Multiple Citizenship
Oct 19, 2011, 1:48 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Three citizenships? Not all that uncommon. A good mate of mine has three. Born in UK to American parents who later naturalized in Australia. He could also claim Israeli citizenship but can't be bothered.
Another good buddy, born in Nothern Ireland and naturalized in Australia carries the UK and Australian passports and can claim Irish citizenship.
Another good buddy, born in Nothern Ireland and naturalized in Australia carries the UK and Australian passports and can claim Irish citizenship.
Oct 19, 2011, 2:19 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2011
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I was born in the Soviet Union (now Russia) as a British citizen. I've lived in Russia (briefly when I was young), S. Korea, Australia, Canada, England (attending uni), the US (only as visiting student) and now Hong Kong. I had no interest to become Canadian but adopted citizenship relatively recently to vote for Stephane Dion. Being (mainly) ethnically Korean I hold a Korean permanent resident visa and I also have an Australian Resident Return Visa from my previous residence there. Including HK where I live right now, I'm eligible to live/work in 5 countries plus the EU. ^ Eventually though, I'd be willing to give up even my British citizenship to adopt Chinese/HK citizenship. (Koreans are a registered minority in China I'm 1/4 Chinese so I'm guessing it's possible)
And I'm only in my 20s.
And I'm only in my 20s.
Oct 19, 2011, 2:42 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 382
My wife and I are both triple-nationals. I was born in the US to two US-parents. We moved as a family to Canada when I was a young child, and when I was in my teens, I was naturalized as a Canadian.
My wife was born in Canada to Canadian parents who, several years ago, acquired Irish citizenship through foreign birth registration (her grandmother was born in Ireland, which back then at least, was sufficient). I subsequently was granted Irish citizenship by virtue of my marriage to my wife (again, not sure if that would still be enough today).
My wife and I then moved from Canada to the USA ten years ago, where she obtained a Green Card based on her marriage to me, and a few years later, applied for and was granted US citizenship.
Perhaps one of the more convoluted paths to triple-citizenship.
My wife was born in Canada to Canadian parents who, several years ago, acquired Irish citizenship through foreign birth registration (her grandmother was born in Ireland, which back then at least, was sufficient). I subsequently was granted Irish citizenship by virtue of my marriage to my wife (again, not sure if that would still be enough today).
My wife and I then moved from Canada to the USA ten years ago, where she obtained a Green Card based on her marriage to me, and a few years later, applied for and was granted US citizenship.
Perhaps one of the more convoluted paths to triple-citizenship.
Oct 19, 2011, 3:32 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,740
I think that you'll find that if you have any money at all, it will cost quite a bit more than just $450 to renounce one's US citizenship once all the tax costs are computed.
Oct 19, 2011, 3:33 pm
#20
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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I was born in the Soviet Union (now Russia) as a British citizen. I've lived in Russia (briefly when I was young), S. Korea, Australia, Canada, England (attending uni), the US (only as visiting student) and now Hong Kong. I had no interest to become Canadian but adopted citizenship relatively recently to vote for Stephane Dion. Being (mainly) ethnically Korean I hold a Korean permanent resident visa and I also have an Australian Resident Return Visa from my previous residence there. Including HK where I live right now, I'm eligible to live/work in 5 countries plus the EU. ^ Eventually though, I'd be willing to give up even my British citizenship to adopt Chinese/HK citizenship. (Koreans are a registered minority in China I'm 1/4 Chinese so I'm guessing it's possible)
And I'm only in my 20s.
And I'm only in my 20s.
Just to be clear, residency and citizenship aren't the same thing.
Oct 19, 2011, 3:55 pm
#21
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Join Date: Feb 2010
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You can get as many as you want, provided you follow the immigration and naturalisation laws in the country of which you wish to become a citizen. It's not easy, but it's possible.
For instance, I am entitled to Israeli citizenship but have zero interest in claiming it.
I seem to remember we discussed this a few months back. Provided that all four of your grandparents are citizens of different countries, all of which allow them to pass citizenship along to their grandchildren (e.g., Ireland, Italy) and that both of your parents are citizens of two further, different countries by virtue of their birth, both of which allow them to pass citizenship along to their children, and provided that you are born in a country different from all of these that allows you to claim citizenship by virture of having been born there, then I would imagine the maximum number of citizenships you could be born with is seven. I cannot see how it could practically be any more than this.
For instance, I am entitled to Israeli citizenship but have zero interest in claiming it.
I seem to remember we discussed this a few months back. Provided that all four of your grandparents are citizens of different countries, all of which allow them to pass citizenship along to their grandchildren (e.g., Ireland, Italy) and that both of your parents are citizens of two further, different countries by virtue of their birth, both of which allow them to pass citizenship along to their children, and provided that you are born in a country different from all of these that allows you to claim citizenship by virture of having been born there, then I would imagine the maximum number of citizenships you could be born with is seven. I cannot see how it could practically be any more than this.
Grandparent 1 - National of A
Grandparent 2 - National of B
Grandparent 3 - National of C
Grandparent 4 - National of D
Parent 1 - National of A&B by parents, and E where they were born
Parent 2 - National of C&D by parents, and F where they were born
but if Parent 1 and 2 subsequently moved to live in country G, they could obtain another one, and become naturalized, which they could repeat maybe 2 or 3 times (I have a Brit born friend, who was naturalized in both the US and Canada), so say H as well.
Child 1 born in I, moves to J and is naturalized in their own right there.
That's 10, in perfectly plausible ways. You can expand further if any of the grandparents were dual nationals to begin with as well.
Oct 19, 2011, 3:58 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2008
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I have 3: Born in Canada (so only nationality I got automatically), British from my father and Dutch from my mother. I lived enough in Italy to apply for Italian citizenship, but the question of National Service made me duck that one.
My nieces were born in France and so have four citizenships.
If I were to have kids with someone with 2 other citizenships, have them give birth in a country which provides citizenship upon birth and bring them up somewhere else, they'd have 7, which is probably getting a bit much.
My nieces were born in France and so have four citizenships.
If I were to have kids with someone with 2 other citizenships, have them give birth in a country which provides citizenship upon birth and bring them up somewhere else, they'd have 7, which is probably getting a bit much.
Oct 19, 2011, 5:16 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 211
I have dual US/UK citizenship, which must be a fairly common combination. I'm amazed at how often people will adamantly tell me information about this, which usually completely wrong. "It's illegal to have both". "You have to choose which one you want at 18". "You only get citizenship from the country you were born in." "You can have dual citizenship, but only vote in one country". etc.
These are certainly true sometimes in some cases for some countries, but they're far from blanket rules.
These are certainly true sometimes in some cases for some countries, but they're far from blanket rules.
Oct 20, 2011, 12:06 am
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
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A good collection of replies, pretty much answered my questions, thanks all.
STBCypriot, my second citizenship is Bulgarian, I'd like to hear more about your experience there if you don't mind sharing.
STBCypriot, my second citizenship is Bulgarian, I'd like to hear more about your experience there if you don't mind sharing.
Oct 20, 2011, 2:07 am
#27
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 7,605
How many countries allow you to have the citizenship of grandparents - many limit it to the parents especially when the child is born abroad
Oct 20, 2011, 2:58 am
#28
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It's not too uncommon in European countries. Just look at all of the Argentines holding Spanish and particularly Italian passports. But yes, the list of countries which give full citizenship for one grandparent is not very long, although many more have some sort of residency scheme (such as UK "Ancestry Visa").
Oct 20, 2011, 3:30 am
#29
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Which begs the question - what's the most citizenships anyone can have by right of birth as opposed to naturalisation / marriage.
For example someone born in NI to a British parent and a non-British parent can claim British, Irish, any other citizenship the British parent holds & the citizenship(s) of the other parent
For example someone born in NI to a British parent and a non-British parent can claim British, Irish, any other citizenship the British parent holds & the citizenship(s) of the other parent