Curiosities

Dual citizenship: who can have it?

Obtaining dual or multiple citizenship can open doors for those who want to start life in another country. Currently, there are millions of descendants who are entitled to claim. Understand how it works.

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Understand what dual and multiple citizenship is and see how to get yours!

Mulher entregando documentação com passaporte
After all, who has the right? Source: AdobeStock.

Currently, around 15% of the entire population of Brazil are of Italian descent. In addition, there are those who descend from Spaniards, Germans, Portuguese and other countries. But who can actually apply for dual citizenship?

Whether due to the current political situation or because they are looking for new opportunities, the truth is that the demand for dual or multiple nationalities has grown in the country. However, many are still confused about their rights.

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Also, most people believe it's something out of financial reach and give up before taking the first step. But, in fact, the popularization of the process has facilitated access by Brazilians to advisory services.

That is, those who have the right to dual citizenship can be just a few steps away from actually getting their foreign passport! Want to know how? Then see below all the details to request yours!

What is dual citizenship?

As the name suggests, dual citizenship is a special condition for Brazilian citizens who hold more than one nationality at the same time. Incidentally, some people may even hold multiple citizenships!

It is worth remembering that in our country this condition is a Brazilian right and legalized by the Federal Constitution. That is, if you meet the requirements of who is a descendant, for example, you can apply for your dual citizenship.

In addition to descent, other situations may qualify for dual or multiple citizenship, but we will talk more about them later. With this concession, the citizen will have the same rights as an ordinary citizen of another country.

That way, you can work, study and live in other parts of the world without the need for a visa. In other words, dual citizenship presents itself as a great opportunity for many people who wish to live abroad!

Who is entitled to dual citizenship?

Mão entregando dois passaportes a outra pessoa
Find out how the process works. Source: AdobeStock.

First, it is worth mentioning that the rules for who can have dual citizenship will change according to each country. But generally speaking, you need to fall into a few categories which can be:

  • family descent
  • stay in the country
  • Marriage with natural citizens of the country

So if you fall into any of these three categories, you may be eligible for dual or multiple citizenship. In this way, you can apply directly at the consulate in Brazil or directly in the country in question.

The specific documents and rules for obtaining citizenship vary from country to country. However, the processes are often bureaucratic and lengthy, which is why most people ask for advisory assistance.

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Benefits

Having a passport from another country, mainly European, makes it much easier to come and go to several other destinations in the world. That is, for those who dream of traveling and discovering different places, this is the main advantage.

Because you are also a citizen of another country, you can legally work in the country of your descent. After all, those with dual citizenship can buy real estate and lead a normal life like any other citizen.

This means you will also be able to study at some of the best universities in the world. Most of them are in Europe and the government can even help you with the tuition costs!

Disadvantages

Although there are not many disadvantages, everything has its downside and it would not be different here. Starting with the value of the process. Although it is more accessible nowadays, the investment price remains high.

In addition, there are countries that charge taxes from their citizens even if they do not reside there. Therefore, those who may have dual citizenship often think twice before requesting and submitting the documentation.

By the way, it is important to keep an eye on the laws and rules of the desired country before applying for citizenship. Many may even summon you to serve in the Armed Forces. Therefore, review carefully.

How to apply for dual citizenship?

Mão segurando passaporte carimbado
Apply for your foreign passport! Source: AdobeStock.

As we have already informed you, there are different ways to apply for citizenship in the desired country. You can start the process in Brazil through the consulate or even directly in the desired country.

Anyway, the process is bureaucratic and you need to gather all the necessary documentation. The rules will change according to each country and its type of process, and there are many details that can seem confusing.

Those who have family descendants, for example, can take the first step towards dual citizenship by looking for their origins. That is, find the ancestor who left that country and came to Brazil and find their documents.

costs of citizenship

If you are going to file your dual or multiple citizenship process, the amounts may change according to the exchange rate. That is, many fees are paid in dollars or euros, which can make the process more expensive.

Meanwhile, it is also necessary to take into account the issuance of certificates in notary offices and sworn translation of documents, which also have a high cost. For Italian citizenship, for example, the average is R$20 thousand or more.

If you enter Brazil, the costs are significantly reduced, just over R$10 thousand. For Portuguese citizenship, values can vary between R$5 thousand and R$15 thousand depending on the required documentation.

In order not to end up spending more money than necessary, seek the support of advisors or lawyers who understand the subject. In fact, there are even online platforms that can help you with the process!

What are the different types of dual citizenship applications?

As we've already mentioned, who can generally apply for dual citizenship falls into some more common categories. See below how each one of them works and if this is your case, ask for yours!

citizenship by descent

Also known as “jus sanguinis” in legal terms, those who can apply for this type of dual citizenship are children, great-grandchildren and other descendants. If you have a relative even if distant from another country, you may be entitled.

However, the rule is different for each government like Portugal, Germany, Spain and Italy, for example. While Portuguese citizenship has a generational limit, Italian citizenship does not. Keep an eye!

citizenship by marriage

That's right, anyone who is married to a person from another country may be entitled to apply for dual citizenship. But, again, the different rules of each nationality come into effect, especially regarding the length of time they have been married.

In general, marriages with more than 3 years can now apply for the spouse's naturalization. And this time can decrease even more if the couple already has children, and it can reach up to a year and a half of marriage!

Citizenship per stay

Now if you don't have any relatives of another nationality in your family and if you're not married to a foreigner, you can still get your dual nationality. That is, living for a long time in another country.

For those who reside outside Brazil legally, whether for study or work reasons, for example, you can apply for dual citizenship per stay. In most cases, the average is at least 6 years as a resident of the country.

As you've seen, there are a lot of details and bureaucracy to get more than one nationality. But with Cidadania4u you don't have to worry, they take care of everything for you. See below how it works!

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Citizenship4u app: become a European citizen!

The startup Cidadania4u arrived to revolutionize European citizenship advice. Through the platform and the application you can do your entire process online with someone who understands the subject!

About the author  /  Samantha Scorbaioli

Passionate about living new experiences, cultures and always in search of knowledge and new challenges. He has experience in Hospitality and Tourism and has been working in the content production area for some years.

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