Weekly updates on naturalisation laws, exam changes, fees and deadlines for the 28 countries we cover.
Austria now allows descendants of victims of the Nazi regime, persecuted for political, religious, or ethnic reasons, to acquire Austrian citizenship while retaining their current nationality.
Portugal's 2020 nationality law revision simplifies citizenship for children born in the country to foreign parents, easing residency requirements for parents.
New regulations for Portuguese citizenship by Sephardic ancestry, effective September 2022, require applicants to demonstrate a more substantive and objective connection to Portugal.
The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) has announced increased application fees for Dutch citizenship by naturalisation, effective January 1, 2024.
Switzerland significantly tightened its naturalisation requirements in 2018, demanding a C permit, demonstrating successful integration, and specific language skills.
USCIS adjusted various immigration and naturalization fees, effective April 1, 2024. The N-400 application fee for naturalization saw changes, impacting prospective citizens.
The UK Home Office has clarified its guidance on accepting late applications to the EU Settlement Scheme, impacting EU citizens' path to settled status and ultimately, British citizenship.
The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 expanded the Home Secretary's powers to deprive individuals of British citizenship, even without prior notice in certain cases.
UK Home Office announced significant increases to immigration and nationality fees, effective October 2023. Naturalisation application costs rose substantially.
The administrative fee for Italian citizenship applications has been increased to €300 for all new requests.
The maximum processing time for Italian citizenship applications by marriage or naturalisation has been extended to 48 months.
Applicants for Italian citizenship through marriage or naturalisation must demonstrate proficiency in the Italian language at a B1 level or higher.
Applicants for Spanish nationality by residence continue to face significant processing delays, despite government initiatives aimed at reducing the substantial backlog.
Spain's Ministry of Justice is pushing for increased digitalization of nationality by residence applications, aiming to streamline processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles.
Descendants of Spaniards exiled during the Civil War and Dictatorship have until October 2024 to apply for nationality under the Democratic Memory Law.
IRCC has expanded its online application portal, now allowing most adult citizenship applicants to submit their forms digitally, enhancing accessibility and streamlining the process.
Amendments to Canada's Citizenship Act, part of Bill C-47, now provide a pathway to citizenship for certain stateless individuals born in Canada, addressing a long-standing issue.
Children born in Germany to foreign parents now automatically gain German citizenship if a parent has been a legal resident for 5 years, down from 8, thanks to the new law effective Jan 27, 2024.
The new German citizenship law, effective January 27, 2024, significantly reduces the minimum residency period required for naturalisation from eight years to five, or even three years for highly integrated individuals.
Germany's new citizenship law, effective January 27, 2024, significantly shortens naturalisation periods and now generally permits multiple citizenships, marking a historic shift.
New French law allows deprivation of nationality for naturalised citizens convicted of serious crimes against public officials, reinforcing state authority.
France's recent immigration law strengthens naturalisation requirements, explicitly demanding adherence to the Republic's essential principles and values.