One of the dream destinations for any traveler is Europe. People visit every European country for its culture, landscape, and history. And because of the things Europe has to offer, some tourists even dream of becoming European citizens.
The European citizenship tagline is difficult for those with little or no understanding. This article outlines the procedures and guidelines needed to get European citizenship. Once you obtain European citizenship, you will have the same rights as any other natural citizen.
When you gain EU citizenship, you can access benefits in 28 countries. It includes unrestricted movement, employment, and settlement in all EU nations.
The Reasons Tourists Are Driven to European Countries for Citizenship
Let’s just say you wish to go on a big adventure in the wilderness of Sweden or explore the seaside cliffs of Spain. You want to feel the rays of the shining sun standing in the magical historic buildings of Belgium.
You yearn to party in the colorful restaurants in Turkey. You want to propose to your loved one and offer the engagement ring on the stairs of the Eiffel Tower in France.
You picture your wedding in the flower field in the Netherlands. You long to watch the artistic natural landscape in Portugal.
You want to go on a shopping spree in France to buy all those designer clothing like floral gowns or jewelry. You might go for the lab grown engagement rings if you are into diamonds. The quality will be the same as the mined diamonds.
Even imagination brings goosebumps to your body. And being a European citizen can provide you with every luxury that you ever dreamed of. This is why Europe is the most appealing continent for non-citizens.
The Benefits of Achieving European Citizenship
You have gotten a picture of why travelers find Europe distinctively attractive. So below are some of the benefits of being a European citizen.
- You can get the opportunity to work or travel in 28 countries without restriction.
- Being an EU citizen means one has access to free education and health care treatment.
- The citizenship certificate ensures an individual’s safety and security. The benefits will be provided irrespective of your gender, culture, ethnicity, or religion.
- Being a European citizen can secure your visa-free travel facility in 153 countries.
- You can buy and own property and assets.
- Citizenship assists one in investing and starting a business and sustaining profit out of it.
- Your successors can convey citizenship as you do.
The Process You Need to Follow to Have European Citizenship
- The Certification of Descent
Can you recognize any of your family members being a citizen of any European country? If yes, then you can opt to apply for citizenship by descent. To gain EU citizenship through this, you must have a parent or grandparent born in that nation.
The UK, Germany, Poland, Italy, and Greece accept ancestral citizenship. Some countries also allow a great-grandparent to qualify for citizenship.
By far, it’s the cheapest and easiest way to gain citizenship, needing less than €1000. Also, the entire process of obtaining citizenship can text up to 1 year.
- Citizenship by Naturalization
Naturalization is the next best option available to a non-European citizen. Every European country has its pre-specified requirements to get citizenship by naturalization process. A significant part of the naturalization process is that you need time and effort.
Then you have to maintain your legal residency for a particular number of years. Portugal and Spain are one of the European countries that offer naturalization citizenship. The foremost obligation is to sustain permanent residency status in the given country.
They are a couple of strategies to be followed for getting naturalized citizenship, given as follows:
- Marriage
If you can tie the knot with a European citizen, it will fasten your residency procedure. And apply for citizenship thereafter. The timeline to get citizenship through marriage is less than other naturalization approaches.
In most European countries, you have to be in a marriage for three years before applying for citizenship. But other requirements and obligations are much like other naturalization processes.
The fundamental difficulty in this process is finding the right person to share wedding sets with.
- Work
Your employment status can qualify you to apply for citizenship. A significant part of this process is getting hired by businesses or companies.
The company then needs to sponsor you to get legal residency. Usually, you have to work for 5 to 10 years to apply for citizenship.
- Business
This approach is complicated as it incorporates strict criteria. You have to start a business that the particular country regards as a legitimate business by law. In the meantime, you have to reside in a specific country and go through the residency process.
Any legal businesses like shoe stores, jewelry shops, or restaurants. Ethical and sustainable practices in the company can elevate the residency process.
For example, the investment in the production of environmentally friendly products. Or invest in promoting ethical ways to source materials such as ethical diamonds.
- Investment
Investment is the last way to achieve naturalized citizenship in Europe. It is the most efficient way to ensure citizenship if you can invest significantly in any sector.
You must apply for the investment scheme offered by various EU countries to get EU passports. The timeline and requirements for citizenship by investment vary from country to country. Most countries favor investment in real estate, energy, or government bonds.
The least period for obtaining permanent residency in your country is as much as six months. Approaches are also recognized as golden visas.
There are several ways you can invest in European nations. The following are some of them:
- Greece is offering the cheapest investment opportunity required of €250,000 from non-citizens. Moreover, the residency period should be at least seven years to be qualified for citizenship.
- In Portugal, you can’t apply for citizenship directly. Firstly, you have to invest about €500,000, especially in real estate. Then you have to receive permanent residence. Following five years of consistent residency, you can appeal for citizenship.
- Much like Portugal, you must invest €500,000 in properties such as real estate. Also, in this country, you cannot seek direct citizenship. But if you apply for the Spanish citizenship program, you can qualify for a passport after ten years.
- Malta provides the simplest and least time-consuming investment offers for obtaining citizenship. If you invest €700,000, you can secure citizenship within only three years. Investment in sustainable businesses such as ethical diamonds also gets preference.
- In Germany, you will get preference by investing in developing sectors. The blooming businesses like restaurants, diamond earrings design, or software development get favored. Your investment must create job opportunities or accommodate economic benefits. Here, you can qualify for citizenship after six years of gaining a self-employment visa.
In Conclusion
Non-citizens who appreciate European culture, gastronomy, art, or architecture want European citizenship.
Before making a choice, you should focus on whether you can tolerate differences. If yes, spend time with locals to study their language, culture, habits, and personality. It will enable you to blend in the European environment effortlessly.
