There are four ways to do this:
- Citizenship by Birth
If you are lucky, you may be eligible for a second passport right now – without even knowing it! Certain countries offer ancestral citizenship to those who can prove family ties to the country. This means you may be able to hit the dual citizenship jackpot. Some people can even claim multiple second citizenships using the ancestral method. If you have a heritage in Israel, Ireland, Brazil, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Spain, Brazil, Canada, Poland, Mexico, and even the U.K, you may be eligible for Birthright citizenship. - Citizenship by Marriage
A citizenship by marriage is almost a guarantee. Countries like France and the United States will fast-track the naturalization timeline for spouses to obtain citizenship. In Cape Verde, you can get married and immediately become a citizen. - Citizenship by Investment
Also called ‘economic citizenship,’ this is usually the fastest and easiest way to get a second passport. The process is straightforward: a country will confer citizenship upon you in exchange for an investment in the country or a purchase of real estate. It will usually take about six months to get this done. Several countries offer economic citizenship programs ‘off the rack,’ with several others offering more tailored solutions. In general, the prices for economic citizenship programs go up over time, with an occasional new player offering a lower price. - Fast-track Citizenship
You can be granted citizenship based on special circumstances that are set out by the government. This is a bit of a curveball because there are no hard-cut rules to granting fast-track citizenship. Often referred to as citizenship by exception, the decision to grant fast-track citizenship is often at the discretion of the head of state, be it a president or a sultan. A good example of fast-track naturalization is the Middle East. The countries there often want to recruit promising athletes from Africa to compete for them. So, they’ll hand them a passport and grant them Qatari citizenship, for instance, and off they go to the Olympic games. It has also happened in Asia where they have naturalized people who are extremely skilled in arts. And a final opportunity presents itself to those who are willing to make a substantial investment (that will most likely be returned, often with a profit) in a country. - Citizenship by Naturalization
This is where you spend time on the ground, build up legal residence time in another country, and eventually apply for citizenship as the ‘payoff’. The same way you’ve seen immigrants attending ceremonies to become naturalized as American/British/Canadian/etc. citizens, you can become a naturalized citizen of another country. If you’re willing to be patient, that is.
It’s a process that can take as little as two years or as many as 30. This will depend on the country where you’re seeking your second passport. Some of these countries, like Canada, have strict requirements for physical presence in the country. For others, you may only need to set foot in the country once or twice a year.
Fun fact: Tina Turner had to live in Switzerland for at least twelve years before being eligible for citizenship there.
And, sometimes, there are cultural, language, and historical knowledge exams too, not to mention that some countries will require you to relinquish any other citizenship(s) that you might have.
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