Dual citizenship for a child in 2026: by birth, descent, naturalisation or investment

Citizenship from birth in the US, Canada, Mexico and Brazil, by descent from German, Polish, Italian or Irish parents and grandparents, together with the parents through naturalisation or an investment from $200,000, and how to get the child's second passport.

In detail

A child can get dual citizenship in 2026 in four ways: by birth in a country that grants citizenship to everyone born there (the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay), by descent from a parent or ancestors (Germany, Poland, Italy, Israel, Armenia), together with the parents through naturalisation, or through a citizenship by investment application from $200,000. Below are 10 countries compared, the rules for babies born in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, and how to get the second passport.

Amounts are in US dollars at the rate of 14.10.2026, rounded up.

Four ways to dual citizenship for a child

• By birth in the country. Citizenship from the first day of life if the child is born in a country that recognises everyone born there as a citizen.
• By descent. Citizenship passes from a parent who is a citizen of another country, or is confirmed through the documents of a grandparent or great-grandparent.
• With the parents through naturalisation. The family lives in the country on residence permits, and the child becomes a citizen in the same decision as the mother or father.
• With the parents through investment. The child is included in the investor's application and gets a passport together with the whole family.

The fastest ways are birth and descent: citizenship exists from birth or is confirmed within months. Dominica issues a passport by investment in 3-6 months, and naturalisation takes from 1 to 5 years of living in the country. The best countries for the whole family are compared in best countries for citizenship in 2026.

Where a child can get a second citizenship: 10 countries

Birthright countries suit families ready to spend the birth and the first weeks after it in the country. Confirming roots in Germany or Poland and citizenship by investment need no move, Israel grants citizenship on immigration, and naturalisation suits families already living abroad.

Dual citizenship for a child born in the US, Canada, the UK or Australia

• USA. A child born in the US is a citizen from birth under the 14th Amendment, whatever the parents' citizenship. On 30 June 2026 the Supreme Court confirmed this in Trump v. Barbara, including for children of parents in the country temporarily. The US allows the child to keep the parents' citizenship too.
• Canada. Under the Citizenship Act, everyone born in Canada is a citizen, except children of foreign diplomats.
• United Kingdom. A baby born in the UK is British from birth if a parent is a British citizen or has settled status. Otherwise the child can be registered as British once a parent settles, or after living in the UK for the first 10 years.
• Australia. A child born in Australia is a citizen from birth if a parent is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and otherwise becomes one on the 10th birthday after living in Australia since birth.

In Latin America the same rule is written into the constitutions: Article 30 in Mexico, Article 12 in Brazil, Article 74 in Uruguay, Article 146 in Paraguay and Citizenship Law No. 346 in Argentina. A child's Latin American passport also shortens the path for the parents: Brazil cuts their naturalisation to 1 year and Mexico to 2 years, while in Argentina the general term is already 2 years. How to choose a country and a clinic is compared in giving birth abroad for citizenship. Planning a birth abroad? Ask a manager to compare countries for your dates and budget.

Dual citizenship for children of Mexican parents

A child born abroad to a Mexican parent is Mexican by birth under Article 30 of the Mexican Constitution, and since 1998 Mexico allows its citizens to hold another nationality. A baby born in the US to a Mexican mother or father is therefore a citizen of both countries from the first day. To get the documents, the parents register the birth at a Mexican consulate or at a civil registry in Mexico with the apostilled birth certificate, both parents' IDs and the Mexican parent's proof of nationality, then apply for the child's Mexican passport. Details on the second passport are on the Mexican citizenship page.

Citizenship by descent: from a parent or ancestors

A child gets citizenship by descent when a parent is a citizen of the country, or when the family proves the citizenship of a grandparent or great-grandparent. For Germany, Poland, Italy, Ireland and Armenia the family does not move: the application goes through a consulate.

• Germany. A child of a German citizen is German from birth under Section 4 of the Nationality Act, and since 27 June 2024 Germany allows a second passport. If the German parent was also born abroad after 1999, the child's birth is registered at a German consulate within 1 year.
• Poland. Under the Polish Citizenship Act, a child is a citizen from birth if at least one parent is Polish. Descendants of Polish citizens confirm citizenship with the voivode for $75 (277 zloty), the decision comes within 6 months, and each child needs a separate application.
• Italy. Under the citizenship law as amended by Budget Law No. 199 of 30 December 2025, a child with at least one parent who is Italian by birth becomes a citizen on the parents' application within 3 years of birth. Since 1 January 2026 this application is free.
• Ireland. A child with a grandparent born in Ireland becomes an Irish citizen once entered in the Foreign Births Register; a child of a parent born in Ireland is Irish from birth.
• United Kingdom. A child born abroad to a parent who is British by birth in the UK is British by descent and can get a British passport.
• Israel. The Law of Return gives the right to citizenship to Jews, their children and grandchildren and their spouses; children become citizens together with the parent on immigration.
• Armenia. Armenians by descent get citizenship with no residence period, for a fee of $140 (50,000 dram).

The main work on this route is the archive: birth certificates down the line of generations, the ancestor's citizenship documents, translations and apostilles. Where roots give a passport and how to find the papers is covered in citizenship by descent: countries.

Citizenship with the parents through naturalisation

In Germany, Canada and the US a child living with the parents on a residence permit becomes a citizen together with them, with no separate residence period of their own. Naturalisation means getting citizenship after several years of legal residence in a country.

Germany naturalises adults after 5 years in the country, a single term for everyone under the law published on 29 October 2025. The fee is $290 (€255) for an adult and $60 (€51) for a minor naturalised together with the parents.

In Canada a child under 18 with permanent residence applies for citizenship together with a parent or after them, with no residence period, test or language exam, for a fee of $75 (100 Canadian dollars).

In the US a child under 18 with a green card who lives in the legal and physical custody of a parent who is a US citizen becomes a citizen automatically under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. The same rule covers adopted children once the adoption is final.

In Uruguay a family with a child applies for citizenship after 3 years in the country instead of 5 under Article 75 of the Constitution, and Paraguay grants citizenship after 3 years with permanent residence. A manager will work out the timeline for your family: plan the route for your family.

Citizenship by investment: children in the same application as the parents

Through investment a child gets a passport together with the parents: the child is added to the investor's application as a family member, and one decision covers everyone. The family does not need to live in the country.

• Dominica. A contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund from $200,000 per main applicant, a decision in 3-6 months. The application covers children under 18 and university students aged 18-30 supported by the parents.
• St Kitts and Nevis. A Sustainable Island State Contribution of $250,000 for an applicant or a family of up to 4, plus $25,000 for each further child under 18. Children aged 18-30 are included if they study full time and are supported by the parents.
• Antigua and Barbuda. Children up to 30 are included if they are supported by the main applicant.
• Turkey. Property from $400,000 that is kept for 3 years. The spouse and minor or dependent children get citizenship when they apply together with the investor.

Caribbean passports suit large families: adult children who study get citizenship in the same application rather than through a separate programme. Five programmes are compared by amounts and timelines in Caribbean passports in 2026.

How to apply for dual citizenship for your child: documents and timelines

A child's second passport is issued right after the birth is registered or citizenship is granted. In the US a routine passport takes 4-6 weeks and an expedited one 2-3 weeks for an extra $60.

1. Register the birth. The civil registry of the country where the child was born issues the birth certificate.
2. Apostille and translation. The certificate gets an apostille and a certified translation into the language of the second country.
3. Register with the second country. A US citizen parent abroad applies for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Polish parent has the certificate entered in the Polish civil register, a Mexican parent registers the birth at the consulate.
4. Apply for the passport. In the US both parents apply in person for a child under 16, the fee is $135: $100 for the passport and $35 for processing. A child's passport under 16 is valid for 5 years, and Dominica also issues passports to children under 16 for 5 years.

After that the child travels on both passports and enters each country on that country's passport.

How Murblz helps

Murblz chooses the route to your child's second passport for your family: we compare countries for a birth abroad, find the documents on your ancestors, prepare the file for naturalisation or the investment application and support it through to the passport. The first step is free: in the chat a manager will look at your situation and suggest a route with timelines.

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