How many citizenships and passports can you have in 2026?

Dual citizenship vs multiple citizenship: key differences

From a legal perspective, dual citizenship differs from multiple citizenship, though many people conflate the two.

Dual citizenship refers to a person holding 2 passports from different countries, with both countries recognizing the rights and obligations of both jurisdictions. These rights and obligations are supported by a formal agreement. In practice, however, such agreements are the exception rather than the rule.

Multiple citizenship refers to a person holding several passports without any special agreements between the relevant authorities on the mutual recognition of rights and obligations. This is the most common option worldwide. You must fulfill all the obligations of citizenship in each country.

Children can acquire dual citizenship by birth if:

• They were born to foreign parents in a country where jus soli applies (e.g., Chile or Brazil).
• Their parents have different citizenships and both countries grant the child citizenship by descent.

However, each country has its own rules in such situations. For instance, Austria allows children who automatically acquire Austrian citizenship by descent to retain their Austrian passport. Furthermore, even after turning 18, they are not required to choose which country’s citizenship they wish to retain. Estonia has a different approach. Until age 18, a child can have two citizenships (one of which is Estonian), but after turning 18, they have three years to choose one citizenship.

In countries that permit dual citizenship, children can acquire two or more citizenships along with their mother or father. In France, for instance, a minor acquires citizenship when one of their parents becomes a citizen, provided that two conditions are met:

• the child lives with the parent;
• the minor’s name is included in the parent’s naturalization declaration.

In other words, a child can inherit 2 citizenships if they meet the legal requirements of both countries.

Countries where you can get a second or third passport

Mirsatori experts analyzed various countries’ legislation and compiled a list of those that permit dual or multiple citizenship:

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Australia
• Austria (in exceptional cases)
• Azerbaijan
• Bangladesh (in exceptional cases)
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Belize (prohibited only for citizens of India)
• Benin
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Bulgaria (in some cases)
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Canada
• Cape Verde
• Chad
• Chile
• Colombia
• Congo
• Costa Rica
• Croatia (under certain conditions)
• Cuba
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Djibouti
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Estonia (under certain conditions, for children only)
• Eswatini
• Fiji
• Finland
• France
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau (in exceptional cases)
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India (with restrictions)
• Indonesia (for children only)
• Iraq
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Jamaica (under certain conditions)
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Kyrgyzstan
• Lebanon (under certain conditions)
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Luxembourg
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Maldives
• Malta
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Micronesia
• Moldova
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Nauru
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Nigeria
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Pakistan (partial, only for citizens of 22 countries)
• Palau
• Panama
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Russia
• Rwanda
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia (with permission from the authorities)
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Sudan
• Spain (for certain nationalities)
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Syria
• Tajikistan
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Tuvalu
• UAE
• Uganda (if it is impossible to renounce the first citizenship)
• Ukraine (under certain conditions)
• Union of Comoros
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Uruguay
• Vanuatu
• Vatican City (for the duration of employment)
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Countries that prohibit dual citizenship

Some countries prohibit dual citizenship by law:

• Andorra.
• Bahamas
• Bahrain
• Bhutan
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Brunei
• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• China
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• DPRK
• Georgia
• Guyana
• Japan
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Latvia
• Libya
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Malaysia
• Marshall Islands
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Myanmar
• Namibia
• Nepal
• Oman
• Qatar
• San Marino
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Tanzania
• Togo
• Uzbekistan
• Yemen

How to obtain multiple citizenships

Today, there are several ways to become a dual citizen:

• Naturalization. The classic option involves long-term residence in the country with a temporary or permanent residence permit. The authorities set the minimum stay period. For EU countries, this is typically 5-10 years. For non-EU European countries, it can be shorter. For example, in Serbia, it is 3 years. Naturalization often requires passing a language and integration test.
• Marriage. This is a type of naturalization, but the required period of residence is usually shorter. For instance, to become a Portuguese citizen, one must reside in Portugal for 5 years. However, for spouses, this period is reduced to 3 years.
• Birth. A child born to foreign parents can immediately acquire two citizenships if born in a country that applies jus soli. The child will inherit the status of their parents, provided that the legislation of their country allows it, and acquire a second citizenship at birth.
• Repatriation. This method allows a person to regain citizenship through their ancestors if they were citizens of another country in the past. For example, this option is available in Romania and Bulgaria. Generally, it is not necessary to renounce your current passport upon repatriation.
• Investment. This is one of the fastest ways to obtain dual citizenship. A person invests a certain amount in the state’s economy, a local business, a foundation, or purchases real estate, and in return, they are issued a second passport. This method does not require many years of residence in the country, proof of family ties, or integration exams. However, such programs are not available everywhere—you can find out which countries have a second citizenship by investment program from Mirsatori specialists.

Best countries to get a second passport by investment

Naturalization programs exist in all countries, but many people are unwilling to wait more than 5 years, and up to 30 years in the UAE, to obtain another citizenship. Some are discouraged by the need to pass exams in language, history, culture, and law.

That’s why some immigrants opt for a temporary or permanent residence permit. Resident status allows you to live, work, and do business in the country while optimizing your taxes. However, dual citizenship offers more privileges worldwide. For example, crossing borders is significantly easier with two passports because you can use the passport that grants visa-free entry to a specific country. Also, if your first passport has any restrictions, you can easily open a foreign bank account with a second citizenship.

Therefore, many are considering the simplified process of obtaining a second citizenship. The most interesting and simple option is through investment. In this case, a second passport is issued within 2-6 months. The following investment programs are currently among the top options for P42 clients:

What do multiple passport holders need to know?

Dual passport holders must adhere to certain rules when using multiple passports:

• Border crossing. You can cross the border with 2 passports, but you can only use one. When entering (or leaving) your country of citizenship, you must present the passport issued by that country. When traveling to third countries, you can use whichever passport offers more privileges, such as visa-free travel.
• Taxation. You can be a dual citizen without being a tax resident of either country. In most countries, this status is granted to individuals who reside in the country for at least 6 months. However, there are exceptions. For example, all United States citizens are tax residents, regardless of where they live.
• Right to hold public office. Some countries impose restrictions on dual citizens: They cannot hold public office or work in the police or other security forces.
• Military service. Many countries have mandatory military service. A person with dual citizenship may be subject to conscription, although some countries provide exceptions for certain individuals, such as investors. If they have dual citizenship, they can only serve in one country.
• Consular protection. If you hold 2 passports and are in a third country, you can seek consular assistance at either country’s embassy. If one of your passports was issued by an EU country and there is no representative office of that country where you are located, you can contact the embassy of any EU country.