Dual citizenship offers a lot of benefits. You can do a lot of things if you have two passports. Probably, the first thing on the list would be to travel without having to worry about obtaining a visa. You can work in another country and be protected by the laws in both countries you are a citizen of.

Some countries offer citizenship by investment, and among those countries are Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Malta, Montenegro, Turkey, Vanuatu, St. Lucia, etc. There are some rules you need to abide by before obtaining citizenship.

For example, Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment programs require you to invest a certain amount of money and stay in the country for 5 days in the first 5 years. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about dual citizenship. Some countries strictly forbid having a second passport, so inform yourself well enough before you start any dual citizenship process.

What is Dual Citizenship?

Let’s start with the basics and dive deeper into the topic of dual citizenship. It’s when the person holds citizenship in two countries. It’s a legal bond between the individual and the nation-state and it can be granted via naturalization, ancestry, or marriage. You, as a dual citizen can own properties in both countries, vote in elections, and work in either of them. However, not all countries allow dual citizenship. Some may require you to give up your original passport to obtain theirs.

What are the Benefits?

There are a lot of benefits to having dual citizenship. First of all, you’ll be able to provide better security to yourself and your family in a world that’s becoming increasingly unstable. It can protect you when your original identity is put under dangerous circumstances like kidnapping or hijacking. Additionally, it provides better global mobility. Citizens of countries like Syria, Libya, or Afghanistan have certain travel limitations where they can travel visa-free. And those fortunate citizens who live in countries like Germany, Singapore, or Japan can travel to more than 190 countries without a visa. With dual citizenship, you’ll have the world under your feet. Hence, more job and business opportunities around the world. And more flexible tax planning. Overall, your quality of life will improve and you can study at a better university, apply for a prestigious job, retire across 30 economically stable and prosperous countries, etc.

What are the Drawbacks?

Having dual citizenship can sometimes have its disadvantages in certain situations. For example, a person living and having a US passport is obliged to pay taxes every year, no matter where they live. And countries like Israel, Turkey, and Greece may require their citizens to participate in a military service that is compulsory. And it’s not always recognized while traveling abroad, so it depends where you go.

How You Can Get Citizenship?

There are several ways to obtain dual citizenship. It can be by descent, naturalization, marriage, investment, and birth. Citizenship by descent is a popular option and you can get it if you have relatives who have been living in the country. For example, if your grandparents or great-grandparents were residents of the country. Getting citizenship by birth means you are eligible for both passports if you are from one country and you’ve been born in another country.

An additional potential route of obtaining dual citizenship is by marriage through your spouse. The US and UK have strict processes for ensuring the marriage is genuine. Getting a second passport by naturalization means living in a country for enough years to be able to become a legal citizen. You can do it by working in the country or being sponsored by your employer. And finally, dual citizenship by investment includes several options of investment before you can secure the second passport. You can either invest in real estate, donate non-refundable funds in the state fund, etc.

In Which Countries Can You Get Dual Citizenship?

Many countries will allow you to become their citizens. Some of them are Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Lucia, Bahamas, Panama, Grenada, Israel, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Belgium, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Malta, etc. The list is pretty long and the process of becoming a citizen is different in each country. However, some of the countries that do not allow dual citizenship are Tanzania, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Cuba, Guyana, Suriname, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Bahrain, China, India, Myanmar, Japan, North Korea, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Andorra, Estonia, Monaco, etc.

Get an Immigration Service Advisor

If you decide to obtain a second passport, the best would be to consult an Immigration Service company that will guide you through the process. This way you can get unified advice on the services suited for your needs. There are a lot of companies that deal with high-net-worth clients and full-range of corporate services.