Citizenship by Descent

Approximately 19.1% of Americans have German ancestry, making German citizenship by descent an attractive option for those with family ties to Germany. However, Germany’s nationality laws are complex, with specific rules around birthdates, wedlock, and gender-based inheritance.

Eligibility
You automatically qualify if at least one of your parents was a German citizen at your birth. Before January 1, 1975, citizenship could only be passed by married German fathers. After that, German citizenship could be passed down regardless of gender or marital status. If you were born out of wedlock before July 1, 1993, you could only acquire citizenship through your mother, unless paternity was legally acknowledged before you turned 23.

Common Questions asked by Americans
Many Americans ask whether they can get German citizenship through great-grandparents? The answer depends on whether your ancestor retained German nationality after emigration. If your great-grandparent was born in Germany and did not naturalize in another country before their child’s birth, you may qualify for German citizenship by great-grandparent. However, you need to prove an unbroken line of descent through official documents such as birth, marriage, and naturalization certificates.

For Americans who can’t automatically qualify through ancestry, Germany offers a naturalization process that can take three years if you establish residency and ties to the country. Many great-grandchildren of German citizens take this route by moving to Germany and applying for citizenship after fulfilling the requirements.

It’s also worth noting that descendants of Germans persecuted by the Nazi regime may reclaim their German citizenship under Article 116 of the German Basic Law. This applies even if the citizenship was lost through forced emigration or political persecution.

Although German citizenship by descent doesn’t specifically allow applications through a great-grandparent or further back, you might still be eligible if your family has maintained citizenship ties across generations. The process is highly dependent on historical documents and legal interpretations, making it essential to verify your case carefully.

Lancier helps Americans throughout the entire German citizenship by descent process.

About 16.4% of Americans have Irish ancestral roots, making Irish citizenship by descent a viable option for many U.S. citizens with family ties to Ireland. Americans can qualify for Irish citizenship through a great-grandparent or grandparent, depending on whether their family has already registered in the Foreign Births Register (FBR).

Eligibility
If you were born outside of Ireland, you can apply for citizenship if:

A) One of your grandparents was born in Ireland, or;

B) One of your parents was an Irish citizen at your birth, even if they weren’t born in Ireland.

Common Questions asked by Americans
Many Americans ask whether you can get Irish citizenship if one of your great-grandparents were Irish? The answer is that most likely you will be able to qualify for Irish citizenship through great-grandparents if your parent or grandparent registered as an Irish citizen before you were born. In this case, you’ll need to complete the FBR process, which typically involves collecting birth, marriage, and death certificates to prove an unbroken line of descent.

The Foreign Birth Registration can take up to nine months with processing times varying based on your consulate. Once the registration is complete, you will be recognized as an Irish citizen with the right to apply for an Irish passport and gain EU citizenship.
Applying for Irish citizenship through ancestry is a popular route for Americans since this pathway offers significant benefits, such as the right to live and work anywhere in the European Union.

Lancier helps Americans through the complex process of obtaining Irish citizenship by descent.

Almost 7.1% of Americans have Italian ancestral roots. Many Americans can apply for Italian citizenship by descent through great-grandparents if they can prove an unbroken ancestral line to an Italian-born ancestor who retained their Italian citizenship. The process involves tracing your ancestry back to a great-grandparent or grandparent born in Italy after March 17, 1861, when Italy was unified. Law no. 555/1912 governs the eligibility rules for descendants, while Law no. 91/1992 permits dual citizenship, meaning Italians who acquired another nationality after August 16, 1992, did not lose their Italian citizenship.

Eligibility
You can qualify for Italian citizenship by descent through a great-grandmother or great-grandfather, but special rules apply if your female ancestor gave birth before January 1, 1948. Before this date, citizenship could only be passed through the male line. For cases involving a great-grandmother, you may need to pursue a judicial petition in Italy to obtain recognition of your Italian citizenship through a great-grandmother.
Applicants must gather birth, marriage, and death certificates from all ancestors to prove their eligibility. These documents must be translated into Italian and legalized with an apostille.

Common Questions asked by Americans
For those asking themselves whether you can get Italian citizenship through great-grandparents, the answer primarily depends on whether your ancestor remained an Italian citizen. If your great-grandparent emigrated to the U.S. but did not naturalize before their child’s birth, you may be eligible for Italian great-grandparent citizenship. For great-grandchildren of Italian citizens, it is essential to prove that your great-grandparents were born in Italy and retained their Italian nationality through their descendants.

How long does it take to get Italian citizenship by descent? Processing times can vary by consulate, but applications will typically take 1 to 2 years. However, the time it takes to collect all the documents and make a strong case can add to the total time it will take for an Italian citizenship by descent application.

Lancier helps Americans through the complex process of securing Italian citizenship by descent.

Almost 3.7% of Americans have Polish roots. Many Americans may therefore qualify for Polish citizenship by descent if they can prove direct lineage to a Polish ancestor who was a citizen before January 1, 1951, when Poland’s citizenship laws were formalized under the Citizenship Act of 1920. The eligibility criteria include demonstrating that your grandparents or great-grandparents were Polish citizens and never renounced their citizenship.

Eligibility
Under Polish law, citizenship can pass through both maternal and paternal lines, and it is possible to apply for Polish citizenship through great-grandparents if you can prove an unbroken chain of ancestry. The key requirement is that your ancestor must have held Polish citizenship after Poland regained independence in 1918.

To start the process, applicants must obtain birth, marriage, and death certificates of all direct ancestors and provide evidence that the ancestor did not lose Polish citizenship by acquiring another nationality. All documents must be translated into Polish by a sworn translator and legalized with an apostille.

Applications for Polish great-grandparent citizenship are filed with the Polish Voivodeship Office or through a Polish consulate abroad. Processing times can vary, but will typically take between 1 -2 years.

Lancier helps Americans through the complex process of securing Italian citizenship by descent.

About 18.7% of Americans have Hispanic or Spanish roots. Many Americans can therefore apply for Spanish citizenship by descent if they have ancestry from Spain, but the process is complex and depends on specific legal provisions and historical contexts.

Eligibility
Spanish law allows citizenship to be passed through grandparents or great-grandparents, but only if the ancestor retained Spanish nationality or was exiled during the Spanish Civil War or dictatorship. Under Law 20/2022 (Democratic Memory Law), descendants of Spaniards forced to emigrate for political reasons can apply for citizenship. This includes the adult children and grandchildren of those who lost their Spanish nationality due to political exile or gender discrimination. The law also applies to those whose female ancestors lost their Spanish nationality by marrying a foreigner before the 1978 Constitution.

For descendants outside these special cases, Spanish nationality by descent generally requires proving direct ancestry through a parent or grandparent who was a Spanish citizen. However, descendants from one of the 18 heritage nations—including Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, and Portugal can apply for citizenship after two years of legal residency in Spain instead of the usual ten.

The process involves submitting birth, marriage, and death certificates to prove the unbroken line of descent. Additionally, many people inquire about “Spain citizenship by last name” or “Spain last names citizenship” programs, but no such official process exists solely based on surnames. The application must be submitted at the Civil Register in Spain, and processing times vary depending on the case.

Lancier helps Americans through the complex process of securing Spanish citizenship by descent.

About 3.4% of Americans have French roots. Some Americans may therefore qualify for French citizenship by descent, especially those with French grandparents or great-grandparents. French citizenship is primarily acquired through jus sanguinis (right of blood), meaning it is passed through ancestral ties. However, to claim French citizenship by grandparent, specific eligibility rules must be met under the French Nationality Code (Articles 18-23 of the Civil Code).

Eligibility
To qualify for French citizenship through a grandparent, you must prove that one of your parents was French at your birth or that your grandparent was born in France and retained French nationality. The application process requires gathering official documents to establish an unbroken line of descent and prove the ancestor’s French citizenship status. These documents include birth, marriage, and death certificates from both sides of the family.

Common Questions asked by Americans
For Americans asking if they can get French citizenship through a great-grandparent, the law generally does not recognize direct claims through a great-grandparent, but you may still be eligible if your parent or grandparent reclaimed French nationality. In cases where French nationality was lost through naturalization, reinstatement is possible through a declaration process.

Applicants must submit their documents to the French consulate in the U.S. or directly to the Ministry of Interior in France. Once citizenship is granted, you can apply for a French passport and gain EU citizenship, allowing you to live and work across Europe.

Many U.S. citizens living in France or considering moving to France pursue this option to benefit from dual citizenship. The process for French citizenship through ancestry typically takes several months, depending on consular processing times and the the time it takes to collect all necessary documents from your end.

Lancier helps Americans through the complex process of securing French citizenship by descent.