STOCKHOLM: The Netherlands just dropped its 10-year residency rule for foreign nationals who want to become citizens. People are calling this a big step toward making Dutch citizenship more accessible.
According to foreign news agencies, the Dutch government has not made any changes to its rules on dual nationality. The process of obtaining Dutch citizenship now allows people to become citizens through simpler methods.
The new law eliminates the 10-year residency requirement that foreign residents needed to fulfil before they could apply for Dutch citizenship. The new law enables applicants to maintain their original citizenship when they become Dutch citizens because they must renounce their original nationality.
The Netherlands and Austria are currently the only European Union countries that do not allow new citizens to hold dual nationality. Germany has enacted new laws that permit people to maintain their original citizenship while they obtain German nationality.
Dutch policy has faced criticism from legal experts who assert that the government discriminates against new citizens because it permits native Dutch citizens to hold multiple passports while denying this privilege to new citizens.
Fast-track citizenship options in Europe you should know
Meanwhile, many countries across the world provide more or less simple ways to acquire citizenship, luring those who want a second nationality, better visa-free travel, or just looking for a new life in another country. Recent reports point to European and other nations that have made it easier for foreigners to obtain citizenship.
Dominica: Simple and Quick Citizenship
Dominica stands as one of the most affordable nations to have citizenship-by-investment procedures in the world. In just a few months through a minimum investment in the Economic Diversification Fund or by purchasing real estate, applicants can be granted citizenship. Dominica’s passport opens doors to more than 140 countries, including the Schengen countries, with no need for residency requirements, and thus, no restrictions on dual nationality.
Ireland: Citizenship by Ancestry
Irish descendants can get citizenship from the Foreign Births Register if a parent or grandparent was born in Ireland. The Irish passport provides all the benefits of an EU passport including travel without a visa, the right to dual citizenship and no language test is required.
Turkey: Fast Cash for Passport
Turkey awards nationality within a few months to those who invest a minimum of $400,000 for residential property. One does not have to live in Turkey or give up one’s current citizenship to obtain Turkish nationality. Holders of a Turkish passport can visit many countries without a visa or get a visa on arrival.
Portugal: Golden Visa to EU Citizenship
Thanks to Portugal’s Golden Visa program, foreign investors can apply for EU citizenship after the expiration of five years of total legal residence and passing a simple Portuguese language test. Citizenship means free entry to all Schengen countries and full rights of a European Union citizen.
Vanuatu: Citizenship in Weeks
Via the Vanuatu Development Support Program, the individuals are able to get citizenship in less than two months by making a contribution to the government fund. The program allows visa-free access to more than 100 countries along with exemption from foreign income or capital gains taxes.
Italy: Citizenship by Descent (Limited)
A new law coming into effect in 2025 has made the Italian citizenship by descent program exclusively available to parents or grandparents. The applicants are required to obtain and submit the documentation proving their bloodline. The Italian citizenship confers full European Union rights, visa-free travel, and a permission to hold multiple nationalities.
The aforementioned programs have opened up the avenues for the Pakistani workers as well as other foreigners who are in search of European or global mobility, making citizenship easier through investment or family ties.
