EU Passports: Benefits and How to Get One

An EU passport opens doors that tourist visas can't. If you have European ancestry, you may be closer to citizenship than you think. Here's what an EU passport offers and how Americans can potentially qualify.

Why an EU Passport Matters

According to Global Citizen Solutions, EU citizenship provides benefits that go far beyond easier airport lines:

• Freedom of movement: Live, work, and study in any of the 27 EU member states without permits or restrictions
• No Schengen limits: The 90-day rule doesn't apply to EU citizens. Stay as long as you want, anywhere in the EU
• Visa-free travel: Access to 170+ countries worldwide without advance visas
• Work rights: No work permits needed anywhere in the EU
• Healthcare access: European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for healthcare across the EU
• Education: Access to EU universities at local (often much lower) tuition rates
• Political rights: Vote in EU and local elections in your country of residence

For Americans who travel frequently to Europe or dream of living there, EU citizenship eliminates the constraints that come with visitor status.

Pathways to EU Citizenship

Citizenship by Descent (Ancestry)

The most accessible path for many Americans. If you have a parent, grandparent, or in some cases a more distant ancestor who was a citizen of an EU country, you may be eligible to claim citizenship through descent.

Each EU country has its own rules, and there's no common EU-wide law for ancestry claims. Some countries trace back multiple generations; others only recognize parents or grandparents.

Important: DNA tests are not accepted for citizenship by descent. You'll need official civil records: birth certificates, marriage certificates, naturalization records, and death certificates to document your lineage.

Naturalization

If you don't have qualifying ancestry, you can become an EU citizen by living in an EU country long enough. Most countries require 5-10 years of legal residency, plus language tests and integration requirements.

Marriage

Some EU countries allow spouses of citizens to naturalize on a faster track, sometimes after just 2-3 years of marriage combined with residency in the country.

Key Countries for Americans

Ireland

According to citizenship experts, Ireland offers the most straightforward path for Americans with Irish roots:

• Grandparent rule: If a parent OR grandparent was born in Ireland, you're eligible
• Great-grandchildren: May qualify if your parent registered in the Foreign Births Register before you were born
• Processing: Approximately 9 months through the Foreign Births Register
• Cost: €278 for adult applications

Given the large Irish-American population, this is often the most viable option for Americans seeking EU citizenship.

Italy

Italy historically offered generous rules that traced citizenship back multiple generations. However, significant changes took effect in May 2025:

• Great-grandchildren are no longer automatically eligible
• New requirements impose stricter conditions on qualifying ancestors
• Applicants who filed before March 27, 2025 may still qualify under the old rules

A constitutional challenge is pending that may restore broader eligibility, but the outcome is uncertain. If you have Italian ancestry, consult with a citizenship attorney about your specific situation.

Poland

Poland maintains one of the most flexible ancestry systems in Europe:

• No generational limit: Can trace back as far as records allow
• Key requirement: Must prove continuous Polish citizenship was never broken (ancestors didn't naturalize elsewhere before having children)
• No language test: Unlike some countries, Poland doesn't require language proficiency for descent claims

The challenge is documentation, as Polish records from the 19th and early 20th century can be difficult to locate.

Germany

German citizenship by descent is generally limited to children of German citizens. However, special programs exist for descendants of those who were persecuted during the Nazi regime (Article 116 restoration).

Dual Citizenship

Good news: the United States recognizes dual citizenship. You don't have to give up your US passport to become an EU citizen. You can hold both, enjoying the benefits of each.

However, some EU countries (like Germany in most cases) require you to renounce other citizenships when naturalizing. Citizenship by descent is usually exempt from this requirement.

Getting Started

If you're interested in pursuing EU citizenship:

1. Research your family tree: Talk to relatives, find immigration records, locate birth and death certificates
2. Identify the strongest claim: Some countries have easier processes than others
3. Gather documentation: You'll need official records, often apostilled or certified
4. Consider professional help: Citizenship attorneys can navigate complex cases and foreign bureaucracies

Until Then: Track Your 90 Days

While you work on citizenship claims, you're still subject to the Schengen 90-day rule as an American tourist. Use our free Schengen calculator or download the Days Monitor app to track your time in Europe.