Is it possible to hold multiple citizenships? Many people want to expand their freedom and reduce their reliance on just one country by obtaining dual or triple citizenship.

But what does triple citizenship mean? In simple terms, triple citizenship is when someone holds citizenship in three countries at the same time. It allows them to access the rights and benefits of each country but may come with added legal, tax, and travel responsibilities depending on the countries’ laws.

In this guide, we will explore the concept of triple citizenship. We will start by explaining dual citizenship and how obtaining more than one passport is possible. We will cover:

Is triple citizenship possible?

In short, it is possible to hold citizenship in three countries. There are many countries that allow triple citizenship. However, it comes with added legal and logistical complexities. This means it’s essential to check the laws of all involved countries and consult with legal experts to understand the implications and manage the obligations effectively.

Understanding dual citizenship

It is vital to understand dual citizenship before getting into the array of possibilities and disadvantages of triple citizenship.

Dual citizenship, also known as dual nationality, is the status of being a citizen of two countries simultaneously. This means a person with dual citizenship has legal rights and obligations in both countries. For example, a person with US and Canadian citizenship has the rights and responsibilities of both American and Canadian citizens.

However, some countries do not allow dual citizenship and may require an individual to renounce their original citizenship when naturalizing as a citizen of another country. For example, China and India generally do not permit dual citizenship.

Countries that Allow Triple Citizenship

If you have wondered how many citizenships you can have, here is a list of countries allowing dual or multiple citizenship (two or more). Please note that the list is not exhaustive.

Europe

  • Belgium: Dual citizenship for Belgian citizens by birthright
  • Croatia: Dual citizenship for Croatian citizens by birthright
  • Denmark: Dual citizenship
  • Finland: Multiple citizenships
  • France: Multiple citizenships
  • Germany: Dual citizenship for German citizens by birthright
  • Greece: Multiple citizenships
  • Hungary: Dual citizenship
  • Iceland: Dual citizenship
  • Ireland: Dual citizenship
  • Italy: Multiple citizenships
  • Luxembourg: Multiple citizenships
  • Malta: Multiple citizenships
  • Netherland: Dual citizenship for individuals married to a Dutch citizen
  • Portugal: Dual citizenship
  • Serbia: Dual citizenship
  • Slovakia: Dual citizenship for Slovakian citizens by birthright and individuals married to a Slovakian citizen
  • Spain: Dual citizenship for citizens of Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and all Latin American countries
  • United Kingdom: Multiple citizenships

North America

  • Canada: Multiple citizenships
  • Mexico: Dual citizenship for Mexican citizens by birthright
  • United States: Multiple citizenships

Caribbean

  • Barbados: Dual citizenship
  • Belize: Dual citizenship
  • Jamaica: Multiple citizenships
  • Antigua and Barbuda: Multiple citizenships
  • Dominica: Multiple citizenships
  • St Kitts and Nevis: Multiple citizenships
  • Grenada: Multiple citizenships
  • Saint Lucia: Multiple citizenships
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Multiple citizenships

Central America

  • Costa Rica: Dual citizenship
  • El Salvador: Dual citizenship for El Salvadorian citizens by birthright
  • Belize: Dual citizenship
  • Panama: Dual citizenship

South America

  • Argentina: Dual citizenship is limited to Spanish and Italian citizenship only
  • Bolivia: Dual citizenship
  • Brazil: Multiple citizenships
  • Chile: Dual citizenship
  • Colombia: Dual citizenship
  • Ecuador: Dual citizenships
  • Peru: Dual citizenship
  • Uruguay: Dual citizenship for Uruguayan citizens by birthright

Africa

  • Egypt: Dual citizenship
  • Ghana: Dual citizenship
  • Kenya: Dual citizenship for Kenyan citizens by birthright
  • Morocco: Dual citizenship but requires permission from the government
  • Nigeria: Dual citizenships
  • South Africa: Dual citizenship for Uruguayan citizens by birthright

Middle East

  • Israel: Dual citizenship for Israeli citizens by birthright
  • Turkey: Multiple citizenships
  • United Arab Emirates: Dual citizenship for foreigners

Asia

  • Philippines: Dual citizenship for natural-born Filipinos
  • Oceania
  • Australia: Multiple citizenships
  • New Zealand: Dual citizenship

The terminology for multiple citizenships may vary from country to country. If you’re seeking second citizenship, ensure the citizenship and naturalization laws allow dual nationality.

How can you obtain multiple citizenships?

Many options exist for becoming a multiple citizenship holder, but these depend on the country’s laws. These are some of the common ways to gain one or more passports. 

Birthright Citizenship (Jus Soli)

Birthright citizenship is one of the most common ways for a person born in a country to obtain citizenship automatically. It is granted to anyone born on the country’s soil, regardless of their parent’s nationality.

Descent (Jus Sanguinis)

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Many countries grant citizenship by descent, and some also allow dual citizenship, which opens the opportunity to have more than one or two passports.

The requirements vary from country to country, but there must be proof of the following:

  • Direct lineage: Citizenship by descent generally requires a direct lineage from the country’s national.
  • Proof of ancestry: Documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and records proving the ancestor’s citizenship will be needed.

Some countries that offer citizenship by descent include Italy, which allows descendants of Italian citizens with no generational limit, provided certain conditions are met, to gain citizenship. Ireland also permits individuals with an Irish grandparent to apply for citizenship. Many countries, like Poland, Hungary, Germany, and Greece, grant citizenship by descent with varying conditions and requirements and allow dual citizenship.

Naturalization

Naturalization is another path to helping people become dual citizens. This option is usually obtained after fulfilling residency requirements, language proficiency, and other criteria set by the country. It is common for foreign nationals who have lived in a country for a certain number of years. Most countries require a continuous legal residency of five to ten before an individual can apply for citizenship.

The residency period must usually be continuous, meaning the applicant must not spend more than a specified number of days outside the country. Each country sets its maximum allowance for time spent abroad, typically three to six months per year. 

Furthermore, retirement visas are some of the most popular ways of gaining residence by naturalization, with the possibility of dual citizenship. Some countries, like Portugal, Thailand, and Spain, offer retirement visas that allow retirees to live in the country. After meeting the residency requirements for a number of years, retirees may apply for citizenship through naturalization.

Marriage

Gaining citizenship by marriage is also known as naturalization through marriage. This is another way to get a second passport, as this option allows a foreign spouse to apply for citizenship in their partner’s country after fulfilling specific requirements. However, many countries require the couple to be legally married for a minimum period before the foreign spouse can apply for citizenship. 

There are also residency requirements before getting citizenship. Most countries require the foreign spouse to live in the country for a certain period as a legal resident before applying for citizenship. The period of residency needed can be between one to five years. 

Investment

Investment is another way of being a multiple citizenship holder from a foreign country. Some countries provide citizenship to individuals who make a significant economic investment, such as buying property or investing in a business. This is often referred to as citizenship by investment (CBI).

This can be an easy route to obtain dual nationality. The investment amounts required to apply for the Golden Passport differ by country, but a few popular countries offer citizenship by investment and have minimum requirements.

Some of the countries with attractive citizenship by investment schemes include:  

St. Lucia Citizenship by Investment

  • Time to Passport: 10 to 12 months
  • Minimum Investment: $240,000 donation or $300,000 real estate purchase
  • Visa-Free Destinations: Over 145 countries and territories, including the Schengen Area and the UK.

Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment

  • Time to Passport: Six months
  • Minimum Investment: $230,000 donation or $300,000 real estate purchase
  • Visa-Free Destinations: Access to 150+ countries, including the Schengen Area and the UK.

Dominica Citizenship by Investment

  • Time to Passport: Six to Nine months
  • Minimum Investment: $200,000 donation or $200,000 real estate purchase
  • Visa-Free Destinations: More than 140 countries, including the Schengen Area.

Grenada Citizenship by Investment

  • Time to Passport: Nine months
  • Minimum Investment: $235,000 donation or $270,000 real estate purchase
  • Visa-Free Destinations: Over 140 countries, including China and the Schengen Area.

Malta Citizenship by Investment

  • Time to Passport: 12 to 36 months
  • Minimum Investment: €600,000 donation plus €700,000 real estate purchase
  • Visa-Free Destinations: 180+ countries, including all Schengen Area countries, the UK, and the US for business visas.

St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment

  • Time to Passport: 12 months
  • Minimum Investment: $250,000 donation or $400,000 real estate purchase.
  • Visa-Free Destinations: 150+ countries, including the Schengen Area, the UK, and more.

Turkey’s Citizenship by Investment

  • Time to Passport: Three to six months
  • Minimum Investment: $400,000 real estate purchase
  • Visa-Free Destinations: 110+ countries, including Japan and the Schengen Area.

Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment

  • Time to Passport: 60 days
  • Minimum Investment: $130,000 donation
  • Visa-Free Destinations: 130+ countries, including the Schengen Area, the UK, and other Pacific nations.

How to obtain multiple citizenships through Golden Visas 

Golden Visas also offer residency and potential citizenship in exchange for a significant financial investment, such as real estate, government bonds, or job creation. These programs are attractive for their flexibility, allowing investors to maintain residency without the need to fully relocate. Over time, they may lead to dual or multiple citizenship, depending on the country. Many countries offer Golden Visa programs, providing valuable benefits for those looking to expand their international opportunities. These are some of the well-known Golden Visas:

Portugal

Portugal Golden Visa offers a few investment options. The country no longer accepts the purchase of real estate or real estate-related funding as an investment. However, a minimum investment of €250,000 in a business, cultural and artistic donations, or investing in scientific research institutes are still viable options. The residency requirement is seven days in the first year and 14 days in subsequent two-year periods.

Spain

The Spain Golden Visa also has a few investment options, but an investment of €500,000 in real estate is required. There are no specific physical presence requirements, but continuous legal residence is necessary for citizenship.

Greece

Greece also offers a Golden Visa with a minimum real estate investment requirement of €250,000. Similar to Spain, there is no specific requirement for physical presence, but continuous legal residence is necessary for citizenship.

Serbia

The Serbia residency by investment program grants residency through real estate purchases and is designed to attract foreign nationals who wish to live and work in the country. There is no minimum amount required for the investment. Still, investors can only buy certain real estate types, such as apartments, residential buildings, business premises, and business buildings, if they perform business activities in Serbia. 

Hungary

The Hungarian Golden Visa Program, officially known as the Guest Investor Program (GIP), was reintroduced on July 1, 2024. This program allows non–EU and non–EEA citizens to obtain long–term residency in Hungary by investing at least €250,000 in real estate. 

Latvia

The Latvia Golden Visa program is designed for non-EU citizens looking to establish residency in Europe. It’s ideal for investors, entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth individuals who want the benefits of living in the EU, including easy access to the Schengen Zone for travel across multiple European countries. This program also requires a minimum investment of €250,000 in real estate and €50,000 in a business. 

To learn more about worldwide investments through Golden Visas

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Advantages of Triple Citizenship

More travel access

Triple citizenship provides a major advantage for travel. With three passports, you can enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to more countries, enhancing mobility for frequent travelers. However, even a tier-one passport, like the US one, can face travel restrictions due to political reasons. For example, while the US passport offers access to 172 countries, travel to Cuba and Russia requires a visa because of political tensions.

A tier-two passport from a neutral country, like Antigua and Barbuda, may not offer the same broad access, but it can still allow travel to countries like Cuba and Russia without a visa. Therefore, a third passport through triple citizenship can help bypass these restrictions, offering better global access than tier-one or tier-two passports alone. This is a key benefit of holding multiple citizenships.

Freedom of movement

Another advantage of dual citizenship or triple citizenship is the freedom of movement. For instance, EU citizenship from a country like Malta allows you to move freely throughout the EU, giving you the right to live, work, or study in any EU country. Similarly, regional alliances such as the Organization for East Caribbean States (OECS) facilitate free movement for citizens of member countries in the East Caribbean.

In South America, countries in the Mercosur trading bloc, including Brazil and Chile, offer freedom of movement between member states. Holding citizenship in various nations, particularly those in the EU or OECS, grants you the advantage of becoming a global citizen who can reside permanently in numerous countries.

Investment opportunities

One of the most important things investors and expats consider today is how they can grow and maintain their wealth, and having only one citizenship can hinder this growth. Due to the US’s competitive nature and the means of its citizens, it can be challenging to find investment opportunities at a reasonable cost.

Adding one foreign passport or more from a stable EU country like Malta, which provides citizenship-by-investment programs, allows you to grow your wealth and grants you citizenship in return. A good foreign nationality can give you access to a trading bloc like the EU and enable individuals to do business internationally without the tariffs and taxes associated with foreign importing and exporting.

Disadvantages of Triple Citizenship

Multiple nationalities have many priceless benefits for global citizens, but there are a few pros and cons to obtaining dual citizenship, which include:

Double taxation: An individual with triple citizenship could be subject to worldwide income tax in each country.

National obligations: Having a second nationality means you are bound to each country’s citizenship laws. This could include obligations like national service.

Fewer career options: Certain security-related careers in government are unavailable to dual nationals.

Take a look at our Citizenship by Investment Countries and Programs List for 2024

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Triple Citizenship with Passport Tiers

Tiers are a system that groups nations’ passports into tiers of one to three based on several factors. A passport’s power determines the positions, most notably the travel privileges it provides, not its citizenship itself. 

When you acquire triple citizenship, you want to add a variety of passports to your portfolio that allows visa-free travel to more than one country.

While travel is essential for a passport portfolio, you’ll want to consider more than travel privileges. You should also consider income tax, national and foreign policies, diversification options, and banking and investment opportunities. 

Be sure to take a comprehensive approach when applying for foreign passports so that you cover all of your requirements.

Travel privileges are essential, but more importantly, what comes with a new passport is a new citizenship that will have more of an effect on your daily life than just the times you choose to travel.

Tier-one

Tier-one passports are issued by countries that facilitate visa-free travel to all G7 nations and countries with strict border policies, such as Australia and New Zealand. Tier-one passport holders include EU nations, the UK, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan.

Tier-two

Tier-two passports usually give visa-free access to countries in the European Union but generally exclude countries like the United States and Australia. Tier-two passports include the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, St Kitts and Nevis, and Balkan countries like Montenegro and North Macedonia.

Tier-three

These passport holders require visas to visit the UK, the US, and EU countries. Tier-three passport countries include Turkey, India, the Dominican Republic, and Africa. 

Balancing triple citizenship with passport tiers can be difficult, but ideally, you should choose a passport from each tier to maximize your benefits. Global Citizen Solutions has developed a Global Passport Index beyond simple mobility. The ranking also includes investment opportunities and quality of life, variables we believe are important in measuring the true value of a passport.

Possible Triple Citizenship Combinations

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  • The two countries you want to acquire multiple citizenship from allow dual or triple citizenship.
  • You’re eligible to apply for citizenship in the two countries.

An ideal second citizenship for an American expat would be Maltese citizenship. Some of the benefits of gaining Maltese citizenship include:

  • No taxes on wealth, inheritance, or global income
  • Freedom of movement throughout the European Union
  • Preferential access to the European trading market
  • A politically stable country
  • Visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to 170 countries

An ideal third citizenship for an American expat would be Antigua and Barbudan citizenship. The Antigua and Barbudan citizenship by investment program comes with the following benefits:

  • No taxes on wealth, inheritance, or global income
  • Freedom of movement throughout OCES nations
  • Preferential access to the OCES trading market
  • A politically stable country
  • Visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to more than 140 countries

How Can Global Citizen Solutions Help You?

Global Citizen Solutions is a boutique migration consultancy firm with years of experience delivering bespoke residence and citizenship by investment solutions for international families. With offices worldwide and an experienced, hands-on team, we have helped hundreds of clients worldwide acquire citizenship, residence visas, or homes while diversifying their portfolios with robust investments. 

We guide you from start to finish, taking you beyond your citizenship or residency by investment application. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Triple Citizenship

Can you have triple citizenship?

Yes, you may hold citizenship in three countries. Achieving multiple citizenship typically involves meeting specific requirements set forth by each country involved. These requirements may include residency periods, investments, language proficiency, cultural knowledge, and, in some cases, renouncing previous citizenships.

Can you have four citizenships?

Yes, some countries that allow citizens to have four citizenships are the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Malta, Finland, Turkey, and Antigua and Barbuda.

Can you hold three citizenships?

You can hold citizenship in three countries. However, similar rules apply as with dual citizenship.

Not every country allows for multiple citizenships, so it’s crucial to verify whether your home country permits triple citizenship.

For example, Estonia requires citizens to give up their passports if they acquire a second citizenship, whereas the United States permits citizens to have multiple passports.

Can I have three citizenships in Australia?

Yes, you can hold triple multiple citizenship status in Australia. Australian immigration law states explicitly that Australian citizens may also hold the citizenship of another country or countries if the laws of those countries allow it.

How many citizenships can you have?

When it comes to how many citizenships you can have,
it depends on the laws of the countries involved.

Some countries allow dual or multiple citizenship, meaning a person can hold citizenship of more than one country simultaneously.

Other countries may have restrictions or may not allow dual citizenship at all.

Can children automatically receive triple citizenship if their parents have it?

Children can automatically receive triple citizenship if their parents have it, but it depends on the laws of the countries involved. A child can inherit triple citizenship if all three countries allow multiple citizenship and grant citizenship by descent. Factors like the parents’ nationalities, countries’ policies, and registration requirements all play a role.

Do I have to pay taxes in all countries if I have triple citizenship?

With triple citizenship, you may need to pay taxes in all three countries, depending on their tax laws. Some countries tax based on residency, while others, like the US, tax citizens on worldwide income. Double taxation agreements can help prevent being taxed twice on the same income. Always consult a tax professional to understand your specific obligations.

Can you lose your U.S. citizenship if you acquire a third nationality?

No, you generally do not lose your US citizenship if you acquire a third nationality. The United States allows its citizens to hold dual or multiple citizenships. However, you must intend to keep your US citizenship when acquiring another nationality. Voluntarily renouncing US citizenship, committing certain acts like serving in a foreign military, or holding a foreign government position could lead to losing citizenship, but acquiring a third nationality alone does not.

Which countries allow triple citizenship?

Many countries allow triple citizenship, depending on their specific laws and policies regarding multiple nationalities. Here are five well-known countries that permit triple citizenship:

  1. Canada
  2. United Kingdom
  3. France
  4. Australia
  5. Switzerland

Does the U.S allow triple citizenship?

Yes, the U.S. allows triple citizenship, as it does not require individuals to renounce other citizenships when acquiring U.S. citizenship. However, the U.S. expects citizens to adhere to U.S. laws, including tax obligations, even if they hold multiple passports. This means while the U.S. recognizes multiple citizenships, there can still be legal and tax implications that need to be considered.