Law changes, newest first
Citizenship laws can change overnight, and official websites can take months to catch up. We check every country each month, including news of new laws, and record each change here.
Last checked .
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Italy’s new rules go to the EU Court of Justice
Italy’s Constitutional Court asked the EU’s top court whether the 2025 limits can apply to people born before them. The limits stay in force while it decides. Source: Constitutional Court, order 147/2026
Italy
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Slovakia drops the residence permit for descendants
People whose parent, grandparent or great-grandparent was a Czechoslovak citizen born in Slovakia no longer need a Slovak residence permit to apply for citizenship. There’s still no language test, and the good-character rules still apply. Source: Slov-lex: Citizenship Act from 15 July 2026 (in Slovak)
Slovakia
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Denmark’s declaration route for former Danes closes
Former Danes who lost their citizenship by becoming citizens of another country before September 1, 2015 could get it back by declaration until this date. Most now need to live in Denmark again or naturalize. Source: Embassy of Denmark in the US: Danish citizenship
Denmark
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India launches the digital e-OCI card
OCI cardholders no longer need a new card when they get a new passport after 20: they update their details online instead. Since July 8, 2026, new applicants get only a digital e-OCI card. Source: Press Information Bureau, 30 June 2026
India
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Finland adds a citizenship test from 2027
Finland’s parliament approved a citizenship test for people naturalizing, for applications made from March 1, 2027. It doesn’t affect citizenship through a Finnish parent, or getting it back as a former citizen. Source: Finnish Immigration Service
Finland
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Portugal’s new nationality law takes effect
Grandchildren of Portuguese citizens can still apply from abroad, but must now show knowledge of Portuguese language and culture. The Sephardic route has ended, and naturalization by residence now takes longer. Source: Organic Law 1/2026, Diário da República
Portugal
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Belgium’s top court relaxes the age 5 deadline in one case
The Constitutional Court ruled it unconstitutional that a child born abroad can’t become Belgian when the Belgian parent, also born abroad, died within 5 years of the birth without making the declaration. Parliament must change the law; until then courts and authorities must put it right. Source: Constitutional Court, judgment 51/2026 (in French)
Belgium
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Italy’s Constitutional Court upholds the 2025 limits
The court rejected a challenge brought by the Court of Turin. The law limiting citizenship by descent stayed in force. Source: Constitutional Court press release, 12 March 2026 (judgment 63/2026)
Italy
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Italy extends the deadline for children to 2029
Law 26 of February 28, 2026 moved the deadline for children of Italian citizens by birth who were already under 18 on May 24, 2025 from May 31, 2026 to May 31, 2029. Source: Italian Consulate in New York, 4 March 2026
Italy
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Italy makes declarations for children free
Italian-born parents can now register a child born abroad by declaration within 3 years of the birth, instead of 1, and the €250 fee was dropped. Source: Embassy of Italy in Brasília: declaration for minors (in Italian)
Italy
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Luxembourg’s route for descendants of 1900 citizens closes
The last day to sign a declaration reclaiming Luxembourg nationality as a descendant of someone who was Luxembourgish on January 1, 1900. Certificates had to be requested by the end of 2018. Adults whose parent or grandparent is or was Luxembourgish can still opt for nationality. Source: Guichet.lu
Luxembourg
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Canada scraps its first-generation limit
Bill C-3 took effect. People born abroad before this date who were cut off by the first-generation limit are recognized as Canadian. For later births, a Canadian parent born abroad needs 1,095 days in Canada. Source: IRCC news release
Canada
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Cyprus removes the investment route from its citizenship law
An amendment deleted the old citizenship-by-investment provision and set out how decisions to take citizenship away are made and reviewed. It doesn’t change citizenship by descent. Source: Law 224(I)/2025, Official Gazette 12 December 2025 (in Greek, via CyLaw)
Cyprus
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Spain’s grandchildren’s law closes
No new applications under the Democratic Memory Law. Requests made by the deadline are still being processed. Grandchildren of Spaniards can still apply after 1 year living in Spain. Source: Spanish Foreign Ministry
Spain
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Italy’s decree becomes Law 74/2025
Law 74 of May 23, 2025 turned the March decree into law, with changes. It took effect on May 24, 2025, making the new limits on citizenship by descent permanent. Source: Normattiva: Law 74 of 23 May 2025
Italy
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Italy tightens citizenship by descent overnight
Most people born abroad now need a parent or grandparent who held only Italian citizenship. Applications made before the cut-off follow the old rules. Source: Italian Consulate in New York
Italy
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Romania brings back a language requirement
Law 14/2025 requires most applicants, including descendants reclaiming citizenship, to show Romanian at B1 level, and allows up to two years for a decision. Source: Capital.ro (in Romanian)
Romania
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Germany allows dual citizenship
Germans no longer lose their citizenship when they become citizens of another country. Losses before that date aren’t undone. Source: German Missions in Canada
Germany
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Germany opens new routes for descendants
A free declaration route for people left out by old rules against mothers, open until August 19, 2031, and a legal entitlement to restoration for descendants of people persecuted by the Nazis. Source: German Missions in the US
Germany
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Mexico extends nationality to children of Mexicans born abroad
A change to Mexico’s constitution means children of Mexican parents are Mexican by birth even if the parent was also born abroad, opening a route for grandchildren. Source: Mexican consulate in the UK
Mexico
Applying soon?
A change can affect applications already in progress. Always check the official page linked from your country’s guide before you send anything or pay a fee.
A plain-English guide, not a legal opinion. Nationality laws can be amended at short notice, so confirm the details with the consulate or the official body before you send an application or pay anything. The full disclaimer.
Cousins and siblings may qualify as well
One ancestor can open the same door for a whole branch of the family, and you can split the cost of the certificates. Send them this page while it’s fresh in your mind.