Easiest second passport to get

A second passport rarely goes to whoever hunts for the cheapest one: it goes to whoever has grounds for it. Grounds can be ancestors, years of living in a country or money, and every family has its own mix. The quiz weighs all three and drops programmes that are closed to citizens of Russia and Belarus or exist only in advertising.

Which passport is easiest for Russian citizens

For anyone born in the USSR before 1992, the shortest route leads to Kyrgyzstan. One year with a residence permit, up to six months for the presidential decree and about $120 in fees per adult: that is simplified naturalisation for former USSR citizens. There is no need to give up a Russian passport. You can check yourself in a minute on the Kyrgyz citizenship page.

Without relocating, government fund programmes are the fastest. Vanuatu usually issues a passport in 1-3 months for a contribution from $130,000 plus $5,000 for due diligence. But this passport needs a Schengen visa, and citizenship does not change your taxes: they follow where you live.

Caribbean programmes with visa-free Schengen are closed to citizens of Russia and Belarus: Saint Kitts and Nevis and Dominica ban them outright, while Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and Saint Lucia have suspended intake. If someone advertises otherwise, check the seller rather than trust them.

Which EU passport is easiest to get

An EU passport cannot be bought in 2026: the last such scheme, Malta's, was struck down by the EU Court on 29.04.2025. Roots and naturalisation remain, and roots win clearly on timing.

• Poland. The Polish Card (Karta Polaka) is free for those whose parent, grandparent or two great-grandparents were Polish, after an interview with the consul in Polish. It brings fee-free permanent residence, and after a year in the country you can apply for recognition as a citizen: the fee is 219 zloty, about $60.
• Romania. Article 11 of the citizenship law restores citizenship to descendants down to great-grandchildren, including families from Bessarabia. No relocation is needed, but the National Citizenship Authority (ANC) queue takes years. Details are on the Romanian citizenship page.
• Italy. Since 27.03.2025 citizenship by descent works only if a parent or grandparent held Italian citizenship exclusively, or a parent lived in Italy for two consecutive years before the child was born. The consular fee is 600 euros, about $680. Terms are on the Italian citizenship by descent page.
• Greece and Bulgaria. Greece estimates about 18 months with fees of about $150, Bulgaria grants citizenship by origin in 1-2 years. More: Greece, Bulgaria.

Without roots, Germany is the closest: 5 years of residence, B1 German, and dual citizenship allowed since 27.06.2024.

How the quiz picks three countries

Roots carry the most weight: if you have them, a descent route is almost always cheaper and calmer than the rest. The quiz then drops programmes that require a longer stay than you are ready for, or whose total for your family exceeds the budget. Your main priority comes last: Schengen, an EU passport, keeping your current passport, speed or price.

If fewer than three programmes fit strictly, the quiz shows the closest options and marks where each goes beyond your answers. No country legally issues a passport without relocation, roots or investment, and the quiz will not pretend otherwise.

Totals in the results are fees, contributions and required investments for the whole route. You can price any programme for your family line by line in the citizenship cost calculator, and every route with its terms is in the second citizenship overview.

Will you keep your Russian passport

In most programmes in the quiz, yes: Russia does not ban a second citizenship, and Argentina, Uruguay, Germany, Romania, Poland, Italy and Kyrgyzstan do not require giving up the previous one. There are exceptions, and the quiz flags them: Kazakhstan does not allow dual citizenship, while Serbia and Mexico require renouncing the previous citizenship on naturalisation.

Russian citizens must notify the Interior Ministry of a second citizenship within 60 days. A country-by-country breakdown is in the overview of dual citizenship in 2026.

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