Having a passport from another country comes with a string of responsibilities and rights. But when you weigh these two factors, you will see that rights are easily the prevalent factor. That’s why so many people from all over the globe are interested in becoming a citizen of a foreign country when possible.
Naturally, we are talking about a procedure that’s not always straightforward. Instead, we are talking about a process that can last quite long and the applicant can face numerous challenges to complement the requirements. It’s not uncommon for the applicant to require assistance from a legal professional, mainly in terms of consulting.
At the same time, we can see that different counties have different requirements you need to meet before obtaining citizenship becomes a possibility. So, you would need to learn about these in each case you face. One of the possibilities is to become a citizen through investment. If you want to learn more about this, be sure to visit https://imperiallegal.com/citizenship-by-investment.
Today, we want to talk about examples of the easiest and hardest examples in the world you can face.
The Easiest Ones
We will start with a list of the countries whose procedures are the easiest for getting citizenship.
1. Mexico
In Hollywood movies, you will see many examples of people leaving the US for Mexico, and settling there quite comfortably, for a variety of reasons. You will be happy to hear that this is the situation in real life. According to some studies on this topic, you can see that almost one million US citizens are living in the country’s southern neighborhood.
These numbers are possible because of the flexible regulation the country’s government has for obtaining citizenship. Applying for citizenship in this country is possible after an individual spends five years consequently in the country. The period is halved in case people are of Mexican descent.
2. Paraguay
Some may be surprised to see Paraguay on this list of ours. Paraguay is a Latin American country, whose procedure for obtaining citizenship by naturalization is probably one of the easiest out there. You will be happy to hear that the time needed for this procedure is only three years, which is nothing short of exceptional.
To be able to apply for citizenship, the applicant only needs to deposit at least $5000 in a local bank. Another one is that you should spend at least 185 days within the borders of Paraguay. The benefit of having this passport is that you can travel without a visa to almost 150 countries from all over the globe.
3. Panama
Panama has probably the most interesting program they offer to foreign citizens. Still, it needs to be said that this is the case only for certain countries in the world. We are talking about the “Friendly Nations Visa Program”. The list consists of fifty countries that have advanced economic ties with Panama.
Another interesting thing to know is that you don’t need to be a permanent resident to fulfill the requirement of maintaining a residency. However, applicants need to renew theirs submits every two years. After five years of doing this, it becomes possible to apply for citizenship in the country.
The Hardest Ones
Now, let’s take a look at the hardest countries to get their passport.
1. Vatican
The smallest nation on the planet, the Vatican, has only around 500 citizens. As you know, this state is often addressed as “The Holy See”. Therefore, it becomes obvious that not every person interested in becoming a citizen cannot do that. The procedure is rigid and the possibilities are quite limited.
When we say that, we mean that you can become a citizen only if you are about to become a cardinal. In that case, you will have a permanent residency. Another possibility is to work within the institutions that work for the benefit of the Catholic Church. As a result, becoming a citizen is practically impossible.
2. Liechtenstein
When we take a look at the map of the old continent, there are certain countries we often overlook. It’s not that they are not as important as some others. The reason is that they are simply not as big as the majority. One of these micro nations is Liechtenstein, a small state that borders Switzerland and Austria.
Becoming a citizen is a complex and quite durable process. For instance, you need to spend 30 years within the country to become one. A significant thing to know is that for those who are younger than 20 years, is that until they reach this age, every year is counted as two, which is of significant help to many.
3. Qatar
According to the legislation of Qatar, there’s only one element that can make you a citizen. The condition is that your father is the holder of a passport. Even if your mother is a passport owner, this is not enough for you to become a Qatari. Also, you need to spend 25 years without leaving Qatar.
Sure, you have some freedom during this period. It is possible to leave the country for up to months per year. Even the smallest breach of this regulation will diminish your chances of obtaining a passport. From numerous studies, we can see that only around 50 foreigners are naturalized annually.
4. North Korea
The list of countries where getting citizenship is complex and hard wouldn’t be complete without North Korea. We are talking about an Asian nation that is one of the most isolated ones in the world. Its citizens do not have passports and they are not allowed to leave the country of their own will.
Those who want to become citizens of North Korea need to apply to an institution known as the “Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly”. Still, there’s one major requirement for doing so. One of your parents must come from the country.
In Conclusion
Becoming a citizen of any country can be both hard and easy, depending on the case. Here, we’ve gone through all the major cases of both situations. We are sure you will find this insight of ours interesting and informative.
