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Visa & Residency

Citizenship by Descent

Also known as: Jus Sanguinis, Ancestry Citizenship, Citizenship by Ancestry

Quick answer

Citizenship by descent derives nationality through a parent or ancestry under national law. It is not a universal number-of-generations entitlement. Italy's 2025 reform restricts automatic acquisition for people born abroad holding another citizenship; Ireland's Foreign Births Register has separate parent and Irish-born-grandparent rules. The relevant law, family events and application dates all matter.

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Citizenship after Law 74/2025 · Irish Department of Foreign Affairs — Foreign Birth Registration · checked 9 Nov 2026

Italy's foreign ministry describes exceptions involving a parent or grandparent who held exclusively Italian citizenship, or a parent's qualifying prior residence in Italy, alongside protected earlier applications. A great-grandparent alone is not the reform's general qualifying rule.

Ireland permits Foreign Birth Registration through an Irish-born grandparent or a parent who was already Irish when the applicant was born. Where the parent's citizenship comes from registration, its timing can determine the child's entitlement. Document requirements must be checked for the actual route.

Sources

Related terms

Citizenship by Investment (CBI)

Citizenship by investment is an application route linking nationality to a qualifying contribution or investment and other legal conditions. It differs from residence by investment. St. Kitts and Nevis lists a US$250,000 minimum Sustainable Island State Contribution for an applicant or family of up to four under its terms checked in 2026; due-diligence and other fees are additional.

Permanent Residence (PR)

Permanent residence is an immigration status allowing a non-citizen to remain on an ongoing basis under a country's law. It is distinct from citizenship and can have maintenance or loss conditions. In the United States, a Green Card evidences lawful permanent residence; there is no general requirement to hold a temporary visa for five years before acquiring it.

Apostille

An apostille certifies the origin of a public document for use where the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention applies. It replaces diplomatic or consular legalisation, but does not certify the document's contents or determine its legal effect.

Deeper guides

Citizenship by Descent: 30+ Countries With Ancestry Passports

Italy, Ireland, Poland, Germany and 25+ more. Full requirements, costs, timelines and 2026 rule changes for every ancestry route. Free eligibility checker.

Canadian Citizenship by Descent for Americans: Bill C-3 Complete Guide (2026)

Bill C-3 (in force Dec 15, 2025) made millions of Americans automatic Canadian citizens through a grandparent, great-grandparent or further-back ancestor. Processing times, document checklist, costs, and the tax realities. 2,500 Americans applied in Jan 2026 alone.

How to Get a Second Passport in 2026: Every Pathway Explained

Complete guide to second passports — citizenship by descent, investment (CBI), naturalization, golden visas, and marriage.

All glossary terms