For some US travelers, the real American dream is getting an EU passport. European Union citizenship lets you live and work across 27 countries with access to affordable healthcare and education, and it guarantees free movement throughout the Schengen Area — a major perk for travelers.
The benefits are so appealing that wealthy Americans buy “golden visas” for countries such as Portugal and Italy for hundreds of thousands of euros. But many Europeans—and their US descendants—can claim citizenship without paying via citizenship by descent. This route has grown in popularity: Americans are Henley & Partners’ largest clientele for mobility services, and ancestry-based applications combine emotional ties with practical mobility benefits.
Thirteen European countries commonly offer citizenship by descent. Below is who may be eligible in each country and the basics of how to apply.
Ireland
– Who qualifies: You may register on the Foreign Births Register if you have an Irish-born grandparent or if a parent was an Irish citizen when you were born. If a parent was born in Ireland and is an Irish citizen, you are already an Irish citizen and can apply for a passport.
– How to apply: Online Foreign Births Register application via the Irish government site.
– Documents/fees: Original birth certificate of the Irish parent/grandparent, your birth certificate, two proofs of address. Fee: €278 (18+) or €153 (<18).
Italy
– Who qualifies: Citizenship jure sanguinis applies if a parent or grandparent was an Italian citizen (who hadn’t acquired another citizenship) at death, or if an Italian parent lived in Italy for two consecutive years before your birth (or adoption).
– How to apply: Book a virtual appointment with Italian consulate services.
– Documents/fees: Specific documents required, including your ancestor’s birth certificate issued recently by their commune, long-form birth certificates for descendants, legalized and translated into Italian. Fee approx. $697; additional proof required if the ancestor naturalized abroad.
Portugal
– Who qualifies: If a parent is Portuguese, or a grandparent is/was Portuguese and you demonstrate knowledge of Portuguese (via an official test).
– How to apply: Apply at a consulate, select offices in Portugal, or online if represented by a registered Portuguese professional.
– Documents/fees: You’ll need birth certificates (yours and relative’s) translated and certified if not Portuguese, plus a signed declaration before a registry official.
Spain
– Who qualifies: Typically limited to those with a Spanish parent who was a citizen at birth. A special Law of Democratic Memory program for descendants of those who lost Spanish nationality closed in 2025.
– How to apply: Submit an application at a civil registry, consulate, or in Spain.
– Documents: Your and both parents’ birth certificates, oath of allegiance to the King and constitution, and registration with the Spanish Civil Register.
France
– Who qualifies: Children of French citizens generally qualify.
– How to apply: Complete the Certificate of French Nationality (CNF) application. If resident in France, submit to a local court; otherwise, send documents to the Paris Judicial Court.
– Documents/fees: Birth certificates and supporting documents; application is free. A suggested family tree form may be helpful.
Greece
– Who qualifies: You automatically have the right to Greek citizenship if a parent was a Greek citizen at your birth.
– How to apply: Register in the Municipal Records of the Hellenic Republic; US residents can apply via a Greek consulate.
– Documents: Your birth certificate and your Greek parent’s authenticated and translated marriage certificate, among others.
Hungary
– Who qualifies: If a parent or grandparent was a Hungarian citizen (or was one when you were born), you are likely a citizen regardless of language ability.
– How to apply: Request government verification of Hungarian citizenship status; verification is free and done in person at a consulate.
– Documents: Application form, your birth certificate, parents’ marriage certificate.
Romania
– Who qualifies: You may claim citizenship if a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent is/was a Romanian citizen. You must know Romanian.
– How to apply: Apply at the National Citizenship Authority in Bucharest or at a Romanian consulate.
– Documents/fees: Passport with legalized Romanian translation, proof of family citizenship (birth/marriage/divorce/death certificates). Fee: €18.10.
Poland
– Who qualifies: If a parent is Polish, or if a grandparent or great-grandparent was born in Poland and lived there and maintained citizenship after 1920, you may be eligible.
– How to apply: Submit an application to confirm or claim Polish citizenship at a Polish consulate (in person or by mail).
– Documents: Proof of the ancestor’s citizenship/status and standard identity documents.
Bulgaria
– Who qualifies: If a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent was Bulgarian, you may apply for citizenship by descent.
– How to apply: Submit an application at a Bulgarian consulate or to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Justice.
– Documents: Proof of ancestor’s Bulgarian citizenship, your birth certificate, police records, and other required documents.
Czech Republic
– Who qualifies: Descendants of Czech citizens may apply.
– How to apply: If outside the country, start with a “preliminary assessment” at a Czech consulate that collects birth places/dates and the citizenship history of ancestors.
– Notes: The Czech passport is the least powerful on this list regarding visa-free access, per Henley & Partners’ rankings.
Slovakia
– Who qualifies: Descendants of citizens of former Czechoslovakia (born between 1918 and 1989) can apply.
– How to apply: Complete citizenship and questionnaire forms and provide documents proving relation and the ancestor’s citizenship. Applications and permanent residency forms generally must be submitted in person at a consulate.
Malta
– Who qualifies: If born abroad but you have Maltese parents or grandparents born to a Maltese parent in an unbroken line of descent, you may qualify.
– How to apply: Apply for acquisition of citizenship through Maltese civil registry services or a consulate.
– Documents/fees: Parents’ birth certificates and documentary proof of lineage. Expect to pay at least €200.
General tips
– Documentation is key: birth, marriage, death, and naturalization records that establish an unbroken line of descent are commonly required. Many countries require legalized (apostilled) documents and certified translations.
– Fees and processing times vary widely by country and consulate; some processes are free, others charge application or verification fees.
– Rules differ by country: eligibility limits (parent vs. grandparent vs. great-grandparent), language requirements, loss-of-citizenship clauses, and historical cutoffs (e.g., Poland after 1920, Slovakia/Czechoslovakia dates) can affect eligibility.
– If an ancestor naturalized abroad, you’ll often need proof they did or did not acquire another citizenship. Some countries require in-person submissions, while others allow consular or online filings.
– Professional assistance: Given complex document requirements and varying consular practices, many applicants use local lawyers or specialized firms to prepare applications.
Citizenship by descent can open mobility and lifestyle options across the EU and beyond. If you have European ancestors, check the specific consulate or government website for the country in question to confirm current eligibility rules, required documents, fees, and application steps.
