Probably all of us sometimes think about moving abroad, and though that idea is not always easy to realize, there are some countries very open and convenient for foreigners, which is why we bring you the list of 7 easiest citizenships to get in Europe.
It is not always simple to move abroad, and though there are maybe some job opportunities, chances to study, or develop oneself in any other way, the notion of not belonging to one country in terms of owning the passport and all of the rights as a legal citizen bother us and prevent us from doing it eventually. However, some countries will be quite easy to deal with, especially in terms of getting citizenship, and if you are one of those people who would like to get the new one, but also keep the citizenship of their own country, you should check the list of 7 Easiest Countries to Get Dual Citizenship.
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If one of your parents is a foreign citizen, this is probably the easiest way to get the citizenship of that country. However, the great thing is that you do not need to have family connections in order to get the citizenship in Europe. Since we wanted to give you the most relevant information in terms of what are the requirements to apply for one country’s citizenship, how long you need to stay there in order to be eligible, or whether marriage, job or studies are always the solutions for becoming a citizen, we took into consideration all of the European countries, not only those that are the members of EU. On the other side, we are aware that exactly the member states are the most wanted ones because when you get the citizenship of any of these countries, that gives you the majority of rights and privileges in any other EU state as well.
Requirements in terms of the years that you need to spend in one country are taken as the main tool to make the proper classification, but the types of citizenships such as those based on education, marriage to a citizen or a job experience are taken into consideration as well. Web sites such as Quora and Nomad Capitalist were very much helpful in making this list, but some things that we found at Investopedia also served a great deal.
So, if you are one of those people who think about moving to one of the European countries, let us give you the details about the 7 easiest citizenships to get in Europe.
7. Norway
One of the most developed countries in EU is definitely very attractive to people from abroad, and many would not mind living there and acquiring citizenship. Let us just present you several facts about this amazing country, just to give you a food for thought if you are thinking about moving abroad. Norway is among the wealthiest European countries, with the amazing natural sights, where many people speak English, so you don’t have to worry about the language in the very beginning. It has one of the world’s best health care systems, and if you are a family person, this country will provide the best conditions to raise children and support their education. Eventually, if you want to become a citizen, you will need to be older than 18, have at least 7 years of residence, clear criminal record and to have sufficient knowledge of Norwegian. Sounds fair to us! Now, let’s see what’s next on our list of easiest citizenships to get in Europe.
6. Portugal
This more than beautiful country that shares its border with Spain is also very convenient for becoming a citizen, and is probably an option that you should consider if you want to have another one since dual citizenship is allowed. Before we let you know what are the requirements to get it, let us tell you something about Portugal that you might not know. If you are a lover of sun, it would be useful to know that this country has more than 300 sunny days, besides having friendly and communicative people and delicious food. You will be so close to Africa and Latin America, but still living in Europe. If you are married to a Portuguese citizen, you may apply for the citizenship after three years, but if you want to get it through naturalization, that is living and working or studying in Portugal, you will have to wait approximately 6 years. Of course, being 18 and knowing language even a little bit is mandatory.
5. United Kingdom
Wouldn’t you be thrilled to live in a country that probably has the richest history and culture, and to simply walk the streets knowing that probably each corner has many stories to share? Living in the UK is like living in a giant museum, and besides that, you will have a great healthcare, English language, and friendly people. According to one of The Guardian’s report, the United Kingdom is actually the country which has one of the best social connections among people, completely opposite to the wide-spread belief that the people are very cold and hard to reach. Eventually, if you want to live in this promising land of Shakespeare, you will need to be an adult person, without a criminal record, who speaks English and is familiar with the history of the Royal family and the country in general. Six years of residence is mandatory, and dual citizenship is allowed, and this is why the country is on the list of 7 easiest citizenships to get in Europe.
4. Belgium
If you are a lover of cozy and small countries, then Belgium is the right place to move. This is a very multicultural country, and it is hard to feel like a foreigner here because the people as well are very generous and welcoming. And they really like to party a lot! It is divided into three regions, but the divisions basically don’t make any difference, since all of the people here are treated equally and with respect. They also have one of the best healthcare systems, which is probably one of the most important things. Though the whole process of getting a citizenship may take around 5 years, it is good to know that after 3 years of residence you may apply for it and wait for the final resolution around two years. In the meantime, you may enjoy living there. Of course, besides the duration of staying, it is really important to be over 18, with a clear record, and to speak one of the three official languages. And, you may also keep your original citizenship.
3. France
Weather in France, the number three on our list easiest citizenships to get in Europe is also one of the most beautiful in Europe, and though it has four seasons, the south of the country has even more than 300 sunny days a year. Of course, weather conditions are not enough to decide to move to one country, so we’ll bring you some other information. For example, France is the most convenient country to live in, but also to travel a lot across Europe. Though it looks like one, it is not an expensive country at all, especially if you decide to live in a smaller city. They have delicious food, healthy lifestyle, and incredible people who are mostly hedonists. If you liked all of the previously mentioned things about France, make sure to remember that in order to become a citizen, you need to have five consecutive years of residence in this country. Besides this, you will need to have a desired knowledge of the language, to complete civic training, and attend some information sessions. Of course, you may do any of these things once when you’re 18.
2. Malta
You probably did not see this coming, but Malta, next on our list of easiest citizenships to get in Europe is one of the most convenient countries to move to, and the process of getting citizenship is quite an interesting one. Before getting to that, let us just present you this small country in a few words. It is an incredible fact to know that both, Maltese and English, are official languages of Malta and that almost 90% of people speak English, and around 70% speak Italian as well. That means that it is impossible not to establish a great communication with people. The food here is amazing, and climate is also very mild, with warm winters and pleasant summers. Since it is an island, no matter where you live, you are always near the sea. Regarding the citizenship, you need to fulfill those regular things, like having a residence for 5 years, being 18 or older, with a clear criminal record, but there is also one more interesting thing. Malta has so-called Malta Individual Investor Programme, and, for example, among all the possibilities, you may get the citizenship if you buy a real estate of €350,000 or more, and maintain the ownership for 5 years. Welcome to Malta!
1. Sweden
Many reasons brought Sweden, the first on our list of easiest citizenships to get in Europe to the first place, and we are sure that you will fall in love with this country just after reading some of them. This country is considered to be one of the best countries in the world, with a bunch of paid holidays for working people, parental leaves that are equal for both of the parents, and the healthcare system that is unbelievably good. Its citizens have a very comfortable lifestyle, pay a lot of attention to free time activities and enjoy their benefits. Free education for almost everyone is just another thing to add to the list of incredible things that we found out about this country. In order to get Swedish passport, you must be at least 18 years old and have at least five consecutive years of permanent residence there. Nordic citizens are privileged in a way they only need two years of residence to get citizenship. A clear criminal record and language knowledge also count a lot, so don’t wait for a second and start making plans about how to get to this country that proudly stands first on the list of 7 easiest citizenships to get in Europe.
