Countries Allowing Dual Citizenship: Complete List 2026

Dual and second citizenship are not the same thing

I'll start with an important clarification that many people confuse. Dual citizenship - this is when both countries know about each other and recognize your status. For example, Israel and the United States have entered into an agreement: a citizen can hold both passports, and both countries agree to this.

Second citizenship - this is when you are legally a citizen of two states, but one of them (usually your first country) either does not know this or does not recognize it, but does not pursue it either. This is how millions of people with a Caribbean passport live: Grenada or St. Kitts do not ask for a certificate of your first citizenship, and Russia or Kazakhstan do not de facto take away your passport - they simply consider you “only theirs.”

This practically means one thing for you: always check the legislation both countries, not just one.

Countries that explicitly allow dual citizenship

Here are the states where the law is clearly not against a second passport - no notifications, no refusals of the first:

Countries that ban - and what this means in practice

The important thing here is not to panic, but to understand the mechanism. The “ban” usually works like this: if you acquire foreign citizenship voluntarily, your previous one automatically ends. Or you will be forced to refuse it.

I’ll be : many citizens of Japan and China de facto hold a second passport and do not report this to the authorities. This is their personal choice and their risk. I do not recommend going this route - the consequences if discovered are serious.

Russia: de jure allows, de facto recognizes only Tajikistan

The situation with Russia is a separate story, and in my experience it has generated the most confusion.

According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, dual citizenship is allowed. But there is a nuance: Article 62 says that Russia recognizes dual citizenship only on the basis international treaty. Such an agreement exists only with Tajikistan (since 1995). With other countries - no.

What does this mean in practice? Russia is looking at you only as your citizen. Your Cypriot or Grenadian passport does not exist for the Russian authorities. You are required to serve in the army, pay taxes, and enter and exit using a Russian passport.

Added since 2014 mandatory notification duty: if you have received foreign citizenship or a residence permit, you must notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 60 days. For violation - an administrative fine, for concealment - criminal liability up to 400 hours of corrective labor.

Your passport itself will not be deprived of you. But living with two passports in Russia means living with these restrictions.

Cost of obtaining second citizenship through investment

If your goal is a second passport quickly and without years of waiting, investment programs are the direct route. Here are the real numbers for 2026:

Add to the investment: due diligence $7,500–$10,000 for the main applicant, state duty for a passport $300–$500, apostilles and transfers $500–$1,500, legal support $5,000–$15,000.

Citizenship by Descent: The Most Underrated Path

Over the years of practice, I have seen people spend $300,000 on an investment program - and do not know that their grandfather was Bulgarian or Italian. And this could be an EU passport for free.

Countries with active citizenship programs by roots:

• Italy - citizenship is transmitted through the male line unlimitedly. For women - from birth after January 1, 1948. In my practice, there were clients who had their Italian passport restored through their great-great-grandfather.
• Bulgaria - with the 2026 reform, documents are submitted directly to the Ministry of Justice, DABC is no longer involved. Duration is about 9 months. EU passport.
• Portugal - citizenship of the descendants of Sephardic Jews; also by descent up to the 2nd generation.
• Poland - Pole card or citizenship by descent, relevant for descendants of emigrants of the interwar period.
• Israel - Law of Return: Any Jew, the spouse, children and grandchildren of a Jew have the right to citizenship.
• Armenia - simplified procedure for descendants of ethnic Armenians.

Before you pay for an investment program, check your tree. This is the first thing I do at every consultation.

Naturalization: long but cheap

The classic way is to live in the country for several years, learn the language, pass an exam, and get a passport. Plus: almost free. Minus: years of life and real living.

Naturalization periods in popular countries:

• Portugal - 5 years of legal residence (possible with residence permit D7/D8, not necessarily physically 365 days a year)
• Cyprus - 7 years of residence, or 5 years if married to a citizen
• United Kingdom - 5 years permanent residence, then ILR, then citizenship (total 6+ years)
• Canada - 3 out of 5 years of physical presence after receiving PR
• Germany - with the reform of 2024, it was reduced to 5 years (previously 8), with special merit - 3 years
• Israel (aliyah) - citizenship from the first day upon repatriation under the Law of Return

Important point: when naturalizing through residence, you must meet the requirements host country at the time of filing. And at the same time, take into account the legislation of your first country on how it relates to the fact of naturalization abroad.

EU passport and dual citizenship: what you need to know

An EU passport is the dream of most of my clients. And I understand why: freedom of movement in 27 countries, the right to work and live in Europe, a strong document for banks and visa officers.

Important nuances that are often missed:

• The EU as an organization does not regulate issues of dual citizenship - this is the competence of each member country separately.
• If you are an Austrian citizen (dual prohibition) and want to obtain, for example, Italian citizenship by origin, you will lose your Austrian citizenship. This is a real case from my practice: the client did not know and was very upset.
• Bulgarian and Cypriot passports are EU, both allow dual passports. This makes them especially attractive to citizens of countries with restrictions.
• Portugal allows dual citizenship and does not require renunciation of first citizenship upon naturalization.

My advice: if your goal is an EU passport, first decide on a specific country, and only then look at the rules for dual citizenship in that country.

How to check if you are allowed dual citizenship

The algorithm that I use in every consultation is simple and reliable:

1. Your first country. What does its legislation say about the automatic termination of citizenship upon naturalization abroad? Is there an obligation to notify? Are there sanctions?
2. Country of receipt of the second passport. Does it require renouncing your first citizenship? (For example, some Gulf countries require this formally, but allow it with special permission.)
3. Is there a bilateral agreement? Like between Russia and Tajikistan. It's rare, but it changes everything.
4. How does the rule work in practice? Law and law enforcement are two different things. In Japan, the law requires you to choose one citizenship at age 22, but the government does not actually strictly monitor this choice. This does not mean that there is no risk - but the level of risk is different.

, 80% of the cases that clients come with are resolved in the first two steps. The remaining 20% ​​are nuances that require a legal analysis of a specific situation.

The main mistakes when obtaining a second passport

Over the course of 12 years, I have collected a collection of mistakes. The most common:

• Didn't check your first country. A person calmly receives a Caribbean passport, returns home - and learns that his country considers this a violation. Or that he should have notified the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
• The intermediary was not warned about the ban in the first country. The CBI program does not ask about your first citizenship - it is your responsibility to understand the consequences.
• We entered the country with the wrong passport. If you are a citizen of a country that considers you “only its own,” you need to enter there using its passport. Otherwise, there will be problems at the border and questions from the security forces.
• Tax consequences were not taken into account. The US, for example, taxes its citizens based on citizenship - you pay taxes in the US even if you live in another country. A second passport does not cancel this.
• We bought a country’s passport without checking its visa-free list. Some programs sell a “travel passport” that is actually weaker than your current one. Always compare Henley Passport Index.

Tax consequences of dual citizenship

Taxes are a topic that most clients ignore until they receive a letter from the IRS. Don't do that.

Three principles of taxation in the world:

• By residence - most countries. Pay taxes where you live. If they left, they stopped paying (subject to the rules for leaving tax residence).
• By citizenship - USA and Eritrea. You left, changed your residence, received a second passport - you still pay in the USA. The only way out is to renounce American citizenship.
• By source of income - most countries, in addition to the basic rule, tax income from local sources even for non-residents.

Cyprus and Portugal (NHR regime) are popular tax havens for wealthy clients. Both allow dual citizenship. This is not a coincidence: countries that attract investors usually do not give them problems with passports.

If you have significant assets, a tax analysis is required before obtaining a second citizenship. This is a separate work with a tax consultant, not a citizenship lawyer.

Caribbean programs: why it works the fastest

Five Caribbean programs - Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia - are the de facto standard for those who need a second passport quickly and without moving.

Why are they suitable for the “double” restriction in the first country:

• None of the five programs require you to renounce your first citizenship.
• Caribbean countries do not notify your first country when the passport is issued.
• You can keep your Caribbean passport secret - legally, you are in the clear under Caribbean law.

But: your first country may have its own notification rules. Russia requires notification of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Some countries don't. This needs to be checked separately.

The power of Caribbean passports for 2026: all five have visa-free travel to Schengen. Grenada additionally provides access to the US E-2 visa (trade treaty). St. Kitts is the oldest program with the strictest due diligence and the most “respected” passport among banks.

How to choose a country for your situation

There is no universal answer - there is your specific situation. Here's how I break it down during a consultation:

• Is your first country to ban doubles? → Caribbean or countries that do not notify. We assess your personal risk.
• Need an EU passport? → Bulgaria (by roots), Portugal (naturalization 5 years or by roots), Cyprus (permanent residence + naturalization 7 years). We evaluate whether there are roots.
• Do you need it quickly, without moving? → Investment programs of the Caribbean, Nauru, Vanuatu. Duration 2–6 months.
• Need a strong US passport? → Grenada (E-2 visa). Or direct immigration to the USA.
• Have a limited budget? → Citizenship by descent (if there are roots). Or Sao Tome and Principe ($90,000 contribution, new program 2025).
• Is tax optimization important? → Cyprus or Portugal, both allow doubles and provide tax advantages.

Where to start right now

If you have read this far, it means the topic is serious. Here's a practical plan:

1. Determine what your first country's laws say about dual citizenship. Need a notification? Is there an automatic termination when naturalizing abroad?
2. Define your goal: a strong travel passport, tax optimization, moving to the EU, a fallback for your family?
3. Check your tree to see if you are eligible for EU citizenship by descent. This can save hundreds of thousands of dollars.
4. If it’s an investment, compare not only the cost of the program, but also the visa-free list, tax consequences, and the reputation of the passport with banks.
5. Consult with a lawyer who works in both jurisdictions - the country of your first passport and the country of receipt. This is not the case when you should skimp on advice.

In my practice, there was a case when a client independently received a second passport without checking the legislation of his country. As a result, he lost the first one - because the law of his state provided for automatic termination. It was a painful and irreversible lesson.

Bottom line: the main thing on one screen