Up to 30 million Americans may be eligible for European Citizenship by Descent (CBD) through their family line without even knowing it.
In the past, only a small fraction of Americans explored their European ancestry. However, citizenship by descent applications have surged in recent years, with roughly 4,000 out of 10,000 applications between 2024-2025 belonging to Americans.
What is spurring this new wave of European CBD applications from Americans, and why does it seem to be more than just reconnecting with European heritage?
What is driving this trend?
While Citizenship by Descent has historically been viewed largely as a pathway to reconnect with family heritage, today, the global political climate is pushing many more to pursue this avenue over concerns of safety and security. To Americans, a Plan B in the form of residency or citizenship gives peace of mind, offering a layer of optionality and flexibility if circumstances change overnight.
Global mobility is also a huge driving force. A European passport allows you to live, work, and study across Europe and gives individuals access to a wider geographical area than just one country. This level of mobility is quite attractive to Americans who want the option to spend more time abroad, gain access to new markets, or simply relocate.
Many Americans are also increasingly motivated by the better quality of life associated with living abroad, particularly in Europe. Research from Global Citizen Solutions’ Global Passport Index shows that European countries consistently perform strongly across key quality-of-life indicators, including healthcare, safety, and overall living standards. These factors, combined with the opportunity to experience new cultures, are making relocation an increasingly appealing option for Americans.
One last reason could also be the increased awareness of Citizenship by Descent programs. The various online genealogy tools and ancestry databases have made it much easier for people to trace their ancestry and determine whether they may qualify for this program.
Who does Citizenship by Descent work for – and why is the process often misunderstood?
While CBD can be a powerful pathway to citizenship, it is also one of the most misunderstood programs in global migration.
Despite its growing popularity, Citizenship by Descent is not available to everyone. Only individuals who can prove family lineage, showing that a parent, grandparent, or earlier ancestor was a citizen of the country in question are eligible. If this ancestral link cannot be proven, then this option is out of the question.
Also, even for those who are eligible, the process may require significant documentation. Applicants may need to provide birth and marriage certificates, as well as naturalization and civic registry documents spanning multiple generations, to demonstrate the ancestral line. These records often need to be translated, legalized, or apostilled, which can lengthen and complicate the process.
Another thing to consider is that eligibility does not always depend solely on ancestry but also on historical nationality laws and whether citizenship was legally transmitted from one generation to the next.
Eligibility rules also vary widely between countries. Each country applies different legal criteria, and changes to nationality laws over time can affect whether citizenship was properly passed down. As the pathway becomes more popular, some countries may also tighten eligibility requirements.
Due to these complexities, many applicants use specialized CBD lawyers to navigate the process.
Why Citizenship by Descent Is Often a Practical Starting Point
Citizenship by Descent is a practical starting point for individuals considering a second or third passport.
As Jelena, Strategy and New Business Development expert at Global Citizens Solutions, explains:
“For millions of Americans with European roots, citizenship by descent isn’t just about reclaiming heritage – it’s the smartest first step in any residency or citizenship plan. It’s the quickest, most affordable way to secure a second passport without uprooting your life. And if that path isn’t available to you, we’ll help create a strategy that fits your situation and goals.”
CBD is generally more financially accessible than investment-based migration routes. While costs still arise from document retrieval, legal processing, and consular fees, they are often significantly lower than those associated with investment migration programs.
In some cases, Citizenship by Descent can also provide a faster path to citizenship than residency-led naturalization processes, although timelines vary widely depending on the country and the complexity of the case.
For many applicants, CBD allows them to secure a second passport in a relatively accessible way, giving them the flexibility to choose with the door open to future residency or relocation if they decide to pursue it later.
What other citizenship options exist?
For Americans who are not eligible for Citizenship by Descent, other immigration pathways that ultimately lead to citizenship exist.
Many European countries offer structured residency programs designed for individuals who wish to relocate, invest, and settle in the region. These programs often begin with legal residency and lead to citizenship via naturalization once all associated standard requirements are met.
Some of these pathways are:
- Residency programs: Here, an individual obtains temporary or permanent residency by making a significant financial contribution to a business in the target country and meeting other standard requirements.
- Digital Nomad visas: Targeted at foreign remote workers who can prove substantial foreign income. Often starts with temporary residency.
- Retirement visas: Aimed at foreign retirees who receive monthly retirement benefits or a pension. Often starts with temporary residency.
While CBD is available for those who can prove ancestral heritage, residency-led programs are great options for individuals who wish to establish residency abroad regardless of family lineage.
Bottom line: Citizenship planning is becoming mainstream
The growing interest in Citizenship by Descent among Americans reflects a broader shift in how individuals approach global mobility and long-term planning.
What was once primarily viewed as a way to reconnect with ancestral heritage is now seen as a strategic tool for accessing international residency and citizenship options.
At the same time, Citizenship by Descent is only one pathway within a larger mobility landscape. While it offers significant opportunities for those who qualify, other residency and immigration routes continue to provide structured paths to citizenship for individuals without ancestral ties.