The Easiest Way To Get EU Citizenship: Pathways Reviewed

EU-member citizenship is still among the most coveted in the world. And while EU countries aren’t known for granting citizenship easily to foreigners, they still offer pathways that make EU citizenship attainable. 

To find the easiest way to get EU citizenship, we’ll review different pathways and some of the more popular countries to consider for your application. We’ll also provide you with updates on popular citizenship programs. 

The Benefits of Holding an EU Citizenship

The EU citizenship owes its popularity to the many benefits and opportunities it offers:

• An EU citizenship gives you the right to travel, live, and work in any of the bloc’s countries, as well as in associated member countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland)
• EU passports are typically among the strongest in the world, allowing visa-free travel to most countries
• As a multinational union, the EU can support many different lifestyles at different costs of living 
• EU countries are generally considered to be safe 
• As an EU citizen, you get access to strong healthcare and retirement benefits, and are protected by the EU’s laws

Major Pathways to EU Citizenship

In the EU, national citizenship falls under the jurisdiction of each separate country, allowing them to create their own pathways and requirements for granting citizenship to foreigners. 

However, national laws have to conform to EU law and legal principles. Malta’s now-terminated citizenship-by-investment path serves as an example of what happens to national laws that don’t conform.

While there is plenty of variety in the requirements and procedures for obtaining EU citizenship, you can generally become a citizen using one of three pathways:

1. Citizenship through descent, where you have to prove ancestral ties to the country
2. Citizenship through marriage, where you’re granted citizenship based on your marriage or civil partnership with an EU citizen
3. Citizenship through naturalization, where you’ll have to meet the country’s residency requirements to become a citizen

Which of the three is the easiest depends to a great extent on factors beyond your control, such as family lineage and country-specific requirements and processing times. 

EU Citizenship Through Descent

If one of your parents or grandparents was born in an EU country, applying for citizenship through descent in that country might be the easiest pathway. 

Each country defines how far back ancestry can be used for eligibility. The most generous extend to three or more generations, while some countries impose language requirements as well.

The table below outlines a few of the best EU countries to get citizenship through descent and their requirements:

Country	Descent Requirement	Language Requirement
Germany	No generational requirements for descendants of individuals who were deprived of citizenship under the Nazi regime. In other cases, citizenship by descent is generally limited to first-generation descendants (children of German citizens)	No
Hungary	No generational requirements. If the ancestor emigrated before September 1, 1929, descendants only need to verify their citizenship. Otherwise, they need to undergo simplified naturalization	No for verification of citizenship, yes for simplified naturalization
Italy	Recently tightened rules; citizenship by descent is now generally limited to two generations (children or grandchildren), with additional conditions, such as maintaining a link to Italy or the ancestor not holding another citizenship	No
Poland	No strict generational limit; citizenship by descent depends on uninterrupted citizenship in the family line. Individuals apply for confirmation of citizenship, rather than citizenship itself	No

Proving your ancestor’s citizenship and your familial ties to them is considered the most important part of the application process. 

The timeline for becoming a citizen depends heavily on the country’s processing times and potential backlogs, but you can generally expect the process to take up to two years. To avoid additional extensions due to an incomplete or incorrect application, consider enlisting the help of a professional advisory firm.

EU Citizenship Through Marriage

Marriage can be a path to EU citizenship, but it often doesn’t suffice as a sole qualification. In most cases, you also need to reside in the country for a certain period before you are eligible to apply, though there are some exceptions. 

Even where a residency requirement applies, being married to an EU citizen is often a faster or simpler route than acquiring citizenship through standard naturalization. 

Below are some EU countries with the shortest residence requirements for obtaining citizenship through marriage:

Country	Minimum Marriage Duration	Minimum Residence Requirement
Italy	Two years if living in Italy, three years if living abroad	No additional formal residence requirements beyond legal status in Italy
Spain	One year	Generally, one year of residence in Spain as the spouse of a Spanish citizen before submitting the application
The Netherlands	Three years; also applies to non-married partners	Three years of residence in the Netherlands with your Dutch spouse or non-married partner
France	Four years if living in France; five if living abroad	At least three years if living in France, no requirements if living abroad
Sweden	Three years; also applies to non-married partners	Three years of residence in Sweden with your Swedish spouse or non-married partner, provided you have lived together for at least two years

When applying for EU citizenship through marriage, you will be asked to provide proof of marriage that can include evidence of cohabitation. Depending on the country’s specific regulations, you may also be required to provide a criminal record certificate, among other documents.

Processing times for citizenship-through-marriage applications vary by country, but they can be fairly long. For example, in Italy, the government standard is 48 months. 

EU Citizenship Through Naturalization

Applying for naturalization after residing in the country is arguably the most common way of obtaining EU citizenship. It usually involves two separate procedures:

1. Obtaining a long-term or renewable residence permit
2. Applying for citizenship after meeting the country’s specific requirements

While this path tends to be the longest, it’s the most accessible. It also grants you free movement in the Schengen Area while you’re in the resident phase of the process.

You can get the easiest EU citizenship by naturalization in these countries: 

1. Portugal
2. Greece
3. Cyprus
4. Latvia

Portugal 

For the time being, Portugal offers one of the fastest EU citizenship by residency routes, with a five-year legal residence requirement. However, Portugal’s immigration regulations are undergoing significant changes, including a potential prolongation of the residence period to 10 years. 

Portugal offers many different residence paths, including those for retirees, entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and startup founders. Portugal’s Golden Visa program, designed to attract investors, has also changed recently, removing real estate as an investment category. However, it still offers a relatively low minimum investment of EUR 250,000, along with several investment options:

• Investing in public institutions, or their partners, that support cultural production or preserve cultural heritage
• Creating at least 10 jobs through a qualifying business investment
• Funding public or private scientific research institutions 
• Investing in approved investment companies
• Establishing and investing in a new business

Bonus read: If you’re considering applying for a Portugal citizenship, browse through our guides on residency requirements, wealth and property taxes for U.S. expats, and the cost of living in the country.

Greece 

Greece allows you to become a citizen after seven years of legal permanent residence. You can reduce the timeline to three years by marrying a Greek citizen. 

Greece offers several residence programs for workers, digital nomads, and financially self-sufficient individuals. For those interested in citizenship through investment, Greece also offers a real estate pathway with a minimum investment of EUR 250,000, comparable to Portugal’s. However, an eligible real estate investment in an in-demand area can cost you up to EUR 800,000. 

Other investment vehicles available for obtaining residence in Greece include:

• Financial investments, including investments in shares, bonds, and bank deposits
• Investments in startups and other businesses 

Cyprus

The fastest way to become eligible for naturalization in Cyprus is to reside in the country for three to four years (depending on Greek language proficiency) while working in one of the following sectors or types of organizations:

• A foreign company operating in Cyprus
• A Cypriot shipping company
• A Cypriot company operating in aerospace, IT, communications, or other high-tech or innovative fields
• A Cypriot pharmaceutical company or a company operating in biogenetics or biotechnology
• An accredited international higher education institution 

The regular residence requirement for citizenship is seven years, and it applies to all other residence programs, including the Golden Visa program. 

If you decide to acquire Cypriot residence as an investor, you will have to invest EUR 300,000 in one of the following:

• Real estate (both residential and commercial)
• Shares in a Cypriot company
• Investment units in a Cypriot investment fund

Latvia

Latvia’s residence system requires you to obtain temporary residency first and hold it for five years before being eligible to apply for permanent residence. To qualify for naturalization, you must have lived in the country for at least 10 years in total, including a minimum of five years as a permanent resident. 

While Latvia doesn’t offer the lowest residence requirement, it does allow investors to qualify for residence with a minimum investment of EUR 50,000. The investment must be made in a company with up to 50 employees and either an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than EUR 10 million. 

Other types of eligible investments include:

• Real estate investment 
• Investment in interest-free special-purpose government bonds
• Placement of a fixed-term deposit in a Latvian bank

Other Ways To Become an EU Citizen: Merit-Based Pathways

In the past, the fastest way to acquire EU citizenship was through a member state’s citizenship by investment program. As of 2026, no EU country offers such programs, with Malta—being the last to do so—terminating its scheme in 2025 following an EU court ruling. 

In place of direct investment routes, some countries have shifted toward merit-based pathways, which grant citizenship to individuals who make exceptional contributions or demonstrate significant value to the country. These contributions can take various forms, including achievements or involvement in fields like:

• Arts and culture
• Sports 
• Science and research 

One example is Malta’s current framework, officially known as Citizenship by Naturalization for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment. Rather than functioning as a purely transactional process, this type of program is discretionary and selective. Governments typically don’t publish fixed criteria and instead assess applicants on a case-by-case basis, including due diligence to ensure credibility and compatibility with national interests.

Given the complexity and discretionary nature of these pathways, a successful outcome often depends on working with specialized agencies experienced in EU citizenship programs, such as Nomad Capitalist.

Get Your EU Citizenship With Nomad Capitalist

Nomad Capitalist is an advisory company specializing in global mobility and wealth preservation. We’ve helped more than 1,500 clients acquire residency or citizenship abroad, reduce their tax footprint, or find international investment opportunities in pursuit of their financial or lifestyle goals. 

If you’re interested in obtaining EU citizenship, we can help you determine the easiest country and pathway for achieving this, based on your specific circumstances and goals. To do so, we create personalized, structured strategies called Action Plans.

The process starts with you filling out a form that helps us determine whether you’ll be a good match for our services. If you are, we will proceed with:

1. Scheduling a 45-minute onboarding call to learn more about your situation and goals
2. Developing the Plan and presenting it to you for approval
3. Implementing the Plan and managing the administrative parts over a 12-month period
4. Providing ongoing support even after the Plan was implemented 

Our team of experienced agents can ensure that your applications, including residency applications if needed, are submitted on time and without issues that would cause unnecessary processing delays. Get your Action Plan and move one step closer to your EU citizenship today!