The CIA World Factbook Edition 2018 Government

Citizenship In 11 editions of 36.

Citizenship was published in 11 editions of the CIA World Factbook, from 2015 to 2025. The 2018 edition carries it in 236 entries, in its Government section. Every entry is shown as that edition published it.

entries in the 2018 edition
236
the first edition with it
2015
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Citizenship” (2015 to 2025).

the entry has the field in that editionnot in that editionthe open editionEach entry below ends in its editions with Citizenship, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down; choose one in a row to read that edition’s text there.

2018

Every edition with Citizenship

Entries with Citizenship in each edition

19902000201020202025

Select a bar to open that edition.

Africa

55 entries

Algeria

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the mother must be a citizen of Algeria
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Angola

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Angola
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Benin

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Benin
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Botswana

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Botswana
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Burkina Faso

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Burkina Faso
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Burundi

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Burundi
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Cabo Verde

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Cabo Verde
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Cameroon

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Cameroon
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Central African Republic

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
least one parent must be a citizen of the Central African Republic
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
35 years

Chad

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
both parents must be citizens of Chad
dual citizenship recognized:
Chadian law does not address dual citizenship
residency requirement for naturalization:
15 years

Comoros

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Comoros
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Congo, Democratic Republic of the now Democratic Republic of the Congo

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Congo, Republic of the now Republic of the Congo

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Republic of the Congo
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Cote d'Ivoire now Cote d'Ivoire

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Cote d'Ivoire
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Djibouti

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the mother must be a citizen of Djibouti
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Egypt

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
if the father was born in Egypt
dual citizenship recognized:
only with prior permission from the government
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Equatorial Guinea

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Equatorial Guinea
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Eritrea

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
20 years

Eswatini

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
both parents must be citizens of Eswatini
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Ethiopia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Ethiopia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 years

Gabon

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Gabon
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Gambia, The now The Gambia

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Ghana

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Ghana
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Guinea

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Guinea
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
na

Guinea-Bissau

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Kenya

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Kenya
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 out of the previous 7 years

Lesotho

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Liberia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Liberia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
2 years

Libya

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Libya
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
varies from 3 to 5 years

Madagascar

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Madagascar; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
unknown

Malawi

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Malawi
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Mali

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Mali
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Mauritania

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Mauritius

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 out of the previous 7 years including the last 12 months

Morocco

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Morocco; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Mozambique

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Mozambique
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Namibia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Namibia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Niger

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Niger
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
unknown

Nigeria

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Nigeria
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
15 years

Rwanda

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Rwanda; if the father is stateless or unknown, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

see United Kingdom

Sao Tome and Principe

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Senegal

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Senegal
dual citizenship recognized:
no, but Senegalese citizens do not automatically lose their citizenship if they acquire citizenship in another state
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Seychelles

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Seychelles
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Sierra Leone

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Sierra Leone
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Somalia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Somalia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

South Africa

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of South Africa
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, but requires prior permission of the government
residency requirement for naturalization:
1 year

South Sudan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of South Sudan
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Sudan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Sudan
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Tanzania

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Tanzania; if a child is born abroad, the father must be a citizen of Tanzania
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Togo

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Togo
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Tunisia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Tunisia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Uganda

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent or grandparent must be a native-born citizen of Uganda
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
an aggregate of 20 years and continuously for the last 2 years prior to applying for citizenship

Zambia

citizenship by birth:
only if at least one parent is a citizen of Zambia
citizenship by descent only:
yes, if at least one parent was a citizen of Zambia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years for those with an ancestor who was a citizen of Zambia, otherwise 10 years residency is required

Zimbabwe

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Antarctic Region

1 entry

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

see France

Arctic Region

3 entries

Greenland

see Denmark

Iceland

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
3 to 7 years

Svalbard

see Norway

Asia

22 entries

Afghanistan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Armenia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Armenia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
3 years

Azerbaijan

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Bangladesh

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Bangladesh
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, but limited to select countries
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Bhutan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Bhutan
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

China

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
least one parent must be a citizen of China
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
while naturalization is theoretically possible, in practical terms it is extremely difficult; residency is required but not specified

Georgia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Georgia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

India

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of India
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Japan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Japan
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Kazakhstan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Kazakhstan
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Korea, North now North Korea

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of North Korea
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
unknown

Korea, South now South Korea

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of South Korea
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Kyrgyzstan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, but only if a mutual treaty on dual citizenship is in force
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Maldives

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Maldives
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
unknown

Mongolia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
both parents must be citizens of Mongolia; one parent if born within Mongolia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Nepal

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
15 years

Pakistan

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, but limited to select countries
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application

Russia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Russia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
3-5 years

Sri Lanka

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Sri Lanka
dual citizenship recognized:
no, except in cases where the government rules it is to the benefit of Sri Lanka
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Tajikistan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Tajikistan
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years or 3 years of continuous residence prior to application

Turkmenistan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkmenistan
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Uzbekistan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Uzbekistan
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Central America and the Caribbean

32 entries

Anguilla

see United Kingdom

Antigua and Barbuda

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Aruba

see the Netherlands

Bahamas, The now The Bahamas

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of The Bahamas
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
6-9 years

Barbados

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Belize

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

British Virgin Islands

see United Kingdom

Cayman Islands

see United Kingdom

Costa Rica

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Cuba

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
unknown

Curacao

see the Netherlands

Dominica

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Dominican Republic

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
2 years

El Salvador

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Grenada

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years for persons from a non-Caribbean state and 4 years for a person from a Caribbean state

Guatemala

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year

Haiti

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Haiti
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Honduras

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
1 to 3 years

Jamaica

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 out of the previous 5 years

Montserrat

see United Kingdom

Nicaragua

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no, except in cases where bilateral agreements exist
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 years

Panama

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Puerto Rico

see United States

Saint Barthelemy

see France

Saint Kitts and Nevis

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
14 years

Saint Lucia

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Lucia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
8 years

Saint Martin

see France

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Sint Maarten

see the Netherlands

Trinidad and Tobago

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
8 years

Turks and Caicos Islands

see United Kingdom

Virgin Islands

see United States

Europe

48 entries

Albania

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Andorra

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the mother must be an Andorran citizen or the father must have been born in Andorra and both parents maintain permanent residence in Andorra
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
25 years

Austria

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Belarus

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Belarus
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Belgium

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Bosnia and Herzegovina

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, provided there is a bilateral agreement with the other state
residency requirement for naturalization:
8 years

Bulgaria

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Bulgaria
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Croatia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Croatia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Czechia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Czechia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Denmark

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Denmark
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Estonia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Estonia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Faroe Islands

see Denmark

Finland

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Finland
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
6 years

France

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of France
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Germany

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a German citizen or a resident alien who has lived in Germany at least 8 years
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, but requires prior permission from government
residency requirement for naturalization:
8 years

Gibraltar

see United Kingdom

Greece

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Greece
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Guernsey

see United Kingdom

Holy See (Vatican City)

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
no
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
not applicable

note: in the Holy See, citizenship is acquired by law, ex iure, or by adminstrative decision; in the first instance, citizenship is a function of holding office within the Holy See as in the case of cardinals resident in Vatican City or diplomats of the Holy See; in the second instance, citizenship may be requested in a limited set of circumstances for those who reside within Vatican City under papal authorization, as a function of their office or service, or as the spouses and children of current citizens; citizenship is lost once an individual no longer permanently resides in Vatican City, normally reverting to the citizenship previously held

Hungary

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Hungary
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
8 years

Ireland

citizenship by birth:
no, unless a parent of a child born in Ireland has been legally resident in Ireland for at least three of the four years prior to the birth of the child
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 of the previous 8 years

Isle of Man

see United Kingdom

Italy

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Italy
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 years for EU nationals, 5 years for refugees and specified exceptions, 10 years for all others

Jersey

see United Kingdom

Kosovo

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Kosovo
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Latvia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Latvia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Liechtenstein

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Liechtenstein; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Lithuania

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Lithuania
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Luxembourg

citizenship by birth:
limited to situations where the parents are either unknown, stateless, or when the nationality law of the parents' state of origin does not permit acquisition of citizenship by descent when the birth occurs outside of national territory
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Luxembourg
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Malta

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Malta
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Moldova

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Monaco

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Monaco; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen and father unknown
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Montenegro

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Montenegro
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Netherlands

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Netherlands
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Macedonia now North Macedonia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Macedonia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
8 years

Norway

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Norway
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Poland

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
both parents must be citizens of Poland
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Portugal

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Portugal
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years; 6 years if from a Portuguese-speaking country

Romania

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Romania
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

San Marino

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of San Marino
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
30 years

Serbia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Serbia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
3 years

Slovakia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovakia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Slovenia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovenia; both parents if the child is born outside of Slovenia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, for select cases
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years, the last 5 of which have been continuous

Spain

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Spain
dual citizenship recognized:
only with select Latin American countries
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years for persons with no ties to Spain

Sweden

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Sweden; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Sweden and the father unknown
dual citizenship recognized:
no, unless the other citizenship was acquired involuntarily
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Switzerland

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application

Ukraine

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Ukraine
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

United Kingdom

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the United Kingdom
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Middle East

15 entries

Bahrain

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Bahrain
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals

Cyprus

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Cyprus
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Iran

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Iran
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Iraq

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Israel

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Israel
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, but naturalized citizens are not allowed to maintain dual citizenship
residency requirement for naturalization:
3 out of the 5 years preceding the application for naturalization

note: Israeli law (Law of Return, 5 July 1950) provides for the granting of citizenship to any Jew - defined as a person being born to a Jewish mother or having converted to Judaism while renouncing any other religion - who immigrates to and expresses a desire to settle in Israel on the basis of the Right of aliyah; the 1970 amendment of this act extended the right to family members including the spouse of a Jew, any child or grandchild, and the spouses of children and grandchildren

Jordan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Jordan
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
15 years

Kuwait

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Kuwait
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
not specified

Lebanon

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Lebanon
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
unknown

Oman

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Oman
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
unknown

Qatar

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Qatar
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
20 years; 15 years if an Arab national

Saudi Arabia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Saudi Arabia; a child born out of wedlock in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi mother and unknown father
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Syria

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Syria; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen of Syria
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Turkey now Turkiye

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, but requires prior permission from the government
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

United Arab Emirates

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
30 years

Yemen

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Yemen; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

North America

5 entries

Bermuda

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the UK
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Canada

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
minimum of 3 of last 5 years resident in Canada

Mexico

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
not specified
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

see France

United States

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no, but the US government acknowledges such situtations exist; US citizens are not encouraged to seek dual citizenship since it limits protection by the US
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Oceania

25 entries

American Samoa

see United States

Australia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 years

Coral Sea Islands

see Australia

Fiji

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Fiji
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
at least 5 years residency out of the 10 years preceding application

French Polynesia

see France

Guam

see United States

Kiribati

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Kiribati
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Marshall Islands

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Marshall Islands
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Micronesia, Federated States of now Federated States of Micronesia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of FSM
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Midway Islands

see United States

New Caledonia

see France

New Zealand

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of New Zealand
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
3 years

Norfolk Island

see Australia

Northern Mariana Islands

see United States

Palau

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Palau
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
note - no procedure for naturalization

Papua New Guinea

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Papua New Guinea
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
8 years

Pitcairn Islands

see United Kingdom

Samoa

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Samoa
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Solomon Islands

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Solomon Islands
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Tokelau

see New Zealand

Tonga

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Tonga; if a child is born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Tonga
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Tuvalu

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes; for a child born abroad, at least one parent must be a citizen of Tuvalu
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
na

Vanuatu

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
both parents must be citizens of Vanuatu; in the case of only one parent, it must be the father who is a citizen
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Wake Island

see United States

Wallis and Futuna

see France

South America

13 entries

Argentina

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
2 years

Bolivia

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
3 years

Brazil

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
4 years

Chile

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Colombia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Colombia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Ecuador

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
3 years

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

see United Kingdom

Guyana

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
na

Paraguay

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Paraguay
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
3 years

Peru

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
2 years

Suriname

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Suriname
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Uruguay

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
3-5 years

Venezuela

citizenship by birth:
yes
citizenship by descent only:
yes
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Southeast Asia

17 entries

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

see Australia

Brunei

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
the father must be a citizen of Brunei
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
12 years

Burma now Burma (Myanmar)

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
both parents must be citizens of Burma
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
none

note: an applicant for naturalization must be the child or spouse of a citizen

Cambodia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Cambodia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years

Christmas Island

see Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

see Australia

Hong Kong

see China

Indonesia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Indonesia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 continuous years

Laos

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Laos
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Macau

see China

Malaysia

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Malaysia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 out 12 years preceding application

Philippines

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Philippines
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Singapore

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Singapore
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Taiwan

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Taiwan
dual citizenship recognized:
yes, except that citizens of Taiwan are not recognized as dual citizens of the People's Republic of China
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Thailand

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Thailand
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Timor-Leste

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Timor-Leste
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Vietnam

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Vietnam
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2018, “Citizenship”, all entries. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fields/citizenship/2018.

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