Citizenship by descent: the ancestry route to an EU passport
Italian, Irish, Polish and other ancestry citizenship routes: who qualifies, what changed in Italy, documents you need, and realistic timelines. Plan the move on Jonzy.
If a parent, grandparent or sometimes great-grandparent was born in the right country, you may already be entitled to an EU passport, no visa, no income test, no residence requirement. It is the single most powerful relocation unlock there is, and millions of people qualify without knowing it.
Why ancestry beats any visa
Citizenship by descent recognises a right rather than granting a permission. The resulting passport brings full free movement across the EU, work rights, and the ability to pass citizenship to your children. No golden visa or nomad permit comes close, which is why the paperwork, however tedious, is worth it.
Italy: generous history, tightened rules
Italian jure sanguinis long allowed claims through unlimited generations. Rules were tightened sharply in 2025, broadly limiting automatic recognition to applicants with an Italian-born parent or grandparent, with earlier generations pushed toward judicial or residence-based routes. If your line runs through a great-grandparent, get current legal advice before assuming eligibility either way.
Ireland: the grandparent rule
An Irish-born grandparent entitles you to register in the Foreign Births Register and claim citizenship; an Irish-born parent usually makes you a citizen automatically. Registration takes months to a couple of years, and once you are on the register, your future children born after registration can inherit the claim.
Poland and the rest of the map
Poland recognises citizenship through an unbroken line from ancestors who held Polish citizenship after 1920, with no generation cap but strict continuity rules around emigration-era naturalisations. Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Greece and Portugal (including its Sephardic route, now largely closed) all run descent or restoration programs with their own quirks.
Documents, timelines and doing it right
Expect to assemble birth, marriage and naturalisation records across generations, with apostilles and certified translations. Consulate queues run one to three years in busy jurisdictions; court routes can be faster but cost more. Start with the ancestor’s emigration date and naturalisation status, that single fact decides most claims.
Frequently asked questions
Which EU citizenship by descent is easiest to get?
Ireland’s grandparent rule is the most straightforward where it applies: clear criteria, a defined register, no language test. Italy remains powerful but its 2025 tightening means older-generation claims now need legal review first.
Can I still claim Italian citizenship through a great-grandparent?
Not automatically under the rules tightened in 2025, which centre claims on an Italian-born parent or grandparent. Some older-line cases proceed through courts or residence-linked routes, so treat great-grandparent claims as possible but no longer routine.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship?
Usually not: Italy, Ireland, Poland, Portugal and most descent-friendly countries allow dual citizenship, and the US permits it too. A few countries still restrict duals, so check both ends of your pairing.
How long does citizenship by descent take?
From under a year for a clean Irish registration to two or more years for Italian consular queues or Polish confirmation cases. Gathering apostilled records across generations is usually the slowest part, start there.