Dual Nationality

Dual Nationality

Dual nationality, or dual citizenship, means that a person is a national of two countries at the same time.

Acquiring dual citizenship is a complicated and expensive process. The most straightforward way is getting citizenship by birth, however, many people become naturalized citizens when they live in a country for a long time or marry a citizen of that country.

Not every country recognizes dual citizenship, so some countries may require to renounce birth citizenship in order to become their citizen. The rules among countries that do recognize dual nationality also vary.

Being a national of two countries at the same time has both advantages and disadvantages. People with multiple citizenships are usually entitled to the rights in each country where they hold citizenship but are also subject to obligations of those countries.

How does one become a dual national?

The easiest way to obtaining dual citizenship is by birth: either by being born in a country with birthright citizenship or by having parents with dual citizenship.

Also, you can acquire second citizenship by marrying a citizen of a foreign nationality or by becoming naturalized as a citizen in another country.

In some countries, it is possible to gain citizenship based on ancestry, but you must be able to prove that your parents or grandparents were citizens of that country.

Advantages of dual citizenship

Many people strive to obtain dual citizenship, as dual citizens enjoy certain benefits.

Foremost, dual nationals have the ability to live and work freely in two countries. They do not need to obtain a visa and can stay in the country of citizenship as long as they want.

A dual citizen is not required to get a work permit and is exempt from restrictions that apply to business people with foreign citizenship.

Holding two passports also allows to visit more countries visa-free or with e-Visa facilitation, so traveling becomes much more easier.

Dual citizens are able to enjoy social services from both countries. For example, they can get medical treatment and study at the same price as domestic students.

Moreover, it is possible to own property in both countries. Some countries restrict land ownership to citizens, so dual citizenship status allows to travel between the two countries and live with comfort in their own accommodation.

Disadvantages of dual citizenship

The benefits of holding dual citizenship are numerous, however, it has certain drawbacks.

Dual citizens are legally bound by the laws of both countries and may face double taxation. For instance, if you have a US citizenship but are living in the country of your second citizenship, you may need to pay taxes both to the US government and to the country where you earned that income.

Sometimes dual citizenship creates barriers to some forms of employment. Governmental positions requiring access to sensitive information may be limited to those having second citizenship. Those born into dual citizenship have fewer problems than those who acquired citizenship by naturalization.

The process to obtain citizenship may be long and complicated. It varies between individuals based on their first country of citizenship and other circumstances.