With election day officially here, anxiety over who will be the next US president is hitting a fever pitch—and searches for “easiest countries to get citizenship” are surging. In recent months, a wave of travel-minded Americans have been forming a plan B if the election’s results don’t go the way they’d hoped: According to the American Bar Association, immigration lawyers across the US have reported a jump in the number of inquiries into obtaining a second passport or residency in another country.
For those looking for a second passport or permanent residence abroad, there are a couple of options. The first is to obtain a passport by ancestry in a country where a parent or grandparent was born; the second is through “golden passport” or visa programs that offer citizenship or residency in exchange for a significant donation or investment. The easiest countries to get citizenship are located in the Caribbean and Europe, two of the most popular regions for golden passport schemes. “Most people are interested in gaining citizenship in European Union countries, which brings flexibility by allowing people to study or take a job within the 27-nation group without additional visas, attorneys say,” according to the American Bar Association’s report.
Although election anxiety is likely the driving force behind many of the inquiries, these programs are also popular among travelers taking advantage of remote work policies or planning for retirement. Whatever your reason for seeking dual citizenship, here are seven nations with a fairly straightforward process for obtaining a second passport or permanent residency status.
-
Suttipong Sutiratanachai/Getty
Italy
As one of the most popular destinations in the world for American travelers, Italy is an appealing option for a second passport. If you’re interested in living in the land of “la dolce vita,” you have a few options for citizenship. Anyone born to an Italian mother or father can obtain Italian citizenship by submitting the right documents. Americans with Italian grandparents can also apply for citizenship, even if their parents were born in the US. If you don’t have close Italian heritage, you can aim for the country’s investment visa, which is valid for up to five years. But you’ll need to shell out anywhere from €250,000 to €2 million (about $274,000 to $2.2 million USD) to start the process, depending on the type of investment. After 10 years, residents on the investment visa can apply for citizenship.
-
Atlantide Phototravel/Getty
Ireland
If you have a parent who was an Irish citizen when you were born or a grandparent who was born on the island of Ireland, you are eligible for Irish citizenship by descent, and you can apply for an Irish passport. In order to get your passport, you must apply for citizenship through the country’s Foreign Birth Registration. According to the official website, this “can be a complex process that may require you to submit official documentation relating to three generations which may have been issued by several jurisdictions.” It can take nine months to process an application, but the effort is well worth it. Once you receive your passport, you’ll be able to live, work, and travel freely in Ireland as well as any EU member country.
