Getting a second passport is one legal event in two countries. The new country grants citizenship, but your existing country may also expect something from you: a notification, a declaration that you want to keep your citizenship, an application to renounce, or the surrender of your old passport. Missing that step can mean a fine, the loss of a nationality or, in Russia's case, a criminal record.
These duties are easy to overlook because they are set by the country you already belong to, not the one you are joining. The new country's lawyers and officials often have no reason to mention them.
This guide groups the main rules by type, compares deadlines and consequences as of October 2026, and lists the major countries that impose no reporting duty at all.
Key takeaways
- Russia requires citizens to notify the authorities of a foreign citizenship or foreign permanent residence document, generally within 60 days, and failing to file at all is a criminal offense.
- Japan and South Korea end nationality automatically on voluntary acquisition of another one, and both require the loss to be reported.
- Latvia expects citizens who take a non-permitted second citizenship to apply to renounce within 30 days, and Spain expects Spaniards abroad to declare within three years that they want to keep Spanish nationality.
- The United States, the United Kingdom and Canada do not require citizens to report a second citizenship, and Germany dropped its restrictions in June 2024.
- Reporting to governments is separate from what banks and tax authorities ask under CRS and FATCA.
Three kinds of rule
The duties fall into three broad groups, and the consequences differ a lot between them.
- Notify and keep. You remain a citizen, but the state wants to know about your other nationality. Russia, Armenia and Turkey work this way.
- Automatic loss, then report. The new citizenship ends the old one by law, and the duty is to report the loss so that registers can be updated. Japan, South Korea, India and China fall here.
- Declare or renounce within a deadline. You must act within a set period, either to keep your citizenship (Spain) or to give it up (Latvia), and missing the deadline has its own consequences.
Comparison table
| Country | What the rule requires | Deadline | Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | Notify migration authorities of a foreign citizenship or foreign permanent residence document | Generally 60 days | Fine of 500 to 1,000 rubles for late, incomplete or false notices; criminal liability for not filing |
| Japan | Report loss of Japanese nationality after voluntary foreign naturalization | 1 month from learning of the loss (3 months if abroad) | Non-penal fine of up to ¥50,000 |
| South Korea | Report loss of Korean nationality to the Minister of Justice | Report required | Loss is gazetted and registers are updated |
| Latvia | Apply to renounce if the second citizenship is not on the permitted list | 30 days | Latvia may revoke citizenship |
| Spain | Declare the wish to keep Spanish nationality (Spaniards living abroad) | 3 years | Loss of Spanish nationality |
| Armenia | Inform the authorities of another nationality | 1 month | Dual nationality allowed; notification required by law |
| Turkey | Inform a Turkish consulate or the population authorities | No fixed deadline | Records updated |
| India | Surrender the Indian passport after automatic loss of citizenship | Promptly | Penalties for late surrender or continued use |
| Austria | Get permission before acquiring another citizenship | Before acquisition | Automatic loss without permission |
Russia: notification with criminal penalties
Russia has the strictest reporting regime in this group. Russian citizens must notify the migration authorities when they hold a foreign citizenship or a foreign residence permit or other document giving a right to permanent residence abroad. The general deadline is 60 days, and the exact timing and scope depend on where the person lives, so the current text of the law matters in each case. Russia's citizenship law was rewritten in 2023 (Federal Law 138-FZ, in force since 26 October 2023), and the notification duty, with its 60-day deadline, continues under Article 11 of the new law.
The penalties have two tiers. Under Article 19.8.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, a late notice, an incomplete notice or knowingly false information leads to a fine of 500 to 1,000 rubles. Not filing at all is a crime under Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code, punishable by a fine of up to 200,000 rubles or up to one year's income, or up to 400 hours of compulsory labor.
Japan and South Korea: automatic loss, then a report
Japan's Nationality Act says that a Japanese national who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality loses Japanese nationality. The loss happens by law, but it still has to be recorded. Under Article 103 of Japan's Family Register Act, the person, a spouse or a close relative must file a notification of loss of nationality within one month of learning of it, or within three months if the person filing is outside Japan. Article 137 sets a non-penal fine of up to ¥50,000 for missing a filing deadline without good reason.
South Korea's Nationality Act works in a similar way. A Korean who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality loses Korean nationality at that moment, and must file a report of loss with the Minister of Justice. People who acquire a foreign nationality through marriage, adoption or recognition by a foreign parent have six months to report that they want to keep Korean nationality; otherwise the loss is backdated. Under Article 17 of the act, the Minister of Justice also publishes acquisitions and losses of nationality in the Official Gazette, as our article on countries that publish names of new citizens explains.
Latvia: renounce within 30 days unless the country is permitted
Latvia allows dual citizenship with a defined list of countries. Under Section 9 of the Latvian Citizenship Law, Latvians keep their citizenship if they acquire the citizenship of another EU member state, an EFTA country, a NATO member, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, or a country with which Latvia has a dual citizenship agreement. Citizenship acquired through marriage or adoption is also protected, and other countries need prior permission from the Cabinet.
Outside those cases, Section 23 requires a citizen who acquires another citizenship to apply to renounce Latvian citizenship within 30 days. If they do not, Section 24 lets Latvia revoke their citizenship, provided this does not leave them stateless.
Spain: declare within three years or lose Spanish nationality
Article 24 of the Spanish Civil Code deals with adult Spaniards who live abroad and voluntarily acquire another nationality. They lose Spanish nationality three years after acquiring the new one, unless they declare to the Civil Registry, within that period, that they want to keep it.
Spaniards by origin who acquire the nationality of an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal are exempt from this loss rule. A similar three-year declaration window applies to some children born abroad to Spanish parents who were also born abroad, counted from when they reach adulthood.
Other countries with reporting or permission rules
- Armenia. Armenia has allowed dual nationality since 2007. Under its Law on Citizenship, a citizen who acquires another nationality must inform the authorities within one month.
- Turkey. Turkish citizens who acquire another nationality are expected to inform the nearest Turkish embassy or consulate, or the population authorities in Turkey, and provide documents such as the naturalization certificate.
- India. An Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires another citizenship automatically loses Indian citizenship. The practical duty is to surrender the Indian passport and obtain a surrender or renunciation certificate, which is usually needed later for Indian visas or OCI status. Indian missions charge penalties for late surrender and for using an Indian passport after acquiring another nationality.
- China. Under Article 9 of China's Nationality Law, a Chinese national who has settled abroad and voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality automatically loses Chinese nationality. Household registration and identity documents in China are then expected to be cancelled.
- Austria. Austria generally requires permission before a citizen acquires another citizenship. Without it, Austrian citizenship is lost automatically, so the key step comes before the new passport, not after.
Some countries in the former Soviet Union, such as Kazakhstan, do not allow dual citizenship at all, and treat a second passport as grounds for loss. Our list of countries that do not allow dual citizenship covers these.
Countries with no reporting duty
Many large countries have no rule requiring citizens to report another citizenship:
- United States. US nationality law does not require citizens to report or choose between nationalities, although US citizens must use a US passport to enter and leave the United States.
- United Kingdom and Canada. Neither requires citizens to notify the government of another citizenship.
- Germany. Since 27 June 2024, Germany accepts multiple citizenship. The old rule on losing German citizenship when acquiring a foreign one (Section 25 of the Nationality Act) has been repealed, and no permission to keep German citizenship is needed.
- Brazil. A 2023 constitutional amendment ended the rule that Brazilians lose their nationality when they acquire another one.
Our guide to countries that allow dual citizenship covers the wider picture.
Reporting to banks and tax authorities is a separate system
Citizenship reporting to governments is different from the information banks and tax authorities collect. When you open an account, banks usually ask for every nationality you hold as part of identity checks. Under the Common Reporting Standard, financial institutions report accounts based on tax residence rather than citizenship. The main exception is US citizenship, which brings FATCA and other US reporting rules into play wherever the person lives; our explainer on FBAR and FATCA covers those in general terms.
Complete and accurate answers to banks, tax authorities and every government concerned are the baseline for anyone with more than one passport. Declarations that do not match across institutions can lead to account reviews and requests for more documents.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to tell my home country if I get a second passport?
It depends entirely on your home country. Russia, Armenia and Turkey expect notification, Japan and South Korea expect a report of loss, Latvia and Spain set deadlines to renounce or declare, and the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany have no reporting duty.
What happens if a Russian citizen does not report a second citizenship?
A late, incomplete or knowingly false notice can lead to an administrative fine of 500 to 1,000 rubles. Not filing at all is a criminal offense under Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code, with a fine of up to 200,000 rubles or up to one year's income, or up to 400 hours of compulsory labor.
Does Japan allow dual citizenship?
Generally not for adults. A Japanese national who voluntarily acquires another nationality loses Japanese nationality, and the loss must be reported within one month (three months if abroad). People who were dual nationals from birth must choose one nationality by age 20.
Does the US require me to report another citizenship?
No. US law does not require citizens to report or give up another nationality. US citizens must, however, use a US passport to enter and leave the United States, and they remain subject to US tax filing rules wherever they live.
Can I lose my citizenship for not reporting?
In some countries, yes. Spain's loss rule applies if no declaration is made within three years, Latvia can revoke citizenship from people who keep a non-permitted second citizenship without applying to renounce, and Japan and South Korea treat nationality as already lost once another is voluntarily acquired.
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.