Citizenship by ancestry, or citizenship by descent, is a way to obtain nationality in a second country based purely on your family ties.
Many countries offer this opportunity, but the application rules vary depending on where your ancestors came from. To make things easier, we’ve put together a list of some of the countries where you might qualify for citizenship based on your heritage.
In Ireland there are two ways to gain citizenship based on your ancestry:
One of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, or;
One of your parents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth, even though they were not born on the island of Ireland.
Italian citizenship is based on iure sanguinis (right of blood), meaning you can claim citizenship if you were born to an Italian citizen.
Even if your parents weren’t Italian citizens, you might still be eligible—as long as your ancestor was an Italian citizen after Italy’s unification in 1861 and never renounced their citizenship.
German bureaucracy can be tricky to navigate—trust me, I had a hard time piecing it all together—but here’s what I was able to understand:
You may be eligible for citizenship by descent if one of your parents was a German citizen at the time of your birth.
Additionally, post-WWII changes allow descendants of those who lost their German citizenship due to Nazi persecution to reclaim it. Basically, the law recognizes that citizenship would have been passed down to you if not for those historical events.
You might be eligible for Polish citizenship if your parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents were Polish citizens and left Poland between the late 19th century and the end of WWII, or if they held citizenship after that period and never renounced it.
Hungary recognizes descendants of Hungarian citizens as citizens by birth, regardless of where they were born or how many generations have lived abroad.
If any of your parents or grandparents were Hungarian citizens at the time of your birth, there’s a good chance that you are a citizen yourself.
If you have Portuguese roots, you might be eligible for citizenship if you:
Have a Portuguese grandparent who has not lost their Portuguese nationality.
Officially declare your intent to acquire Portuguese nationality by submitting the required declaration.
Demonstrate a connection to the Portuguese community.
*Note: it’s in Portuguese!
If you have British roots, there are a couple of ways to move to the UK—whether temporarily or permanently!
Ancestry Visa: If one of your grandparents was a UK citizen, you can apply for an ancestry visa, allowing you to live, work, and stay in the UK for up to five years.
Citizenship by Descent: If you were born outside the UK to British parents, you may be eligible for British citizenship. However, keep in mind that this citizenship isn’t automatically passed down to your children.
Just like with Germany, I found Canadian citizenship laws a bit tricky to navigate—especially since they’re changing soon.
As of right now, if you were born outside of Canada to Canadian citizens, you’re eligible for citizenship by descent. However, a recent ruling has declared this law unconstitutional, and changes are set to take effect on March 29, 2025.
If you think you might qualify, it’s probably best to start the process sooner rather than later!
Gaining South African citizenship can be a bit more restrictive, but there are a couple of key ways you might qualify:
If you were born outside of South Africa, you can claim citizenship by descent if one of your parents was a South African citizen at the time of your registered birth.
If you were adopted by a South African citizen while born outside of the country, you can also claim citizenship—as long as your birth was registered.
Like many African countries, Kenya grants citizenship by descent only to the first generation born outside the country.
This means that whether you were born in Kenya or abroad, you may qualify if either your mother or father was a Kenyan citizen at the time of your birth.
When it comes to Asian countries, citizenship rules can be even more strict, and South Korea is no exception.
South Korea offers several programs for first and second-generation individuals born outside the country, but the process involves many exceptions and legal complexities that can make it challenging to navigate.
The best approach? Gather as much proof of descent as possible and seek guidance from a legal expert.
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