Most countries in the world now allow dual citizenship in some form. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, most of Latin America and a large part of the European Union let their citizens hold a second nationality without penalty.
The details matter, though. Dual citizenship is always the result of two separate laws: the law of the country you already belong to, which decides whether you keep your citizenship, and the law of the country you are joining, which decides whether you must give up the old one. Both need to say yes.
This guide groups the main countries by region, explains the conditional cases, and covers the changes that took effect between 2024 and 2026.
Key takeaways
- Dual citizenship needs two green lights: your current country must let you keep its nationality, and your new country must not demand renunciation.
- The Americas, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand are broadly permissive. Germany joined them in June 2024.
- Spain, the Netherlands and Austria allow it only in defined cases. Ukraine moved to a limited model in January 2026.
- South Africa's Constitutional Court restored citizenship in May 2025 to people who had lost it automatically by naturalizing abroad.
- Being a dual citizen usually means you are treated as a citizen only in each of your countries, which affects travel, consular help and military service.
How dual citizenship actually works
No international body grants dual citizenship. It happens when two national laws overlap. A person can become a dual citizen in three common ways:
- At birth, by being born in a country with birthright citizenship to parents of another nationality, or by having parents of two different nationalities.
- By naturalization, when the new country does not require renunciation and the old country does not cancel citizenship.
- By descent or restoration, when a country recognizes the citizenship of a person whose parent or grandparent held it.
A useful way to read any country's rules is to ask two questions. Does it let its own citizens keep their nationality when they acquire another? And does it make foreigners renounce when they naturalize? Some countries answer yes to the first and no to the second, which creates asymmetric rules.
Countries that allow dual citizenship, by region
The table lists countries that generally permit dual citizenship for both their own citizens and new citizens, with notes on common conditions. It is not a complete list of every country.
| Region | Countries that generally allow it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North America | United States, Canada, Mexico | Mexico's constitution protects Mexican nationality by birth from loss |
| Central America and Caribbean | Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia | The Caribbean investment-migration states all permit it |
| South America | Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay | Some treat dual nationals as their own citizens only while in the country |
| Western Europe | United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany | Germany since June 27, 2024 |
| Northern Europe | Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland | Denmark since 2015, Norway since 2020 |
| Southern and Eastern Europe | Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Czechia | Poland treats its citizens as solely Polish on its territory |
| Middle East | Israel, Turkey | Turkey asks citizens to notify the authorities |
| Asia-Pacific | Australia, New Zealand, Philippines | The Philippines allows natural-born Filipinos to reacquire citizenship |
| Africa | South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria | Nigeria's rules differ for citizens by birth and by registration |
The Americas
The Western Hemisphere is the most permissive region. The US government does not require Americans to choose between nationalities, although US citizens must use a US passport to enter and leave the United States. Canada has allowed dual citizenship since 1977. Most Latin American states also allow it, often because their constitutions treat nationality by birth as permanent.
Europe
Europe has moved steadily toward tolerance. Germany was the last large holdout among the EU's founding members. Its Nationality Law Modernization Act ended the general renunciation requirement on June 27, 2024, and the October 2025 amendment that removed the three-year fast track left dual citizenship untouched, as The Local reported. The Nordic countries all permit it now, with Denmark changing in 2015 and Norway on January 1, 2020.
Asia, the Middle East and Africa
Asia is the most restrictive region overall, but there are exceptions. Australia has allowed dual citizenship since 2002, and New Zealand does not restrict it. Israel and Turkey both allow it. In Africa, Kenya allowed dual citizenship in its 2010 constitution, and South Africa's position became much more open in 2025, as described below.
Countries that allow it only with conditions
Many countries sit in a middle zone. They permit dual citizenship for some people or some countries, but not for everyone.
- Spain: Spaniards keep their nationality if they acquire that of an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal or France. Most other new Spanish citizens must formally renounce their old nationality, although enforcement depends on the other country's rules.
- Netherlands: The default rule is that Dutch citizens lose their nationality when they voluntarily take another, and new citizens must renounce. Exceptions cover, among others, people married to a national of the other country and people born and living there.
- Austria: Citizens lose Austrian nationality when they voluntarily take another unless they obtained a retention permit in advance. Descendants of victims of Nazi persecution can acquire Austrian citizenship without giving up their current one.
- South Korea: Since 2011, certain dual nationals may keep both if they pledge not to exercise their foreign nationality in Korea.
- Egypt: Egyptians who want to acquire a foreign nationality are expected to seek permission first.
- Latvia: Dual citizenship is permitted with EU, EFTA and NATO countries and a few others, plus some historical cases.
- Ukraine: A law signed on July 15, 2025, took effect on January 16, 2026. It allows multiple citizenship with countries on a government-approved list and strictly bars Russian citizenship, according to the Kyiv Post.
Recent changes worth knowing
The trend over the past decade has been one-way: more countries allow dual citizenship, not fewer. The main recent shifts are:
| Year | Country | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Denmark | Dual citizenship allowed from September 1, 2015 |
| 2020 | Norway | Dual citizenship allowed from January 1, 2020 |
| 2024 | Germany | General renunciation rule abolished on June 27, 2024 |
| 2024 | Lithuania | Referendum to widen dual citizenship failed the turnout threshold despite 74% voting yes |
| 2025 | South Africa | Constitutional Court struck down automatic loss of citizenship on May 6, 2025 |
| 2026 | Ukraine | Multiple citizenship law in force from January 16, 2026 |
The South African ruling is a good example of how much one provision can matter. Section 6(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act had cancelled the citizenship of any adult who voluntarily took another nationality without prior permission. The court confirmed it was invalid and held that people who lost citizenship under it since 1995 are deemed never to have lost it, as the Mail & Guardian reported.
What dual citizens deal with in practice
Holding two passports is legal in these countries, but it comes with practical rules.
- Which passport to use: Many countries require their citizens to enter and leave on their own passport. The UK, for example, says British dual citizens cannot get an electronic travel authorisation and enter on a UK or Irish passport, according to GOV.UK's dual citizenship page.
- Consular help: Your second country usually cannot help you while you are in your first country of citizenship, because that country sees you only as its own national.
- Military service: Countries with conscription may call up dual nationals who live there or visit for long periods.
- Tax: Most countries tax based on residence, not citizenship. The United States is the main exception. See our explainer on citizenship-based taxation.
- Reporting: Some countries require citizens to declare a second nationality to the authorities. Our guide to countries that require you to report a second citizenship lists them.
If you are weighing a second passport, the benefits and trade-offs of second citizenship and our ranking of the best second passports are useful next reads. The other side of this topic is covered in our list of countries that do not allow dual citizenship.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries allow dual citizenship?
A clear majority of countries now allow it in some form, and the number has grown steadily for decades. Exact counts vary because many countries allow it only in certain cases, such as for citizens by birth or with specific partner countries.
Does the United States allow dual citizenship?
Yes. US law does not require Americans to choose one nationality, and naturalized Americans are not required in practice to prove they renounced their old citizenship. US citizens must still use a US passport to enter and leave the United States, and they remain subject to US tax filing wherever they live.
Can you have three or more citizenships?
Yes, if every country involved allows it. Many people hold three nationalities through a mix of birth, descent and naturalization. The same practical rules on travel, tax and military service apply to each one.
Do I need permission to become a dual citizen?
In most permissive countries, no. A few countries, such as Austria and Egypt, expect citizens to obtain permission before they acquire another nationality, and failing to do so can lead to loss of the original citizenship.
Did Germany change its dual citizenship rules again in 2025?
No. The 2025 amendment removed the three-year fast track to naturalization but kept the 2024 rule that allows dual citizenship. New German citizens generally do not need to give up their previous nationality.
Important: This article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules change often and depend on your personal circumstances. Speak with a qualified professional in each relevant country before you act.