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EU citizenship by descent is the most sought-after CBD category in the world. An EU passport grants the right to freely live, work, study, and travel in all 27 EU member states plus the 29-country Schengen Area — a level of freedom no other citizenship bloc offers.
All 27 EU member states have some form of citizenship-by-descent regime. This pillar page is the definitive resource covering all of them — with links to each country's detailed guide, checklist, comparison, and glossary terms.
An EU passport is one of the most valuable travel documents in the world. Citizens of EU member states enjoy the right to freely move, reside, work, study, and retire in any of the 27 EU member states (Article 21 TFEU), plus visa-free travel across the 29-country Schengen Area.
No other citizenship bloc in the world offers this level of freedom. This is the single most powerful benefit of reclaiming EU citizenship by descent — and a key reason EU CBD programs are so popular with the global diaspora.
The right EU country depends entirely on your ancestry — not which program is 'best.' However, some EU regimes are more accessible than others:
No generational limit: Italy (jure sanguinis), Poland, Germany (Article 116), Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia (pre-1940), Latvia (pre-1940).
Grandparent rule: Ireland (FBR), Spain (Memory Law), Portugal, Malta, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Greece, and others.
The fastest EU CBD programs are typically Italy (1948 judicial: 12-18 months), Hungary (simplified naturalization: 9-18 months), and Ireland (FBR: 9-18 months).
FAQ
Which EU country has the easiest citizenship by descent?
Italy is generally considered the most accessible EU CBD regime: no generational limit, no language requirement, and dual citizenship permitted. The 1948 judicial path (12-18 months) is also one of the faster EU timelines.
Can I live in any EU country with an EU passport?
Yes. EU citizens have the right to freely move, reside, work, study, and retire in any of the 27 EU member states under Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). You also get visa-free travel across the 29-country Schengen Area.
Related resources
Austria guide
Österreichische Staatsbürgerschaft — descent
Belgium guide
Belgian nationality — descent (Code de la nationalité)
Bulgaria guide
Българско гражданство — по произход
Croatia guide
Hrvatsko državljanstvo — po podrijetlu
Cyprus guide
Κυπριακή υπηκοότητα — descent
Czech Republic guide
České občanství — derivation
Denmark guide
Dansk indfødsret — descent
Estonia guide
Eesti kodakondsus — päritolu
Finland guide
Suomen kansalaisuus — syntyperä
France guide
Nationalité française — filiation
Germany guide
Article 116 GG · StAG §15 restitution
Greece guide
Ελληνική ιθαγένεια — descent
Hungary guide
Magyar állampolgárság — simplified naturalization
Ireland guide
Foreign Births Register — grandparent rule
Italy guide
Jure sanguinis — no generational limit
Latvia guide
Latvijas pilsonība — izcelsme
Lithuania guide
Lietuvos pilietybė — kilmė
Luxembourg guide
Nationalité luxembourgeoise — descent
Malta guide
Maltese citizenship — descent
Netherlands guide
Nederlandse nationaliteit — afstamming
Poland guide
Confirmation of Polish citizenship
Portugal guide
Nacionalidade portuguesa — Sephardic & descent
Romania guide
Cetățenia română — descendenți
Slovakia guide
Slovenské občianstvo — pôvod
Slovenia guide
Slovensko državljanstvo — poreklo
Spain guide
Ley de Memoria Democrática · descent
Sweden guide
Svenskt medborgarskap — härstamning