One in every 25 non-European citizens acquires Portuguese nationality annually.
Portugal is one of the European countries where non-EU residents find it easier to obtain citizenship. The study was carried out by CanadaCIS, Canada’s immigration agency, which analyzed data between 2009 and 2021.
Overall, Portugal finished fourth ranking, 6.6% of non-EU citizens acquired nationality during the period in question. This means that one out of every 25 non-European citizens acquires Portuguese nationality annually.
Sweden tops the list with an approval rate of 9.3%, meaning one in ten non-EU citizens acquires the nationality. This is twice the EU average of 3.56%.
In Sweden, foreign women can acquire more nationality than foreign men.
Norway is in second place with a rate of 7.4% and the Netherlands is third with 7.1%.
In a detailed analysis, CanadaCIS found that most northern European countries offer more easily to non-EU citizens, giving examples of countries such as Sweden (9.3%), Norway (7.4%), Iceland (6.5%) and Finland (5%). In this region, only Denmark is not included.
In Southern Europe, Portugal stands out for easily granting citizenship to non-EU citizens.
However, the distribution of nationality is much easier in Northern and Western Europe, with an acceptance rate of 5.9%, which drops to 3.6% in Southern Europe and 1.9% in Central Europe.
Where is the most difficult?
Estonia is one of the most difficult countries to obtain citizenship, with an acceptance rate of just 0.6%. “It has a very low percentage of residents with one in every 200 people getting citizenship,” it says.
“Men are also less likely to be accepted, with a rate of 0.58% compared to 0.69% for women.”
explains that ranking Central Europe is the most difficult region to obtain citizenship. They are followed by Latvia (0.7%), Czech Republic (0.73%) and Lithuania (0.8%).
Jean Rhys is a contributor to OE Mag, covering news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current affairs and developments that matter to them. Her work highlights relevant stories, emerging trends, and key issues, presenting them in a balanced, accessible, and reader-friendly way.