You can get a second passport without first living in the country, but only through a few routes. The two main ones are citizenship by descent, where your claim comes from a parent or grandparent, and citizenship by investment, where a government grants nationality in return for a contribution or investment. A small number of heritage routes also work without residence.
Ordinary naturalization does not fit this category, because it requires years of legal residence. Even the routes that skip a residence period often ask for something in person, such as an interview, biometrics or an oath, and several investment programs are adding presence rules after citizenship is granted.
This guide explains what 'no residency' really means, which routes qualify in 2026, and how the rules are changing.
Key takeaways
- Descent and registration routes, such as Ireland's Foreign Births Register, usually require no residence at all.
- Most citizenship by investment programs grant citizenship without a prior residence period, with official minimums from $90,000 (Nauru, limited time) to $250,000 (St. Kitts and Nevis) as of October 2026.
- 'No residence' is not the same as 'no presence': interviews, biometrics and post-citizenship visit rules are becoming common.
- The EU and the US now treat citizenship without a genuine link as a policy concern, which affects the travel value of some passports.
- Citizenship is not tax residency: a passport from a country where you do not live rarely changes where you pay tax.
What 'without residency' really means
Three different requirements are often confused:
- Residence before applying. Years of legal residence, as in ordinary naturalization. Descent and investment routes usually do not require this.
- Presence during the process. Visits for interviews, biometric enrollment or an oath ceremony. Some programs require these; others allow them abroad or online.
- Presence after citizenship. A minimum number of days in the country within a set period after citizenship is granted. Antigua and Barbuda has had such a rule for years, and others are moving in the same direction.
A route that requires none of the three is rare. A route that requires no residence before applying, and only a short visit or none at all afterwards, is what most people mean by a second passport without residency.
Descent and registration routes
Citizenship by descent is the cleanest no-residence route because the right comes from your family, not from where you live. You typically apply through a consulate or registry abroad.
- Ireland. People with a grandparent born on the island of Ireland can usually register on the Foreign Births Register and become citizens from the date of registration, without living in Ireland. Our guide to Irish citizenship through grandparents covers the process.
- Italy. Descent claims remain possible for people with a close link, such as a parent or grandparent, after the 2025 reform narrowed the rules.
- Poland and Lithuania. Both confirm citizenship for some descendants of former citizens, subject to rules on when and how the ancestor's citizenship was kept.
- Hungary. Simplified naturalization is available to people with a Hungarian citizen ancestor or Hungarian origin, without residence in Hungary, if they speak Hungarian.
Our overview of European citizenship by descent compares the main countries in more detail.
Citizenship by investment without prior residence
Investment programs are the main option for people without qualifying ancestry. Most grant citizenship without any residence period before approval. The table below summarizes the main programs as of October 2026.
| Program | Minimum single-applicant route | Presence rules | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Kitts and Nevis | $250,000 contribution | No mandatory travel or residence, according to the program | Biometric enrollment required for program citizens from April 2026 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | $230,000 contribution | At least 5 days in the first 5 years | Moving toward a longer period under the regional agreement |
| Grenada | $235,000 contribution | 30-day rule adopted but deferred | Start depends on the regional regulator becoming operational |
| St. Lucia | $240,000 contribution | None published on the program's options page | Bond and real estate options from $300,000 |
| Dominica | $200,000 contribution | None published on the program's options page | Applications only through authorized agents |
| Türkiye | $400,000 in real estate | No years of residence, but a residence permit step is part of the process | Property held for 3 years |
| Nauru | $90,000 contribution | None published | Limited-time price for applications filed by 31 December 2026 |
The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit states that its contribution option has no mandatory travel or residency requirements. Antigua and Barbuda's program states that citizenship may be lost if the holder does not spend at least 5 days in the country within five calendar years, with no refund of the investment. St. Lucia's program lists a $240,000 National Economic Fund contribution for a single applicant, and Nauru's program office lists a $90,000 principal applicant contribution until the end of 2026.
These figures are minimums. Government processing fees, due diligence fees, passport fees and agent fees are added on top, and family applications cost more. Our comparison of the fastest citizenship by investment programs covers processing times, and our Caribbean citizenship by investment guide compares the five Caribbean programs side by side.
Programs with other in-person steps
Some programs that need no residence still involve in-person steps. St. Kitts and Nevis requires an interview for main applicants, and from April 2026 it requires people who became citizens through the program, including children, to enroll in its national biometric and passport program. Other programs use interviews or biometric capture too, held remotely or in person depending on the program. These steps take days, not months, but they are worth planning for.
Why presence rules are spreading
The no-residence model is under pressure from three directions.
Regional reform in the Caribbean. The Eastern Caribbean programs agreed a $200,000 minimum price in 2024 and, in 2025, signed an agreement to create a regional regulator, the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority. Residence requirements are part of the reform. Grenada scheduled a requirement of 30 days in the first five years to start on 31 August 2026, then deferred it in an August 2026 circular until the regional regulator is operational and member states agree a start date.
European Union policy. The EU's revised visa suspension mechanism, in force since the end of 2025, allows the EU to treat investor citizenship schemes, where nationality is granted for payments without a genuine link to the country, as a ground for suspending visa-free travel. The EU had already ended Vanuatu's visa exemption in December 2024 for this reason. Our article on the EU crackdown on golden passports traces the policy from the Malta ruling onward.
United States policy. A December 2025 US proclamation placed partial entry restrictions on nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica from 1 January 2026. The White House fact sheet says both countries have historically had citizenship by investment without residency.
The direction is clear. Programs that require no connection at all are becoming harder to sustain, and applicants who choose them face more uncertainty about future travel access and future presence rules.
Citizenship without residency is not tax residency
A passport from a country where you do not live generally has no effect on where you pay tax. Most countries tax people based on residence, which depends on where you live, where your home is and where your ties are. The US is the main exception, as it taxes its citizens wherever they live. Our explainer on residents versus citizens explains why these two statuses are separate.
Questions people often ask before applying
People considering a no-residence route often work through these points with their advisers:
- Does my current country allow dual citizenship, or will I lose my existing nationality?
- Which in-person steps are required, and can they be done abroad?
- Is there a presence rule after citizenship, and could one be added later?
- What is the full cost for my family, including all fees?
- How exposed is the passport to changes in EU, UK or US visa policy?
- How long does the passport itself take after approval?
Frequently asked questions
Which countries give citizenship without living there?
Countries with descent routes, such as Ireland, Italy, Poland and Hungary, can grant citizenship to people who have never lived there. Among investment programs, the five Eastern Caribbean countries, Nauru and Türkiye grant citizenship without a prior residence period, though some have presence rules after citizenship.
Is there a citizenship by investment program with no residence requirement at all?
As of October 2026, St. Kitts and Nevis states that its contribution option has no mandatory travel or residence requirement, and Dominica, St. Lucia and Nauru publish no presence rule on their investment pages. Rules are changing under the Caribbean regional agreement, so the current position is worth confirming close to any application.
Do I have to visit the country to get citizenship by investment?
Sometimes. Some programs require in-person biometrics or interviews, and Antigua and Barbuda requires at least five days in the country in the first five years after citizenship. Others allow every step to be completed from abroad.
Can citizenship without residency be revoked?
Yes. Investment citizenship can be revoked if it was obtained through false information, and Antigua and Barbuda's rules allow loss of citizenship if the five-day presence requirement is not met. Passports can also lose travel benefits if other countries change their visa policies.
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.