Citizenship by descent, country by country
Many countries let the children, grandchildren, and further descendants of their citizens reclaim nationality — a second passport your family already earned, usually with dual citizenship allowed. Each country below is a versioned data pack of rules, documents, costs, and authorities, authored from primary legal sources. Pick a country to check your eligibility free.
Available now
25 countriesAustria
Descent + Nazi-persecution restitution
Provincial government
Bulgaria
Descent
Ministry of Justice
Canada
Bill C-3 by descent (certificate)
IRCC
Croatia
Descent
Ministry of Interior
Cyprus
Descent
Civil Registry
Czech Republic
Descent
Ministry of Interior
Finland
Descent
Migri
France
Descent (CNF)
Tribunal / Service central
Germany
§4 Feststellung / §5 declaration / Art. 116(2)
BVA Cologne
Greece
Descent (municipal roll)
Municipality / Consulate
Hungary
Simplified naturalization (honosítás)
Ministry of Interior
Ireland
Foreign Birth Registration + passport-direct
Dept. of Foreign Affairs
Italy
Jure sanguinis (consular) + 1948 judicial
Consulates / Tribunal of Rome
Latvia
Pre-1940 descent
OCMA
Lithuania
Pre-1940 descent
Migration Department
Luxembourg
Descent (recovery deadline noted)
Ministry of Justice
Malta
Descent (grandparent + great-grandparent)
Community Malta
Poland
Confirmation of citizenship
Masovian Voivode
Portugal
Descent (parent / grandparent + CIPLE A2)
IRN
Romania
Descent
ANC
Slovakia
Descent / Czechoslovak lineage
Ministry of Interior
Slovenia
Descent
Ministry of Interior
Spain
By origin (Art. 17) + option (Art. 20)
Registro Civil / Consulate
Switzerland
Descent (register before 25)
SEM / Cantonal authority
United Kingdom
UK Ancestry (grandparent) / descent
UKVI
On the roster
We're building these next — start the eligibility check and we'll notify you when your country goes live.
Where descent claims are limited
Some countries focus on birth or long-term residence and generally don't offer ancestry-based citizenship, or restrict dual citizenship for it — for example Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Netherlands, Sweden. Rules change, so verify with the relevant authority if you have ancestry there.
Find out if a second passport is already yours.
The eligibility check is free and takes about two minutes. No account, no documents, no commitment.