A growing number of Americans are applying for EU citizenship, taking advantage of their ancestry to gain a new passport and expand their options for work, life and travel.
There were 3,284 Americans who applied for an Irish passport in the first six months of the year, more than double the same period of 2021, according to government statistics. Demand for Italian and German passports has also increased exponentially, according to several citizenship consultancy firms. At the New York Italian consulate, the waitlist has 3,700 people on it.
An estimated 40% of Americans are entitled to European citizenship, according to consultancy firm Global RCG. While each country has its own rules — Ireland offers citizenship to second-, third- and fourth-generation Irish-Americans who meet certain criteria, while Italy recognizes family ties going back to 1861 — people who can find documents certifying their ancestral links to these countries have a relatively easy and cheap way to access the EU.
Not everyone who’s applying for citizenship intends to uproot their lives and move to Europe, but they like having that option.
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