How to get dual Citizenship in Europe

Acquiring citizenship of a member nation of the European Union opens up an entire continent for the individual. By virtue of the Maastricht Treaty, every citizen of a member nation of the EU enjoys freedom of movement and right to employment across the EU. The European Union and its member nations have a great record for protecting the rights of citizens and offering equal opportunities for all. With high indices in quality of life and lower pollution levels, one of the best destinations to make home is undeniably an EU member nation. Rather than having to wait long and go through lengthy procedures to enter the EU, it is advisable to choose a convenient method to enter the continent of opportunities. Here are some of the best legal ways to acquire dual citizenship in Europe.

Citizenship by naturalisation

A foreign national who is the spouse of a citizen of a member nation, can acquire citizenship by naturalisation. Despite the fact that different nations have specific laws regarding naturalisation, the eligibility criteria are broadly the same. It is possible to become a naturalised citizen by marriage to a citizen of the EU. The difference lies in the number of years of marriage, and residence in the destination country. This option can be legally exercised, provided the individual is in a relationship or has entered the wedlock.

Entering as an investor

Most of the European Union nations accept and welcome foreign nationals who wish to invest in the member nation. This automatically translates into easier citizenship. This is a preferred option for foreign nationals willing to both invest in business and to settle down in the EU. Member nations that offer citizenship by investment have different figures for investment that needs to be made. For foreign nationals who possess sufficient funds, this option is by far, the easiest one.

Naturalisation by the principle of lus sanguinis

Most of the European Union member nations offer citizenship to foreign nationals on proof of having had roots/ancestors in that nation. This option does involve a certain amount of official red tape in some nations where it would be necessary to obtain many documents and submit the same. After the process of verification, which would typically take a lot of time, the application may be either accepted or rejected. This option is limited to those who are actually related by blood to citizens, living or past, in that nation.

Continuous residency in member nations

Another option, which could actually be time consuming, is to take up continuous residency for a certain period in member nations. This grants eligibility to the foreign national. The number of years an individual need to reside in member nations would differ from nation to nation. However, in some nations, clauses do exist, where the minimum number of year are halved in special cases. This can help to speed up the process of obtaining citizenship. The advantage of such an option is the fact that such individuals would have grasped the language, and the way of living in that nation during the period of residency.