Which EU Country Grants Citizenship Fastest: Comparing France, Spain, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany

France, the UK, and Germany lead the way to citizenship — naturalization there is possible after just 5 years of residency, while Spain and Italy require a 10-year wait.

In short

• In France and Germany, citizenship applications are possible after 5 years of residency, and dual citizenship is allowed.
• In Spain and Italy, the wait is 10 years; Spain bans dual citizenship, while Italy allows it.
• A Spanish residence permit can be obtained just 2 months after entering on a tourist visa, because presence in the country isn’t tracked.
• Permanent residency in Spain is available after 5 years, has no expiration date, but doesn’t grant EU citizenship.
• How fast a German citizenship application is processed depends on the federal state: about 3 months in Berlin, while Stuttgart took a year just to open a case.

A Fake Romanian Passport Ring Was Just Exposed: Where Legal Paths Come In

On January 22, Romanian media reported on a large-scale investigation: authorities carried out 73 raids over several days and checked more than 100 addresses, uncovering a network producing fake passports. In just one of the operations, 7,000 people received forged documents — and that’s only part of the full investigation.

In just one of the operations, 7,000 people received forged documents — and that’s only part of the full investigation.

The scheme relied on ads for “Romanian passports” that have flooded the internet in recent years. A forged document offers no real protection: at the border, an officer can spot the flag in the database, and instead of entering the country, the person risks ending up in a detention center for irregular migrants.

Citizenship of an EU country can be obtained through a fully legal route — without fake documents or fraudulent schemes. It takes longer, but the result is a genuine passport that doesn’t put its holder at risk. Below is a look at which legal paths are shorter and which EU countries move faster through naturalization.

France vs. Spain: 5 Years of Residency vs. 10

In Spain, you need to live in the country for at least 10 years before you can apply for citizenship. In France, that period is half as long: applicants can file for citizenship after just 5 years of residency. Notably, France’s clock may start counting not only from the date a residence permit is issued, but from entry on a visa obtained at the consulate in the applicant’s place of residence — the exact rules for counting this time should be confirmed with the specific prefecture handling the case.

In practice, how long it takes to get a first residence permit in France depends on the prefecture, and how long that permit remains valid varies by applicant category. It only needs to be renewed once before you can apply for citizenship — the whole path still adds up to 5 years. An added bonus: France allows dual citizenship, so there’s no need to give up your original passport.

Spain works differently. A residence permit there can also be obtained quickly — for example, through the digital nomad program — but it’s issued for 3 years, not 4. The real difference isn’t the speed of getting the permit, but the total timeline to a passport: 10 years of residency are required, and dual citizenship isn’t allowed — you’ll have to renounce your original passport.

The UK, the Netherlands, and Italy: Different Conditions, Different Timelines

In the UK, you need 5 years of residency before applying for citizenship — the same as in France — and you’re allowed to keep your original passport. The real difference from France lies elsewhere: the UK doesn’t accept every applicant who simply has enough money. Immigration routes there tend to run through specific programs, such as the talent visa. To qualify, you must prove you’re a leading professional with an established track record in your field, and building a strong enough case can take considerable time.

The Netherlands is a weaker option if citizenship is the goal. The first residence permit there is issued for a short period and needs to be renewed, and dual citizenship isn’t allowed — you must give up your original passport. On top of that, it’s expensive: moving to the country costs noticeably more than obtaining residency through other European programs, especially compared with digital nomad visas.

Italy runs a digital nomad program that is currently one of the most popular ways for citizens of CIS countries, including Russian passport holders, to obtain residency in Europe. The permit is processed relatively quickly but issued for a short term that then needs renewing. Before applying for citizenship, you must live in the country for 10 years. Unlike Spain, though, Italy allows you to keep your second passport.

Naturalization conditions in the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, France, and Spain

Table scrolls sideways

Criterion	United Kingdom	Netherlands	Italy	France	Spain
Years of residency before applying for citizenship	5 years	—	10 years	5 years	10 years
Dual citizenship	allowed	not allowed	allowed	allowed	not allowed
Main route to residency	talent visa	—	digital nomad visa	Passport Talent	digital nomad visa

Germany: 5 Years to Citizenship, but Berlin and Stuttgart Aren’t the Same

In Germany, you can apply for citizenship after 5 years of residency, and dual citizenship is allowed — you’re not required to give up your original passport. On paper, these are some of the most attractive numbers in the comparison. But how fast an application actually gets processed depends not on the law, but on the specific federal state handling the case.

Berlin is considered one of the fastest cities in the EU for processing citizenship applications: cases there are typically resolved in about three months. Elsewhere, the picture can be the opposite. One telling example: in Stuttgart, the immigration office took a full year just to open a case and begin reviewing it.

One telling example: in Stuttgart, the immigration office took a full year just to open a case and begin reviewing it.

Because of that delay, the applicant received an additional request to resubmit some certificates, since they had already expired by then. Some certificates are only valid for six months, and if the office doesn’t open the case in time, applicants end up having to re-collect documents that expired while they were waiting.

How Long Does It Really Take: Processing Times in France and Across the EU

In practice, a citizenship application in France takes about a year to process — that’s the realistic timeline to plan for. Sometimes a decision comes through in 9 months, but for France that counts as a fast outcome. If the immigration office sends additional requests — asking for more documents or new certificates — the process can stretch to about a year and a half.

A year to a year and a half is a benchmark not just for France, but roughly the average processing time for citizenship applications across the EU. The picture varies noticeably from country to country, and even within one country, from region to region — the gap between Berlin and Stuttgart in Germany already makes that clear.

The same holds for France, but at an earlier stage — when obtaining the first residence permit, which starts the 5-year clock toward a passport. Timelines here depend on the specific prefecture: some process first-time residence permit applications quickly, while in others the process can drag on from 6 months to a year.

Passport Talent and France’s Business Programs: Getting Your First Residence Permit

The first step toward a French passport isn’t citizenship — it’s a residence permit, and entrepreneurial programs tend to work best for this. That doesn’t mean the applicant has to actually be an entrepreneur: France runs a program called Passport Talent, also known as the talent visa. Unlike the UK’s talent visa with its strict criteria, the French version is designed for a broad range of applicants — almost anyone can apply.

The key requirement is financial: the family’s bank account needs to show more than €20,000 for the residence permit to be approved. On top of that, budget for immigration lawyers, who prepare the documents and determine exactly which Passport Talent category fits the applicant.

A Startup Without an Existing Business

One subcategory of Passport Talent allows you to get a residence permit on the promise of building a startup. Even if an innovative project or business doesn’t exist yet, you can submit a business plan to France’s Ministry of Economy describing the idea and its novelty. If the ministry finds the project promising, the application is approved and the residence permit is issued.

Another subcategory is aimed at existing entrepreneurs: a residence permit can be obtained by starting a company in France or investing in an existing business. Beyond entrepreneurial routes, Passport Talent also has separate categories for scientists, artists, cultural figures, and even photographers.

From Residence Permit to Passport

The initial residence permit needs to be renewed, and only after that renewal can you apply for citizenship. At this stage, applicants must prove that France is the center of their economic and personal life, and pass a language exam — a requirement that applies to every Passport Talent subcategory without exception.

Why More Applicants Are Choosing Spain

In recent months, the main wave of applications has been heading toward Spain rather than France — even though Spain’s citizenship conditions are far from the most favorable in the EU. The reason lies elsewhere: getting a first residence permit in Spain is easier than almost anywhere else in the region.

It comes down to how presence is monitored. In most EU countries, authorities check Schengen border-crossing data, and if an applicant spends fewer than 183 days in the EU per year, the residence permit gets revoked. France and Spain are the exception: physical presence in the country isn’t checked or tracked there, so the residence card isn’t withdrawn even after long absences.

France and Spain are the exception: physical presence in the country isn’t checked or tracked there, so the residence card isn’t withdrawn even after long absences.

Here’s how that plays out: after entering Spain on a tourist Schengen visa, a residence permit can be obtained in as little as 2 months. It’s valid for 3 years. People use it in different ways: as an alternative to a multiple-entry Schengen visa for traveling freely around Europe, to gain access to children studying or applying to a European university, or to manage frozen accounts and assets in the EU.

This residence permit doesn’t guarantee or speed up getting a Spanish passport — Spain remains a country with far from lenient naturalization rules. But for those who need legal status and freedom of movement in Schengen rather than a passport, it’s a workable solution.

Permanent Residency in Spain After 5 Years: What It Actually Gives You

Permanent residency in Spain becomes available after 5 years — faster than full citizenship, which requires 10. This status has no expiration date and can’t be revoked: unlike a residence permit, which needs periodic renewal, permanent residency remains valid indefinitely.

The only condition for keeping it is crossing into the Schengen area at least once every 2 years. There’s no requirement to formally reside in the country or track days spent there — simply entering is enough.

This isn’t a passport in the traditional sense: permanent residency doesn’t grant citizenship or the rights that come with it, including voting rights or an EU passport. But for those who need freedom of movement and stable status in Europe rather than citizenship itself, it can be an alternative to the long wait for a Spanish passport.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get French citizenship without being an entrepreneur or having a startup?

Yes: the Passport Talent program is designed for a broad range of applicants, not just entrepreneurs. Alongside the business categories, it also includes separate tracks for scientists, artists, cultural figures, and even photographers, so almost anyone who fits at least one category can apply.