Your Grandparents Could Be The Key To An EU Passport — Here’s How

With growing global mobility and economic uncertainty, many people are turning to their family trees as potential pathways to a second passport.

Several European countries offer citizenship by descent, known as jus sanguinis, which allows individuals with European ancestry to reclaim citizenship rights even if they were born abroad. This route is often faster and less restrictive than residency-based naturalization.

EU citizenship grants the right to live, work, and study across all 27 member states, and — through the extension of free movement rights — also in Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein under the European Economic Area agreement, and in Switzerland through a separate bilateral treaty, according to the European Free Trade Association. Recent legal reforms across Europe have reshaped these programs, with some countries expanding opportunities while others are tightening eligibility.

Ireland Remains Open As Italy Tightens And Others Shift

Ireland remains one of the most accessible pathways for descendants abroad. Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, anyone with an Irish-born grandparent can register on the Foreign Births Register and become an Irish citizen, provided they can supply the necessary birth and marriage certificates to prove their lineage. This provision has made Irish citizenship particularly popular among Americans, Canadians, and Australians with Irish heritage.

Italy, long known for one of Europe’s most generous citizenship by descent systems, has recently tightened its rules. In March 2025, the Italian government restricted eligibility for jure sanguinis citizenship. Under the new law, people born abroad who also hold another nationality are considered not to have acquired Italian citizenship unless they meet certain conditions.

These include having a parent or grandparent who holds or held exclusively Italian citizenship, or having a parent who lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years before the applicant’s birth. This change effectively limits new claims to individuals with closer ties, in stark contrast to the previous system that had no generational limit.

Citizenship Options In Poland, Hungary, And Lithuania

Other countries are taking varied approaches. Poland still recognizes citizenship claims from descendants of Polish citizens who did not lose their nationality before the applicant’s birth. While this can extend beyond grandparents, proving continuous citizenship is often complex due to Poland’s shifting borders and legal changes before 1951.

Hungary also offers a broad route through ancestors, including great-grandparents, particularly from territories that were once part of Greater Hungary. Applicants do not need to live in Hungary, but they must pass an interview conducted in Hungarian and demonstrate at least an intermediate level of knowledge of the language.

Lithuania grants citizenship to descendants of citizens who held Lithuanian nationality before June 15, 1940, including those who fled during the Soviet occupation. This applies to children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Lithuania also allows dual citizenship in these reinstatement cases for those whose ancestors left before March 11, 1990.

Portugal And Germany Introduce Major Reforms

Portugal has recently tightened its well-known citizenship route for descendants of Sephardic Jews. Under the new law, which took effect in April 2024, applicants must now prove their Sephardic heritage through certification by a recognized Jewish community. They must also have legally resided in Portugal for at least three years prior to applying.

On the other hand, Germany has moved in the opposite direction by liberalizing its nationality laws in 2024. The reform, in force since June 27, 2024, allows for broader acceptance of dual citizenship and reduces the standard residency requirement for naturalization from eight to five years, or even three for applicants who demonstrate strong integration achievements.

It also eases the process for descendants of former German citizens who lost their nationality as a result of persecution, making it simpler to reclaim citizenship without renouncing another nationality.

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