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Having an EU passport allows for visa-free travel, work, and living in any EU country. It can only be obtained by becoming a citizen of an EU country through birth, ancestry, military service, or naturalization. Each EU country has its own citizenship laws and requirements, and marrying an EU citizen does not automatically grant citizenship. Ancestral origin may be the simplest way to obtain citizenship.
Holding a European Union (EU) passport offers a person many advantages. It allows a person to travel, work and live in any EU country without a visa. The only way to get an EU passport is to become a citizen of an EU country. This is done by being born in an EU country, having ancestors who were citizens of an EU country, through military service or through a process called naturalisation.
Many people mistakenly believe that there is a truly universal “EU passport”. Actually, an EU passport is a passport issued by any EU country. Only people who are citizens of an EU country receive EU passports. EU residents could live and work elsewhere in the EU but hold passports from their home country.
Each of the 27 EU member states has its own specific set of laws and requirements for obtaining citizenship in that country. Contacting the immigration office of the specific country is the best option to find this information. Typically, there are only four options for becoming a citizen.
In most cases, even if a person was born in an EU country, they still do not automatically obtain citizenship. For example, if a person was born in Germany, he obtains citizenship only if at least one parent has lived in the country for at least eight years. Being born in the countryside, however, makes the application process quicker and easier.
Some countries also allow citizenship through military service. It’s not a common or easy way to get an EU passport. This method of citizenship is not recommended for most people.
A common misconception is that a person can apply for an EU passport if they marry an EU citizen. In reality, this will give that person residency in the country, but they will still have to go through the naturalization process, which takes years. Only after residing in that country for a certain amount of time and passing the tests regulated by the country can someone obtain citizenship.
Perhaps the simplest method of obtaining citizenship and a passport is ancestral origin. Each EU member state has different rules for people seeking to use their ancestral ties to gain citizenship. Some countries require a more direct line of descent, which means that at least one parent must hold citizenship in that country. Others are more lenient and allow a person to obtain citizenship through great-grandparents or even further down the family line.
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