Dual and multiple citizenship: A profound shift in perception
For a long time, dual nationality was viewed with suspicion, explains Peter John Spiro, an American legal scholar, in his work .
From the 19th century through much of the 20th, holding citizenship in two countries was often seen as a potential source of "conflicting loyalties" or diplomatic complications, Spiro notes. Many governments therefore encouraged new citizens to renounce their original nationality.
That view has shifted dramatically over recent decades. As international migration has intensified, globalization has deepened, and diaspora communities have grown, the majority of states have gradually moved to tolerate, or even actively encourage, dual nationality, seeing it as an opportunity to maintain and strengthen economic, cultural, and political ties with other countries.
This evolution represents a genuine paradigm shift, the legal scholar explains: dual nationality is no longer seen as an anomaly, but increasingly as a reflection of an interconnected world.
Available data confirms that acquiring a new nationality has become an increasingly common step in many countries.
Within the European Union, more than 1.1 million people acquired the citizenship of a member state in 2023, a 6.1% increase compared to the previous year, according to . The trend continued into 2024, with nearly 1.2 million naturalizations recorded, an unprecedented figure that confirms the phenomenon is gaining momentum.
The United Kingdom has seen a comparable shift. According to the , 2.1% of residents in England and Wales hold more than one nationality, up from just 1.1% a decade earlier. In ten years, the proportion of people who chose to keep their original nationality while also becoming British nearly doubled.
In the United States, dual nationality is far from a fringe phenomenon. According to a survey published in 2024, 6% of Americans report holding at least two nationalities.
It's worth noting that getting an accurate global count of people with dual nationality is no easy task, since most countries don't require their citizens to declare whether they hold another nationality. Each country manages its own records independently, with no international coordination, so there is no global database that tracks dual nationals. Available estimates therefore rely primarily on national censuses, surveys, and academic research.
Why do so many expats seek dual nationality?
The value of your original passport shapes your motivations
Turns out that the reasons for acquiring a second nationality are varied. But one of the most compelling findings from sociologist Yossi Harpaz's research in is that motivations vary significantly depending on the strength of a person's original passport.
People from countries whose citizenship offers limited freedom of movement often seek what Harpaz calls "compensatory citizenship." This gives them easier access to other countries, broader professional opportunities, and more options for their children.
Conversely, when the practical benefits are already largely covered by a "powerful" passport, motivations tend to be more nuanced. Harpaz's research shows that a second nationality may instead address a need for long-term security, serve as a legacy passed down to future generations, or carry a symbolic, identity-driven dimension.
A second passport is viewed as a聽"global asset"
This is a significant development: according to Yossi Harpaz, a second nationality has become a genuine "global asset." It functions as a kind of insurance against life's uncertainties, whether political crises, economic hardship, conflict, changes in immigration law, or institutional instability.聽His research shows that many people pursue a second nationality primarily because they want the freedom to choose. Holding a second passport means having a fallback option if circumstances change.
This idea of "insurance citizenship" comes up repeatedly in personal accounts. Emily, an American interviewed by , shared that her husband, who was eligible for German citizenship through his mother, had never gotten around to starting the process. Following recent political developments in the United States, the couple finally consulted a specialist lawyer and launched the application. Their goal is to give their family a genuine "way out" if the situation were to deteriorate.
Having a complex identity officially recognized
Legal scholar Peter J. Spiro also points out that dual nationality often responds to a need for identity recognition. For many expats who have lived in their adopted country for years, obtaining local citizenship represents the natural culmination of a life's journey. After building their careers there, starting a family, or watching their children grow up, they want their legal status to finally reflect their everyday reality.
According to Spiro, dual nationality is therefore no longer seen as a "conflict of loyalties," but as a reflection of a world where personal paths are built across multiple countries.
All the other practical reasons remain just as valid, of course. Naturalization helps secure a person's situation on a lasting basis by guaranteeing permanent residency rights, without depending on the renewal of a visa or residence permit.
It's also worth noting that dual nationality comes with obligations. Depending on the countries involved, a dual national may be subject to duties in each of their countries of citizenship, particularly regarding taxation, military service (where it still exists), and administrative requirements.
When it comes to taxes, the case of the United States is well known and a source of frustration for some. If you hold American citizenship, you are required to file a tax return with the US authorities, even if you no longer live there.
Which countries refuse dual nationality or require citizens to choose?
Today, around 75% of the world's states accept or tolerate dual nationality, compared to just a minority a few decades ago. France, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, and Belgium are among the countries that allow it. The conditions for acquiring citizenship vary from one country to another, however, and often depend on the route taken, whether by birth, descent, marriage, or naturalization.
But a recent article from also sounds a note of caution: in the current political climate, the tide could turn against dual nationality. In 2025, several European countries tightened the conditions for acquiring citizenship by descent, as well as the rules governing so-called "golden passport" programs, which grant citizenship to wealthy investors.
Some countries already place clear restrictions on dual nationality, or refuse it altogether. Here are a few examples:
does not recognize dual citizenship and considers that a national who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality automatically loses their Chinese citizenship.
India also does not allow its citizens to hold a second nationality, though it does offer the status, which provides certain rights without conferring full citizenship.
also applies a restrictive policy and requires, in most cases, that individuals renounce their original nationality upon naturalization.
permits certain cases of dual nationality at birth, but the law generally requires those affected to choose a single nationality upon reaching adulthood.
Finally, is one of the most restrictive countries in Europe: dual nationality is only permitted in a limited number of situations defined by law, including certain cases of acquisition at birth or where authorization to retain one's nationality was granted before acquiring another citizenship.
