Many Americans dream of a life abroad. Making that dream a reality can be difficult, though.
Nearly all countries have rules that limit who can live and work within their borders. People who hold an additional passport have the freedom to live, work, and study abroad without wrangling special visas or being forced to leave if something goes sideways. Getting a second passport isn’t always easy. But it is possible, and an immigration attorney from the relevant country is always a well-advised resource.
I was born in the United States to American parents but successfully obtained two additional passports, in Poland and in Portugal. Those seeking dual citizenship often navigate complex administrative requirements, gather mountains of documents, and pay thousands of dollars in fees. There may also be other hurdles, such as undergoing a rigorous background check. The process can be lengthy, too. Yet, having gone through the process twice, I think it’s worth the time and expense. Because my Polish citizenship is automatically passed down to my children, they now have the option to live, work, or study abroad and can pass Polish citizenship down to their children.
Some countries make it nearly impossible to obtain dual citizenship, or they prohibit it outright. Others impose lengthy residency or language requirements that can be hard to satisfy. Still, some countries have clear paths to getting a second passport through investment or descent. These are a few of those countries.
Portugal
Acquiring a Portuguese passport through the country’s Golden Visa program is a welcome choice for Americans. The program was born to bring money into the country, and it has been an arguable success: Portugal’s mild climate, gorgeous cities full of history, and fantastic beaches make it an attractive place to live.
Americans can obtain Portuguese citizenship for themselves and their families by investing as little as €250,000 to preserve national heritage in Portugal or by investing €500,000 in a research or development opportunity in Portugal. Once the required five-year investment period is up, applicants can liquidate their investments while they wait for their citizenship to be finalized.
This is one of the lowest-cost ways to gain citizenship in the European Union. Golden Visa applicants choose to move to Portugal right away or live in the United States, as long as they visit Portugal for approximately one week a year for five years. Bonus: If you have your heart set on living in a different European country, a Portuguese passport can help you achieve that goal. Because Portugal is part of the European Union, Portuguese citizens can live and work in any of the EU’s 27 member states.
Grenada
In the heart of the West Indies, Grenada is an attractive choice for Americans looking to live a laid-back Caribbean lifestyle. The chain of islands is known for its beautiful beaches and lush rainforest. Plus, Grenada’s official language is English. A family of four can obtain citizenship, usually in under a year, by making a onetime $235,000 contribution to the government of Grenada. Alternatively, a family can qualify for citizenship by investing at least $270,000 in a real-estate project approved by the government. After five years of ownership, investors are free to liquidate their investments. Grenada doesn’t have a residency requirement while a citizenship application is pending in the country, so it’s possible to complete the entire application from the United States.
Ireland and Italy
These are two beautiful countries with great food and drink. Both countries grant citizenship through descent to some great-grandchildren of Irish and Italian immigrants. About 10 percent of Americans have Irish heritage. About another 5 percent have Italian ancestry. And those people might be eligible for citizenship in one of these countries if they have proof of their lineage. Because Ireland and Italy are both part of the EU, citizens of either Ireland or Italy have the right to live and work in any EU country, making these passports very valuable. Other countries that provide citizenship through descent include Poland, Germany, India, Spain, Mexico, and France.
Egypt
Egypt is the only country in Africa that offers citizenship through investment. The country is full of culture and history and is ideally situated to explore Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Egypt also offers multiple routes to citizenship. Some options include making a nonrefundable contribution of $250,000 to the state treasury; investing $300,000 in real estate in a government-owned project and maintaining the investment for at least five years; or transferring $500,000 to a bank in Egypt and keeping the funds there for at least three years.
By Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie Davis Smith is a writer, attorney, and mother of four. Her writing has appeared in Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Yahoo, Business Insider, The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, and many other publications.
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