Summary:

An increasing number of Americans are seeking to claim European citizenship through ancestry, according to a recent March 6, 2025 Business Insider article. This trend is driven by factors such as easier mobility within the European Union, lifestyle preferences, and dissatisfaction with political or economic conditions in the U.S.

One such person, the author of the article, Jamie Davis Smith, was granted Portuguese and Polish citizenship without even having to set foot in either country, because of her family’s relationship those countries. In her effort to obtain citizenship, Ms. Davis recounts her experience conducting extensive genealogical research – including building a detailed family tree, verifying ancestry through government databases and Ancestry.com, and gathering essential documents, such as birth and marriage certificates – as well as hiring an immigration attorney. 

Her preparation and research paid off: She qualified for Polish citizenship through her grandfather, supported by his Polish passport. For Ms. Davis’ application for Portuguese citizenship, she used a now-expired law offering Portuguese citizenship to descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled from the Iberian Peninsula, of which group she is a descendant. 

Original Article Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-citizenship-in-european-countries-through-ancestry-as-american
Source: Business Insider
Date: Original Published November 7, 2024; updated March 7, 2025