly for people with a Portuguese parent or grandparent. Parent cases are usually more direct, while grandparent…

citizenship Latvia

Latvian Citizenship Through an Ancestor

Adult descendants of a person who was a Latvian citizen on June 17, 1940 may seek citizenship recognition without proving exile. Historical citizenship,…

citizenship Latvia

Latvian Citizenship by Ethnic Heritage

This citizenship route is for people who can prove Latvian or Liv ethnic origin under Latvia's special nationality rules. It generally requires documentary…

citizenship Latvia

Latvian Citizenship for Exile Families

Latvia's exile-restoration route is for descendants of Latvian citizens who left during the occupation period or were forced into exile. It generally…

citizenship Chile

Chilean Citizenship by Birth in Chile

Most people born in Chile are Chilean citizens from birth. This check separates an ordinary Chilean birth record from the two constitutional exceptions and…

citizenship Chile

Chilean Citizenship by Descent

A person born outside Chile may be Chilean through a Chilean parent when the family line also contains a parent or grandparent who obtained Chilean…

citizenship Slovakia

Slovak Citizenship Confirmation by Descent

You may already be a Slovak citizen if a parent was Slovak when you were born, including if you were born abroad. This route provides official proof of…

citizenship Slovakia

Slovak Citizenship Grant for Descendants

You may apply if a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent was a Czechoslovak citizen born in present-day Slovakia and you have never been Slovak. No…

citizenship Slovakia

Slovak Citizenship Recovery for Ex-Citizens

Former Slovak citizens may apply to recover citizenship under rules that depend on when and how they lost it. An ancestor’s citizenship does not qualify…

citizenship Slovakia

Slovak Citizenship for Diaspora Members

A valid Slovak Living Abroad certificate can support a citizenship application after three years of continuous residence in Slovakia. Another branch…

citizenship Slovakia

Slovak Diaspora Certificate

The Slovak Living Abroad certificate recognizes a documented Slovak family connection and active involvement in Slovak culture, language, or community…

other Türkiye (Turkey)

Turkish Citizenship by Descent

Turkish citizenship by descent is for a person whose mother or father was a Turkish citizen when that person was born. Birth in Türkiye or a Turkish…

citizenship Türkiye (Turkey)

Türkiye Diaspora Rights Card for Ex-Citizens

The Mavi Kart documents Article 28 rights for a person who was Turkish by birth and left citizenship with official permission, and for qualifying…

other Hungary

Hungarian Citizenship Confirmation by Descent

Hungarian citizenship confirmation is for people whose Hungarian citizenship already passed through an intact family chain. It generally requires records…

citizenship Hungary

Hungarian Citizenship by Historic Ancestry

This is a simplified-naturalization screening route for people whose Hungarian-citizen or Hungarian-origin ancestor came from territory of the former…

citizenship Argentina

Argentine Citizenship by Birth in Argentina

People born in Argentina are generally Argentine citizens from birth, regardless of their parents' nationality or immigration status. The main statutory…

citizenship Argentina

Argentine Citizenship by Parent

A person born abroad can opt for Argentine nationality through an Argentine parent. The clearest consular route is for a child of a parent born in…

citizenship Uruguay

Uruguayan Citizenship by Birth in Uruguay

People born in Uruguay are Uruguayan natural citizens, whatever their parents' nationality or immigration status was at the time.

citizenship Uruguay

Uruguayan Citizenship by Family Descent

Foreign-born children and grandchildren of Uruguay-born people can document qualifying status through descent. Settlement and Electoral Court registration…

citizenship Romania

Romanian Citizenship by Descent or Recovery

Romanian citizenship by descent or restoration is for people with an intact Romanian citizenship chain, or descendants of former Romanian citizens within…

citizenship Bahamas

Bahamian Citizenship Registration at 18

A person born in The Bahamas after July 9, 1973 to two non-citizen parents may apply to register as a citizen during the 12 months beginning on their 18th…

citizenship Bahamas

Bahamian Citizenship by Birth

A person born in The Bahamas may already be a citizen under the 1973 independence rules or because either biological parent was Bahamian when the person…

citizenship Bahamas

Bahamian Citizenship by Descent

For a person born outside The Bahamas, citizenship depends on which parent is relied on, whether the parents were married, how that parent became Bahamian,…

citizenship Panama

Panamanian Citizenship by Birth in Panama

People born in Panama are Panamanian citizens by birth under the Constitution, regardless of their parents’ nationality or immigration status. The main…

citizenship Panama

Panamanian Citizenship by Descent

If you were born abroad to a Panamanian parent, you may qualify for Panamanian citizenship by birth. The rules depend on how the parent became Panamanian…

citizenship Georgia

Georgian Citizenship by Descent

Georgian citizenship by descent is for people whose parent was a Georgian citizen when they were born. It generally requires proof of the parent-child…

citizenship Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Citizenship Recovery

Former T&T citizens may have a restoration or certificate route if citizenship ended because of acquiring, or renouncing to acquire, another citizenship.

citizenship Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Citizenship by Adoption

A child adopted under Trinidad and Tobago law can acquire citizenship when at least one adoptive parent is a citizen. The qualifying adoption must occur…

citizenship Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Citizenship by Ancestry

Since October 10, 2025, a person born outside Trinidad and Tobago can qualify directly through a citizen grandparent, including one who was a citizen by…

citizenship Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Citizenship by Birth

A person born in Trinidad and Tobago is generally a citizen at birth, subject to narrow diplomatic and enemy-alien exceptions in the Constitution.

citizenship Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Citizenship by Parent

Since October 10, 2025, a person born outside Trinidad and Tobago can qualify through a parent who was a citizen at the time of birth, including a citizen…

citizenship Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Citizenship for Children

A parent or guardian can seek discretionary citizenship registration for a child born abroad whose parent is a Trinidad and Tobago citizen. The child must…

citizenship Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Citizenship

Commonwealth citizens, Republic of Ireland citizens, and British protected persons can be registered as Trinidad and Tobago citizens after meeting the…

citizenship Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Former-Citizen Residence

A former Trinidad and Tobago citizen who ceased to be a citizen because they voluntarily acquired another citizenship may apply for resident status under a…

residency Malaysia

Malaysian Citizenship by Descent

Malaysian citizenship through a parent depends on the birth date, parent’s status, parents’ marital status and registration rules. Some cases are…

citizenship Costa Rica

Costa Rican Citizenship by Birth

Birth in Costa Rica can lead to Costa Rican citizenship, but the rule depends on the parents. A child of a Costa Rican parent is Costa Rican by birth; a…

citizenship Costa Rica

Costa Rican Citizenship by Descent

A person born outside Costa Rica can become Costa Rican by birth when a parent is Costa Rican by birth and the person is registered while under 18 or…

citizenship Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Birth

A person born in Saint Kitts and Nevis on or after 19 September 1983 is generally a citizen from birth. Two narrow constitutional exceptions apply, while a…

citizenship Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Descent

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes citizenship by descent for a person whose parent or grandparent was born in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The exact…

citizenship Serbia

Serbian Citizenship by Descent

Serbian citizenship by descent depends on birthplace and both parents' citizenship at the time of birth. Some people acquire it automatically; a person…

citizenship Serbia

Serbian Citizenship by Heritage or Identity

Serbia has two application routes relevant to many families abroad: Article 18 for an emigrant from the Republic of Serbia or the emigrant's descendant,…

citizenship Thailand

Thai Citizenship by Descent

Thai citizenship by descent is for people whose parent was Thai when they were born. It generally requires proof of the Thai parent-child link and, for…

citizenship Bulgaria

Bulgarian Citizenship by Ancestry

Bulgaria's origin route is for people who can document Bulgarian origin through a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent when ordinary descent…

citizenship Bulgaria

Bulgarian Citizenship by Descent

Bulgarian citizenship by descent is for people born to a Bulgarian-citizen parent, including cases where Bulgarian citizenship passed through an intact…

citizenship Barbados

Barbados Citizenship by Birth

A person born in Barbados after 29 November 1966 is generally a citizen from birth unless a narrow diplomatic or enemy-occupation exception applied. A…

citizenship Barbados

Barbados Citizenship by Descent

A person born outside Barbados may have acquired citizenship through a Barbadian parent, but the result depends on the birth date, which parent was…

citizenship Barbados

Barbados Citizenship: Commonwealth or Irish

An adult Commonwealth or Irish citizen may apply for discretionary registration after a seven-year period of qualifying Barbados residence, government…

citizenship Barbados

Barbados Permanent Residence

Barbados permanent resident registration is available under a limited set of legal categories, including certain people who have held immigrant status for…

residency Grenada

Grenada Citizenship Through a Grandparent

An adult born abroad whose parents were never Grenadian citizens may apply through a Grenadian grandparent. Approval is discretionary and requires good…

citizenship Grenada

Grenada Citizenship by Birth

A person born in Grenada on or after independence on 7 February 1974 is generally a citizen at birth, subject to the Constitution's narrow foreign-envoy…

citizenship Grenada

Grenada Citizenship by Descent

For a person born outside Grenada on or after 7 February 1974, citizenship at birth generally requires a mother or father who was a Grenadian citizen at…

citizenship Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Birth

For births on or after 1 November 1981, the Constitution generally grants citizenship at birth to a person born in Antigua and Barbuda, subject to two…

citizenship Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Descent

A person born abroad on or after 1 November 1981 can be a citizen at birth where a parent held the kind of citizenship specified in section 113:…

citizenship Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda Long-Stay Residence

People with at least four continuous years of lawful ordinary residence immediately before applying can seek a residence permit in Antigua and Barbuda.…

residency Albania

Albanian Citizenship by Parent or Ancestry

Albanian law separates two family routes. A person born with an Albanian-citizen parent acquires citizenship automatically and can register at any age. A…

citizenship Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina Citizenship by Descent

This parent-to-child citizenship route depends on where and when the child was born, whether one or both parents were Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens at…

citizenship Armenia

Armenian Citizenship by Ethnic Origin

Armenian citizenship through ethnic origin is for people who can prove Armenian heritage, even without ordinary long-term residence in Armenia. It…

citizenship Armenia

Armenian Citizenship by Parent

Armenian citizenship through a parent is for people who had an Armenian-citizen parent when they were born or who can acquire citizenship through that…

citizenship Armenia

Armenian Heritage Special Residence

Armenian ancestry can support a ten-year special-residence application under the current rules. An enacted reform replaces new grants from November 1,…

residency Mexico

Mexican Citizenship Through Adoption

Mexico has a one-year naturalization route for some people adopted by Mexican citizens or placed under their parental authority. It requires a qualifying…

citizenship Mexico

Mexican Citizenship by Birth in Mexico

People born in Mexican territory are Mexican nationals by birth regardless of their parents' nationality or immigration status. This pathway is usually…

citizenship Mexico

Mexican Citizenship by Descent

Mexican citizenship by descent is for people born abroad with a Mexican parent, and in some cases a family line where the parent can claim Mexican…

citizenship Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Former Citizen Permanent Residence

A former Sri Lankan citizen whose citizenship ceased under the specified provisions of the Citizenship Act can apply for a Permanent Residence Visa.

residency Dominican Republic

Dominican Citizenship by Birth

This pathway is for a person born in the Dominican Republic whose birth falls outside the constitutional exclusions for children of foreign diplomats,…

citizenship Dominican Republic

Dominican Citizenship by Descent

This pathway is for a person born outside the Dominican Republic who can document that at least one legal parent is Dominican. The practical process is…

citizenship Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia Citizenship by Birth

This pathway is for people born in Saint Lucia who may already be citizens under the post-independence birth rule or the Constitution's independence-day…

citizenship Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia Citizenship by Descent

A person born outside Saint Lucia may already be a citizen through a Saint Lucian parent. A separate rule can cover certain people through a parent or…

citizenship Ecuador

Ecuador 21-Month Permanent Residence

You can apply for permanent residence after at least 21 continuous months of qualifying temporary residence in Ecuador, with no more than 90 days abroad…

residency Ecuador

Ecuadorian Citizenship by Birth in Ecuador

A person born in Ecuador is Ecuadorian by birth under Article 7 of the Constitution, regardless of the parents' nationality or immigration status. The…

citizenship Ecuador

Ecuadorian Citizenship by Descent

A person born abroad can be Ecuadorian by birth when a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent was born in Ecuador. Civil records must connect every…

citizenship Moldova

Moldovan Citizenship by Family or Recovery

This pathway covers three different situations: citizenship from birth through a Moldovan parent, citizenship recognition through qualifying Moldovan or…

citizenship North Macedonia

North Macedonian Citizenship by Descent

North Macedonian citizenship by descent is mainly a parent-to-child route, with registration deadlines for many people born abroad to one citizen parent.…

citizenship Peru

Peruvian Citizenship by Birth or Parent

Peruvian nationality by birth or parentage covers people born in Peru and some people born abroad to a Peruvian parent. It generally requires registration…

citizenship Brazil

Brazilian Citizenship by Birth in Brazil

A person born in Brazil is generally a natural-born Brazilian citizen. The narrow constitutional exception is a child whose parents were foreign and were…

citizenship Brazil

Brazilian Citizenship by Parent Abroad

A person born abroad to a Brazilian parent can be a natural-born Brazilian through the parent's service to Brazil, consular birth registration, or…

citizenship Colombia

Colombian Citizenship by Birth in Colombia

A person born in Colombia is Colombian by birth when a parent was Colombian, or when a foreign parent had the legally required domicile in Colombia at the…

citizenship Colombia

Colombian Citizenship by Descent

A person born outside Colombia can be Colombian by birth through a Colombian mother or father. The person must also register the foreign birth with a…

citizenship Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent Permanent Residence

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines accepts permanent-residence applications after seven consecutive years of temporary residence or from holders of an…

residency Jamaica

Jamaican Citizenship Restoration

Former Jamaican citizens who formally renounced their citizenship can apply to have it restored. PICA requires evidence of the former citizenship, the…

citizenship Jamaica

Jamaican Citizenship by Descent

Jamaican citizenship by descent is for people born outside Jamaica who qualify through a Jamaican parent. The rule differs depending on whether the…

citizenship Suriname

Suriname Residence Through Origin

A residence process for foreign citizens with a qualifying Surinamese origin, including certain people born in Suriname and their children.

residency Ukraine

Ukraine Origin-Based Permanent Residence

People eligible through the statutory territorial-origin connection may apply for an immigration permit outside the quota and then obtain…

residency Ukraine

Ukrainian Citizenship through Origin

A qualifying personal or family connection to Ukrainian territory can support citizenship registration, with current language, civic-knowledge and…

citizenship Ukraine

Ukrainian Citizenship through a Parent

People who acquired Ukrainian citizenship through a parent at birth can seek recognition and the documents that establish their citizenship.

citizenship Dominica

Dominica Citizenship by Birth

A person born in Dominica on or after independence on 3 November 1978 is generally a citizen at birth, subject to the Constitution's narrow foreign-envoy…

citizenship Dominica

Dominica Citizenship by Descent

Citizenship for a person born abroad depends on a parent who was already Dominican through birth in Dominica or a qualifying independence provision.…

citizenship Dominica

Dominica Permanent Residence

People with five years of residence or employment in Dominica may apply for permanent residence. Approval remains discretionary and requires records of…

residency Fiji

Fiji Citizenship for Former Citizens

An adult who previously held Fijian citizenship can apply to be registered again as a Fiji citizen, subject to identity, former-citizenship, character, and…

citizenship Fiji

Fijian Citizenship by Birth or Parent

Fiji citizenship can arise from birth in Fiji on or after April 10, 2009, or through a parent who was actually a Fiji citizen when the applicant was born.…

citizenship Paraguay

Paraguayan Citizenship Through a Parent

A person born abroad to a qualifying Paraguayan parent can obtain Paraguayan natural nationality, but the procedure depends on whether a parent was serving…

citizenship Paraguay

Paraguayan Citizenship by Birth in Paraguay

A person born in Paraguayan territory is a Paraguayan national by origin under Article 146 of the Constitution and Law No. 7052.

citizenship Vietnam

Vietnamese Citizenship Restoration

Former Vietnamese citizens can apply for restoration without a separate family, investment or return-to-Vietnam ground. Approval and permission to keep…

citizenship Vietnam

Vietnamese Citizenship by Descent

Vietnamese citizenship at birth depends on each parent's citizenship when the child was born and, in some mixed-nationality families, the nationality…

citizenship Lebanon

Lebanon Citizenship Through a Father

A person born to a Lebanese father may already be Lebanese. The practical task is proving the father’s status and registering the birth in Lebanese…

citizenship South Africa

South African Citizenship Recovery

South Africans affected by the invalid former retention-permission rule can confirm citizenship through the reinstatement portal. Other former citizens may…

citizenship South Africa

South African Citizenship by Adoption

South African citizenship law includes a route for children adopted by South African citizens, subject to the adoption being legally recognized and the…

citizenship South Africa

South African Citizenship by Birth

South African citizenship by birth can apply to people born in South Africa, especially where a parent was a South African citizen, where the person would…

citizenship South Africa

South African Citizenship through a Parent

South African law can treat a person born outside South Africa as a citizen when a parent was a South African citizen at the time of birth. The practical…

citizenship Philippines

Philippine Citizenship Recovery

If you were Filipino from birth and became a citizen of another country through naturalization, Republic Act 9225 may let you retain or regain Philippine…

citizenship Philippines

Philippine Citizenship by Descent

You are usually Filipino from birth if either parent was a Philippine citizen when you were born, including if you were born abroad. You may need to report…

citizenship Belize

Belizean Citizenship by Birth in Belize

A person born in Belize before independence generally became a citizen on September 21, 1981, and a person born there from that date is generally a citizen…

citizenship Belize

Belizean Citizenship by Descent

Belizean citizenship by descent covers a person born abroad from September 21, 1981 whose parent was Belizean at the birth, plus specific parent,…

citizenship El Salvador

Salvadoran Citizenship by Birth

A person born in El Salvador is Salvadoran by birth under Article 90(1) of the Constitution.

citizenship El Salvador

Salvadoran Citizenship by Descent

A person born abroad is Salvadoran by birth when their mother or father was Salvadoran at the time of birth. A separate 2026 rule can cover some minor…

citizenship Bangladesh

Bangladesh No Visa Required

Eligible foreign citizens of Bangladeshi origin, and qualifying spouses and children, can seek a No Visa Required endorsement in their foreign passport.

residency India

India Diaspora Card

OCI registration is for certain foreign citizens with a qualifying Indian-origin connection, minor children of Indian citizens, and some foreign spouses of…

other India

Indian Citizenship by Descent

Indian citizenship by descent is a narrow statutory route for people born outside India to an Indian parent, with different rules for births before…

citizenship Ghana

Ghana Diaspora Right of Abode

Adults of African descent in the diaspora with substantial prior residence and ties to Ghana may apply for discretionary Right of Abode.

residency Ghana

Ghana Former Citizen Right of Abode

A former Ghanaian who lost Ghanaian citizenship through acquiring another nationality can apply for Right of Abode.

residency Ghana

Ghanaian Citizenship by Parent or Grandparent

Ghanaian citizenship through family depends on the law in force on the applicant's date of birth. The broad parent-or-grandparent rule applies to people…

citizenship Kenya

Kenyan Citizenship by Parent

Kenya's Constitution treats a person as a citizen by birth if, on the day the person was born, either the mother or father was a Kenyan citizen. The rule…

citizenship Nepal

Nepal NRN Cardholder Visa

A foreign passport holder with a valid Non-Resident Nepali card can seek the associated Nepal visa and extensions.

residency Nigeria

Nigerian Citizenship by Birth

Nigerian citizenship by birth covers people who fit Section 25 of Nigeria's Constitution. The clearest modern case is a person born outside Nigeria to a…

citizenship Nigeria

Nigerian Citizenship for Grandchildren

Nigerian citizenship by registration can be available to an adult born outside Nigeria whose grandparent is a Nigerian citizen. The applicant must also…

citizenship Pakistan

Pakistan Origin Card

Certain foreign nationals with documented Pakistani origin or a qualifying family connection can apply for a Pakistan Origin Card.

residency Benin

Benin Afro-Descendant Citizenship

Benin allows qualifying adult descendants of people deported from sub-Saharan Africa during the slave trade to apply for nationality by recognition.

citizenship