EU Countries with Citizenship by Descent

EU Countries with Citizenship by Descent (Jus Sanguinis)

1. Ireland

Eligibility:

• Parent or grandparent born in Ireland

Requirements:

• Documentation: birth certificates

• No residence requirement

• No language requirement

Sources:

• https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving-country/irish-citizenship/foreign-births-register/ → (Citizens Information – Public Services Information from the Citizens Information Board)

• https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/great-britain/our-services/citizenship/born-outside-ireland/ → (Department of Foreign Affairs – Embassy of Ireland in Great Britain)

2. Italy

Eligibiility:

• Documentation proving parent or grandparent born in Italy

• Descendants through maternal line, applicant must have been born on or after January 1, 1948

• Ancestor must have been born after March 17, 1861, or died after that date

• Unbroken chain of Italian citizenship from ancestor to the applicant, with no voluntary renunciation

Requirements:

• Documentation: birth certificates

• No residence requirement

• No language requirement

Sources:

• https://conslondra.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-straniero/cittadinanza/cittadinanza-per-discendenza/ → (Italian Consulate in London – Citizenship by Descent / “Jure Sanguinis” Guidelines from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation)

3. Germany

Eligibiility:

• Parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent born in Germany

• Unbroken lineage from ancestor to applicant, no voluntary renunciation

Requirements:

• Documentation: birth/marriage/death certificates, as well as any other documents proving ancestor's German citizenship

• No residence requirement

• No language requirement

Sources:

• https://www.bva.bund.de/EN/Services/Citizens/ID-Documents-Law/Citizenship/citizenship_node.html
  → (Federal Office of Administration – Citizenship Services page for determining German citizenship, including by descent and restitution)

• https://www.bva.bund.de/DE/Services/Buerger/Ausweis-Dokumente-Recht/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Feststellung_Start/Feststellung1_node.html
  → (Federal Office of Administration – Application for declaration of German citizenship by descent [“Feststellung der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit”])

• https://www.bva.bund.de/DE/Services/Buerger/Ausweis-Dokumente-Recht/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Feststellung_Start/Feststellung/01_Informationen_Feststellung/01_02_F_wie_geht_es/01_02_F_wie_geht_es_node.html → (BVA – Affairs for declaration-acquisition of citizenship via ancestry per Article V ("Feststellung") in Germany) 

4. Lithuania

Eligibiility:

• Parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent was a Lithuanian citizen before June 15, 1940

• Or parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent lost ciitzenship due to emigration after 1990

Requirements:

• Documentation: birth/marriage/death certificates, proof of ancestor's citizenship, emigration records, and any supporting archival documents

• No residence requirement

• No language requirement

Sources:

• https://www.migracija.lt/web/certificate-of-lithuanian-descent → (Migration Department, Ministry of the Interior – Certificate of Lithuanian Descent and simplified path to citizenship)

5. Poland

Eligibiility:

• Parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent was a Polish citizen, without voluntary renunciation

Requirements:

• Documentation: birth/marriage/death certificates, as well as any other documents proving ancestor's Polish citizenship

• No residence requirement

• No language requirement

Sources:

• https://www.gov.pl/web/mswia-en/apply-to-be-recognised-as-a-polish-citizen → (Ministry of the Interior and Administration – Information on recognition of Polish citizenship by descent)

6. Croatia

Eligibiility:

• Parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents of Croatian citizens

• Unbroken chain of Croatian citizenship from ancestor to the applicant, with no voluntary renunciation of Croatian citizenship

Requirements:

• Documentation: birth/marriage/death certificates, proof of ancestors' Croatian citizenship

• No residence requirement

• No language requirement

Sources:

• https://mup.gov.hr/uzg-citizenship-31976/31976 → (Ministry of the Interior – Regulations on acquisition of Croatian citizenship by descent for emigrants and their descendants)

7. Romania

Eligibiility:

• Parent, grandparent, or further ancestors were Romanian citizens

• No voluntary renunciation of Romanian citizenship

Requirements:

• Documentation: birth/marriage/death certificates, proof of ancestor's Romanian citizenship

• No residence requirement

• No language requirement

Sources:

• https://www.mae.ro/en/node/20117 → (Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Nationality and Citizenship Policy)

8. Estonia

Eligibiility:

• At least one parent was an Estonian citizen, without renunciation of Estonian citizenship

Requirements:

• Documentation: birth certificates, proof of parent's Estonian citizenship

• No residence requirement

• No language requirement

Sources:

• https://www.politsei.ee/en/citizenship → (Estonian Police and Border Guard Board – Official citizenship guidance, including citizenship by birth and descent)