Understanding Dual Citizenship, the Benefits, and the Process

You may have heard the term “dual citizenship” before but have not been entirely sure what it meant. It is a bit of a complex question since the concept can mean different things to different people. For one thing, dual citizenship is different from having a second citizenship.

Simply put, dual citizenship means being a citizen of two countries simultaneously. A person is a dual citizen when he lives in one country but is also a citizen of another. However, there are other ways to look at it too. For example, some might say that dual citizenship exists when someone holds two passports from different countries. Or when someone is a national of two countries.  

Dual citizenship is not permitted in every country. Fundamentally, countries have different laws on dual citizenship. Dual citizenship is a complex matter, so it is essential to research the laws of both countries before deciding to become a dual citizen. 

Relinquishing your original passport is not ideal. However, trading one passport for a more powerful one is not necessarily a bad thing. Regardless, before making such a decision, you need to know all about the countries that allow dual citizenship and those that do not.

Some countries still strictly forbid acquiring a second passport. However, in recent years several countries have fostered a more favourable attitude towards allowing their citizens to hold Dual Citizenship, either through recognising Dual/Multiple Citizenship or amending their requirements for naturalisation.

The Process of Obtaining Dual Citizenship

The process of obtaining dual citizenship varies from one country to the other. It is essential to look into the laws and regulations of the countries where you want to obtain dual citizenship. The following are just some of the processes:  

Birth

Firstly, an individual can be a non-resident but still gain citizenship if their parents were born in that country. You might claim dual citizenship if you were born in certain countries. For instance, if you were born in the United States to parents from another country, you may be eligible for dual citizenship. 

Naturalisation

Secondly, an individual can acquire citizenship for a certain number of years as a permanent resident. For example, permanent residents of Canada must reside in Canada for four out of six years to be eligible to apply for citizenship. However, individuals with temporary status must gain permanent residency to start counting their years as residents toward the citizenship requirement.    

Marriage

Additionally, some countries grant permanent resident status upon marriage with a citizen, which speeds up the time needed to become an official citizen. 

Investment

Moreover, many countries now offer citizenship or residency by investment programmes to high-net-worth individuals. Citizenship by investment is acquiring second citizenship by investing in the host country’s economy. Residency by investment programmes offers permanent residency after the investment, which again speeds up the time to citizenship.