What types of residence count towards acquiring a European country's citizenship?
06-26-2015, 06:12 PM
I would like some clarification on what types of residence count for years of residency required before being able to claim citizenship in a European country. I was informed that the years spent using the 'Poland loophole' or residence allowed as a result from purchasing property both do not count in the _ years it takes to gain citizenship. What types of residency do count? Just student visas, working visas, and years spent married?
A list found from 2009 for citizenship requirements in terms of years of residency:
Austria: A permanent residence in the country during 10 years is required. Dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Belgium: requires 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Bulgaria: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Cyprus: 5 accumulated years of residence in the last 8 years period, dual citizenship allowed.
Czech Republic: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Denmark: 9 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Estonia: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Finland: 6 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
France: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Germany: 8 years of residence, can be reduced to 7 or even 6 with integration and language courses. Dual citizenship is NOT allowed. [Not fully accurate, it's allowed for EU countries and there are exceptions. This might also be subject to change under the new government.]
Greece: 10 years, dual citizenship is allowed.
Hungary: 8 years, dual citizenship is allowed.
Iceland: 7 years, dual citizenship is allowed.
Ireland: Permanent residence in the country during 5 out of 9 years is required. You must be a resident during the year before applying [thanks Vijay Sankaran]. Dual citizenship is allowed.
Italy: 10 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Latvia: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Lithuania: 10 years of residence are required. Dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Luxembourg: 10 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Malta: 5 years of permanent residence (usually following 5 years of temporary residence as noted by Bence Zakonyi), dual citizenship is allowed.
Netherlands: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed [exceptions are common as noted by Jeannine van der Linden].
Norway: 7 of the last 10 years, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Poland: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Portugal: 6 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Romania: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Slovakia: 8 years of residence are required. Dual citizenship is NOT
allowed any more [thanks Zuzana Soročinová].
Slovenia: 10 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Spain: 10 years of residence are required. This requirement can be reduced to 2 years (but not waived) in case of nationals from a former colony of Spain (it covers a number of Latin American countries and the
Philippines). Dual citizenship is allowed.
Sweden: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Switzerland: 12 years of residence (time between age 10 and 20 counts twice), dual citizenship is allowed.
United Kingdom: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed. Paradoxically, 6 years for EU/EEA citizens - and everyone not free of "immigration time restrictions" 12 months prior to applying. [thanks Ashley Connor]
A list found from 2009 for citizenship requirements in terms of years of residency:
Austria: A permanent residence in the country during 10 years is required. Dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Belgium: requires 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Bulgaria: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Cyprus: 5 accumulated years of residence in the last 8 years period, dual citizenship allowed.
Czech Republic: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Denmark: 9 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Estonia: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Finland: 6 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
France: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Germany: 8 years of residence, can be reduced to 7 or even 6 with integration and language courses. Dual citizenship is NOT allowed. [Not fully accurate, it's allowed for EU countries and there are exceptions. This might also be subject to change under the new government.]
Greece: 10 years, dual citizenship is allowed.
Hungary: 8 years, dual citizenship is allowed.
Iceland: 7 years, dual citizenship is allowed.
Ireland: Permanent residence in the country during 5 out of 9 years is required. You must be a resident during the year before applying [thanks Vijay Sankaran]. Dual citizenship is allowed.
Italy: 10 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Latvia: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Lithuania: 10 years of residence are required. Dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Luxembourg: 10 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Malta: 5 years of permanent residence (usually following 5 years of temporary residence as noted by Bence Zakonyi), dual citizenship is allowed.
Netherlands: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed [exceptions are common as noted by Jeannine van der Linden].
Norway: 7 of the last 10 years, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Poland: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is NOT allowed.
Portugal: 6 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Romania: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Slovakia: 8 years of residence are required. Dual citizenship is NOT
allowed any more [thanks Zuzana Soročinová].
Slovenia: 10 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Spain: 10 years of residence are required. This requirement can be reduced to 2 years (but not waived) in case of nationals from a former colony of Spain (it covers a number of Latin American countries and the
Philippines). Dual citizenship is allowed.
Sweden: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed.
Switzerland: 12 years of residence (time between age 10 and 20 counts twice), dual citizenship is allowed.
United Kingdom: 5 years of residence, dual citizenship is allowed. Paradoxically, 6 years for EU/EEA citizens - and everyone not free of "immigration time restrictions" 12 months prior to applying. [thanks Ashley Connor]