DUAL CITIZENSHIP IN THE EU

In order to become a citizen of a country, it is typically acquired by being born there, marriage, or through naturalization. However, if a person immigrates to another country and want to take up citizenship through a process like naturalization, a person can either obtain dual or individual citizenship. Dual citizenship means that the individual is recognized as a citizen both in their home country where born and where he or she has decided to reside. Dual or multiple citizenship is not as simple as obtaining a certificate by applying for it. Instead, each country has its own set of rules regulations about who can be recognized as a citizen.

When a person becomes a dual citizen it means that the individual agrees to abide by laws and regulations that are upheld by the country that is being resided in. If an Asian citizen moves to Great Britain and takes up a citizenship in the United Kingdom, that person most abide by the regulations and rules as determined by the country of Great Britain. When visiting Asia, that citizen is bound by both rules of the U.K. and the rules in Asia when visiting their home country. It can become quite complex for an individual to understand but must also be aware of. It is imperative that foreign citizens that are seeking to immigrate to the European Union to be familiar with the new laws and policies of their new country as well as their home land in order to carry through with obtaining dual citizenship.

It should be noted that not all countries in the EU allow for dual citizenship. The majority of the 28 countries do but people should be aware of which countries allow for it and which ones do not. However, over 90 percent of EU citizens do hold citizenship in more than one country. The legal concept of what citizenship within the EU is and how it is defined was included the Treaty of Maastricht that was enforced on November 1, 1993.