Countries that offer citizenship by descentWhere did your family set out from?

Ireland

Foreign Births Register — grandparent route

Germany

Art. 116 restoration & declaration remedy

Luxembourg

Parent, grandparent (Art. 23 option), or a documented great-grandparent+ line (Art. 7)

France

Jure sanguinis — but the 50-year non-use rule (Art. 30-3) bars many claims

Netherlands

Parent line only — beware the 13-year automatic-loss rule

Belgium

Through a Belgian parent — declaration by 5 if both born abroad; keep it by 28

Austria

Standard descent or §58c pathway for Nazi persecution descendants

United Kingdom

British citizenship by descent — one-generation abroad cutoff

Switzerland

Through a Swiss parent — report the birth before 25; reinstatement CHF 900

Monaco

Through a Monegasque father, or a mother born Monegasque — no dual if you naturalise elsewhere

Liechtenstein

Through a Liechtenstein parent — facilitated routes for pre-1996 cases

Italy

Jure sanguinis — parent or grandparent (2025 reform)

Greece

Dimotologio registration & omogenis path

Spain

Parent line — Grandchildren’s Law closed Oct 2025

Portugal

Parent/grandparent — Sephardic route closed

Cyprus

Parent (M121) or descendant of a 1914–1960 Cypriot (M123)

Malta

Any generation via two Malta-born generations — €150 + €50

San Marino

Through Sammarinese parents — one-parent cases declare before 25

Andorra

Parent or grandparent born in Andorra (2026 law) — no dual nationality

Lithuania

Citizenship restoration for pre-1940 descendants

Estonia

Citizen by birth through a 16 June 1940 citizen ancestor

Latvia

Descendants of 17 June 1940 citizens — no generational limit

Sweden

Through a Swedish parent only — born abroad? keep it before 22 (free)

Denmark

Through a Danish parent — apply to keep it between 20 and 22

Finland

Through a Finnish parent — dual citizens act before 22

Norway

Through a Norwegian parent — dual citizens keep it by applying before 22

Iceland

Through an Icelandic parent — born abroad? keep it before 22

Poland

Citizenship confirmation via voivode

Hungary

Simplified naturalization — no generational limit

Czech Republic

Declaration route for children & grandchildren of former citizens

Slovakia

Czechoslovak heritage via Slovak-born ancestor

Romania

Descent + Article 11 repatriation (to 3rd degree)

Bulgaria

Bulgarian origin up to a great-grandparent, with official records

Slovenia

Parent route (declare by 36) or emigrant route to the 4th generation

Ukraine

Parent descent, territorial-origin route, dual citizenship for approved countries since Jan 2026

Moldova

Recognition up to great-grandparent (2025 law) — B2 Romanian test

Belarus

Through a Belarusian parent — other citizenships not recognised

Croatia

Descendants of pre-1991 Croatian emigrants — no generational limit

Serbia

EU candidate — citizenship by descent, dual permitted

Montenegro

Two Montenegrin parents, or emigrant route after 2 years' residence

Albania

EU candidate — direct descent to great-grandparent, no residency required

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Through a parent — register by 23; dual only with treaty states

North Macedonia

Through a parent — register yourself by 23; dual allowed

Kosovo

Parents, or descendants of 1 Jan 1998 residents — any generation

Georgia

Through a Georgian parent — dual only with presidential permission

Armenia

Diaspora-friendly — open ethnic pathway, Genocide descendants route, dual citizenship allowed