Citizenship by descent — ancestry and heritage routes
Citizenship-by-descent routes grant citizenship (not merely residence) through documented ancestry. Irish, Italian, Portuguese, German, and Spanish descent routes are the most commonly pursued.
Typical characteristics
- Documented lineage back to a qualifying ancestor.
- No points test; no residence or income requirement.
- Usually grants citizenship directly — not a residence intermediate.
- Document-gathering across multiple jurisdictions is typically the longest phase.