Dual citizenship guide: Countries, taxes, and how to obtain it

Dual citizenship means one person is treated as a full legal citizen by two different countries at the same time, giving you two passports and two governments that recognize you as their own. It opens doors to freedom, mobility, and opportunity while still carrying the responsibilities the US outlines for all citizens abroad.

• Dual citizenship countries: Around 89 nations worldwide allow some form of dual nationality, though each government sets its own rules.
• Most common dual citizenship with the US: Popular partner countries include the UK, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and Australia.
• How to get dual citizenship: People usually gain a second passport through birth or descent, naturalization after 2–8 years, marriage pathways starting around 3 years, or investment programs that begin near $100K.
• Main benefits: A second passport can unlock travel access to 150+ destinations, along with voting rights and improved access to national systems like healthcare.
• Main obligations: US citizens must file an annual federal tax return, with relief tools such as the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit helping reduce double taxation under IRS rules.

What is dual citizenship?

Dual citizenship means holding two valid passports simultaneously from two different countries, giving you legal citizenship status, rights, and obligations in both nations. In Kawakita v. United States, the Supreme Court made clear that a person can belong to two countries at once and still owe responsibilities to each. Because of that, a dual citizen can vote, work, own property, and use public services across both countries.

This idea becomes clearer once you see how dual vs permanent residency differs and how second or multiple citizenships fit into this bigger picture of nationality.

Understand the US tax steps before pursuing dual citizenship.

Learn more

What is the difference between dual citizenship and permanent residency?

Imagine a US professional living abroad in a country that allows dual citizenship, while their colleague holds only permanent residency. Their routines might look alike, but the rights behind them are not.

• Voting rights: Citizens take part in national elections and have a formal political voice, whereas permanent residents cannot vote and remain outside the country’s political structure.
• Passport: Citizens can apply for that country’s passport, giving them a direct legal identity there, while permanent residents rely on the passport from their original country, even if they have lived abroad for many years.
• Travel: Citizens can leave and return freely without worrying about losing status, but permanent residency can lapse if someone stays abroad too long, creating uncertainty for long-term stability.
• Deportation: Citizens are generally protected from deportation under standard circumstances, whereas permanent residents can lose their status and be removed if they violate immigration rules.
• Renewal: Citizenship does not expire, and only the physical passport needs renewal, while permanent residency must be renewed every 5–10 years, depending on the country’s rules.

How is dual citizenship different from a second citizenship?

Dual citizenship usually means both countries fully accept you as their citizen at the same time. You might gain this through citizenship by naturalization, after living and integrating in another country, or through citizenship by descent, when nationality is passed from a parent or grandparent. In either case, both countries recognize you in their legal systems, not just in everyday life.

A second citizenship is different. Here, the country you newly joined may recognize you as a citizen, but your original country might not treat the new status the same way. Some people gain their additional passport through citizenship by investment, a controlled program where specific financial contributions lead to nationality. If more than two countries accept your status, you move into multiple citizenship, where several passports coexist, and each government applies its own rules.

To visualize these distinctions more simply, this table captures the basic differences at a glance:

Dual citizenship pros and cons

It’s not just enough to know what dual citizenship means or understand similar concepts around nationality – when a second passport is something you genuinely hope to secure, it becomes important to look at the benefits and the downsides with clear, simple logic.

Pros of dual citizenship

The benefits of dual citizenship show up in everyday life, especially when moving between two countries that give you full rights instead of temporary permissions.

• Vote in two countries – To vote in two countries without extra hoops makes political participation feel straightforward and balanced.
• Work and travel without restrictions – To work and travel without restrictions opens the door to better jobs, easier cross-border business, and the freedom to relocate whenever life or opportunity pushes you toward one country or the other.
• Access two social service systems – To access two social service systems means you can rely on whichever country offers better healthcare or education when you need it.
• Own property in restricted markets – To own property in restricted markets where only citizens can buy gives you investment options most foreigners never get and creates long-term stability in both places.

Cons of dual citizenship

Double taxation is the biggest concern because the US requires every citizen living abroad to file an annual federal tax return under the Internal Revenue Code. Government reports show data that nearly 9 million US citizens lived abroad in 2020, with voting analysis estimated at about 4.4 million Americans overseas in 2022, meaning millions must follow the same filing rules no matter where they live.

IRS tools like the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, the Foreign Tax Credit, and tax treaties ease the financial burden, and the FEIE – which uses the Physical Presence Test or the Bona Fide Residence Test – is capped at $130000 on Form 2555 for 2025, helping reduce tax overlap even though the filing requirement remains.

Run your FEIE numbers with our calculator if dual citizenship is part of your plan

Calculate FEIE

The process of obtaining dual citizenship

At its core, when someone asks how to get dual citizenship without getting lost in legal jargon, the answer is almost always one of these four paths.

1. Birth or descent – automatic eligibility based on parents or birthplace.
2. Naturalization after residency – citizenship earned after long-term legal residence.
3. Marriage to a citizen – a shorter path based on a legally recognized relationship.
4. Investment programs – government-approved contributions that can lead to citizenship.

For US dual citizenship in particular, you can naturalize in another country without automatically losing US citizenship – the key is whether that second country accepts dual nationality.

NOTE! Requirements vary: residency 2–10 years, language tests differ, investment $100K–$2.5M.

By birth or descent

The simplest way to obtain dual citizenship is when the law already treats you as a citizen through a parent or through the place you were born. Many countries call this citizenship by descent, and registration usually involves proving family links using documents and, when relevant, forms such as the US DS-2029 for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.

• Fastest path: immediate eligibility if you qualify
• Processing: usually 3–12 months
• Basis: nationality laws that automatically transmit citizenship

By naturalization

This path is what people mean when they talk about citizenship by naturalization, where long-term lawful residence turns into eligibility for a passport once the legal clock runs out. Applicants generally keep residence, meet language or civics standards, and apply after the minimum timeline set by each country.

By marriage

This option shortens the wait by linking your eligibility to a genuine marriage recognized by the state, and many countries reduce the residence time for spouses of citizens. Under US law, permanent residents married to citizens may naturalize after three years, while Spain’s Civil Code article 22.2.d allows an application after one year, France accepts declarations after four years, and the UK sets a three-year residence rule for spouses with settled status. These timelines only apply if both countries involved permit dual citizenship.

Through investment

Some governments operate regulated citizenship by investment routes where applicants contribute to approved funds or real estate in exchange for an accelerated citizenship timeline. Caribbean programs such as Saint Lucia and Dominica start around $100,000–$200,000, while European options like Malta’s previous direct-investment model ranged from €600,000–€750,000 plus property requirements, putting total outlay in the high six to seven figures.

Most programs complete in roughly 3–8 months, making this the fastest non-descent way to obtain dual citizenship where permitted.

Which countries allow dual citizenship with the US?

The United States allows dual citizenship, and about 150 countries do the same for Americans under their own nationality laws. US passport holders often choose countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, and Australia, which together attract the majority of Americans seeking a second passport.

European countries

Europe offers the widest range of possibilities, with roughly 30 countries that allow Americans to hold both nationalities. Retirement destinations like Portugal and Spain, and work hubs like Germany, the United Kingdom, and France are the most common choices.

In addition to these, Americans can also hold dual citizenship with Albania, Belarus, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, North Macedonia, Norway, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Asian countries

Asia offers eight countries where Americans can legally hold dual nationality. Some, such as Israel, include service obligations, while others provide more flexible routes for former or ancestral citizens.

Beyond these, Americans can also hold dual citizenship with Iraq, Russia, and Syria.

African countries

Nineteen African countries recognize dual nationality for Americans, with several requiring that dual citizens enter or exit the country using their local passport.

Americans may also hold dual citizenship with Angola, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, Gambia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia.

Americas & Oceania

Nine countries across the Americas and Oceania permit dual nationality with the US. This group contains some of the most common destinations for long-term movers, including Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.

Americans may also hold dual citizenship with Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

NOTE! For exact requirements, documents, fees, and timelines, check directly with the embassy or consulate of the country you’re applying to. Nationality laws change frequently, and many were updated between 2024 and 2025, so always verify the current rules before making any decisions.

Countries that do not allow dual citizenship

45 countries do not recognize or allow dual citizenship, and for anyone born in these nations, taking on a new nationality usually means giving up the original passport. The rule sounds simple, but in real life, the way each government applies it can swing from strict to barely enforced, making the landscape far more complicated than it appears.

• Some systems offer indirect workarounds, with India using OCI status and China using long-term permits to give limited benefits without accepting a second passport.
• Enforcement is often uneven, as many authorities do not actively search for people holding more than one nationality.
• Reforms are being debated, with Ukraine and Ecuador reviewing restrictions for 2025–2026, so anyone born in countries that don’t allow dual citizenship should get guidance from legal experts before adding another nationality.

Countries allowing dual citizenship only through descent

Seven countries maintain restrictive policies, allowing dual citizenship only through bloodline (jus sanguinis). If a parent, grandparent, or even great-grandparent was born in these countries, a hidden door may open for you. This is one of the rare situations where ancestry matters more than anything else – naturalization, marriage, or investment normally won’t get you there unless you were already born into the lineage.

• Bulgaria – parent/grandparent
  Bulgaria treats ancestry like a golden ticket, and proving a Bulgarian parent or grandparent can fast-track recognition in a country that otherwise pushes most applicants toward renunciation.
• Croatia – parent/grandparent
  Croatia makes life noticeably easier for descendants of Croatian citizens, and a clear family link often unlocks citizenship far quicker than any standard immigration route.
• Cambodia – parent only
  Cambodia keeps things straightforward: one Khmer parent is enough, and the country recognizes dual nationality, turning a simple parent-child connection into a second passport opportunity.
• Hong Kong – parent born in HK
  When a parent is a Chinese national tied to Hong Kong, citizenship can pass automatically, even though dual nationality is not formally recognized inside China, and you may be treated strictly as Chinese while there.
• Liechtenstein – parent only, strict
  Liechtenstein guards its citizenship tightly, and having a Liechtenstein parent is one of the only reliable ways to hold a second passport from this microstate without giving up your first.
• Netherlands – limited circumstances
  Dutch nationality law keeps dual citizenship narrow, yet people with Dutch roots by birth or descent are far more likely to keep another nationality than applicants entering through ordinary procedures.
• South Korea – parent only, before age 22
  A South Korean parent can pass citizenship down automatically, but many dual nationals are required to choose one nationality before age 22, making timing and documentation incredibly important.

These programs typically demand solid proof of ancestry – often two or three generations of birth certificates, marriage records, and old naturalization files. Because tracking these documents can be overwhelming, professional genealogy teams and immigration attorneys often help streamline the 12–24 month process and significantly improve success rates.

Countries that grant citizenship to the investor

Nine countries offer citizenship by investment (CBI) programs, giving people a fast, structured path to a second passport through financial contributions instead of long-term residency. These golden passport options move quickly – usually 3–8 months – and require investments that range from about US$100,000 up to several million, depending on the country and route.

Figures are rounded and reflect single-applicant minimums published by official government programs.

NOTE! Amounts and conditions change often. Total costs rise with due diligence fees (typically US$5–10K per adult) and professional services (often US$30–50K). Caribbean programs such as Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Grenada remain favorites for lower entry costs, smooth processing in 4–6 months, and strong visa-free travel benefits.

Where do I pay taxes as a dual US citizen?

As a US citizen, you must file taxes in the United States every year, regardless of where you live or other citizenship. The US taxes based on citizenship, not residency – one of only two countries worldwide (the other: Eritrea). You must report worldwide income to the IRS, even if you also pay taxes in your country of residence. Additionally, you must pay US tax on any US-sourced income (rental, dividends, business) regardless of where you live.

However, the US has mechanisms to prevent double taxation. It maintains dozens of tax treaties worldwide. Even without a treaty, you can use three IRS domestic rules: the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE – up to $130,000 for 2025), the Foreign Housing Exclusion/Deduction, and the Foreign Tax Credit (FTC). These measures mean most dual citizens don’t pay full taxes in both countries.

When you rely on a tax treaty benefit, you still file your US tax return and attach Form 8833 to claim that treaty-based position. Even if you owe nothing, crediting your treaty rights keeps you compliant and avoids penalties, which can exceed $10,000 for willful non-filing.

Missed filings from previous years? Use our streamlined service to stay compliant as a dual citizen

Learn more

How to avoid double taxation without a treaty?

When you live abroad in a country with no tax treaty, the IRS still gives you simple tools to prevent double taxation. These rules apply whether your move came through permanent residency, dual citizenship, or citizenship by descent.

Picture Alex, who moved from Colorado to Lisbon on 1 March 2024: for the 2024 return, Alex meets the Physical Presence Test after 330 days abroad, and from 2025 onward qualifies under the Bona Fide Residence Test after a full year in Portugal.

1. Bona Fide Residence Test
2. Physical Presence Test

Foreign earned income exclusion

The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion lets you remove up to $130,000 of foreign salary from US tax in 2025 ($260,000 for qualifying married couples filing jointly). It’s the core tool expats use to reduce tax pressure when building a life in countries that allow dual citizenship. A developer earning $100,000 in Berlin who meets a residency test can exclude the full amount from US taxable income while paying German tax only. FEIE is claimed on Form 2555 and is grounded in IRC § 911.

Foreign housing exclusion/deduction

The Foreign Housing Exclusion or deduction reduces taxable income using reasonable rent and basic housing expenses abroad. For 2025, the base amount is $20,800, and the standard cap for most locations is $39,000, with higher limits in cities like London or Tokyo.

• Claimed through Form 2555
• Applies to employer income (exclusion) or self-employment (deduction)
• Helps soften high housing costs that FEIE alone may not cover

Foreign tax credit

The Foreign Tax Credit gives a dollar-for-dollar credit for foreign income taxes paid, claimed on Form 1116 under IRC § 901. It’s a strong option for high earners or anyone with dividends, interest, or rental income that FEIE doesn’t cover.

The credit often beats FEIE when foreign tax rates are high. Many expats blend both tools: use FEIE on the first 130,000 of earned income, then rely on the Foreign Tax Credit – FTC for income above that or for passive income. This pairing works smoothly across 89 countries without tax treaties and supports long-term planning for those holding US dual citizenship or exploring citizenship by investment or naturalization.

Ready for your next passport?

Dual citizenship can expand your world with easier mobility, better career access, and a lifestyle anchored in two cultures. With 89 countries allowing dual citizenship to US nationals, Americans can pursue a second passport through naturalization, marriage, ancestry, or investment. A strong dual citizenship guide also clarifies taxes: you still file annually with the IRS, but tools like FEIE and the Foreign Tax Credit keep most from facing double taxation.

Ready to obtain dual citizenship and simplify the tax side of it? Taxes for Expats has supported 50,000+ Americans abroad. Get personalized quote →

FREE

Want to obtain dual citizenship?

Book a free call – we will ensure you are IRS compliant

Schedule my free call