How to obtain citizenship in the European Union?
Everyone knows about the high standard of living in Europe, which is why our wealthy compatriots, and not only, seek to obtain a coveted passport of a European country.
The European Union is an association of democratic European states aimed at their international integration. This union includes some of the most advanced countries in the world, in which the standard of living is considered one of the best. There are 28 countries in the European Union.
What is attractive about EU citizenship?
Citizenship of one of the EU member states gives certain privileges that attract many people to the region. For example, visa-free travel to 150 countries around the world, the right to social assistance and social security, the ability to do business in the EU and beyond, quality health and education, and the eurozone are concentrated countries with the best economies, which allows its citizens to lead a full lifestyle.
Obtaining all of the above privileges attracts many people from neighboring countries bordering the Eurozone, but to a greater extent, citizens of the CIS and Russians aspire to obtain European Union citizenship.
Obtaining EU citizenship?
Not everyone can become a citizen of the European Union. For the applicant, several points are formulated that he must comply with.
Applicants for citizenship can be people:
1. No criminal record for particularly serious crimes and crimes against humanity;
2. People who have resided in the country legally for a certain period of time;
3. Citizens who speak the state language of the country in which they intend to live;
4. Persons with permanent income.
You can become an EU citizen on several principles: blood, soil and naturalization. According to the first principle, citizenship can be obtained by a person with ancestors-nationals of the European Union.
The second principle provides for the acquisition of citizenship by a child born in the EU if at least one of the parents is an EU citizen.
A more difficult way to obtain citizenship is naturalization. To obtain citizenship in this way is possible on a number of grounds: study, investment, employment, marriage to an EU citizen, business registration or purchase of housing.
Stages of obtaining European Union citizenship
To obtain citizenship of one of the EU countries, you need to go through two stages: obtaining a residence permit and a permanent residence permit. Obtaining a residence permit gives the right to stay in the country for up to 1 year, and after its termination it is extended for another year.
To obtain a residence permit, you need to collect a package of documents, which includes a passport, insurance policy, an extract from the bank account and additional documents giving you the right to obtain a permit (employment contract with an EU citizen, marriage certificate, etc.).
In some countries, you can also get a residence permit in exchange for investment.
For example, in Latvia, the minimum investment amount should be 250,000 euros. You can invest in real estate and get citizenship in 10 years.
In Cyprus, the applicant for European citizenship must invest 300,000 euros in real estate and the investor can obtain the coveted passport of a Cypriot citizen after 7 years. An investment of 500,000 euros will have to be invested in real estate in Portugal. Only after such investments, a citizen can become the owner of a residence permit for a period of 5 years, and citizenship only after 6 years.
After a long stay in the country, a citizen can apply for a permanent residence permit. The main condition - must remain the basis on which the applicant entered the country, that is, a person should not lose his job if he arrived in the country to perform work duties.
After living in the country for some time, a person can apply for citizenship - you will have to pass the exam for knowledge of the state language.
Nuances of obtaining EU citizenship status
As mentioned earlier, the EU consists of 28 states and each has its own formalities for obtaining citizenship. Some countries can afford to get a second passport, and in others, you will have to give up your native passport to become a citizen.
High demands are placed on immigrants in Germany and Belgium, and they will have to renounce their native citizenship in Spain and Denmark.
The simplest rules for obtaining citizenship exist in Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, because they are part of the European Union in recent years, and their citizens have fewer privileges than residents of other countries.
Despite the high requirements for obtaining citizenship, Russians live in almost all EU countries. Most of our countrymen are in Germany (about 1 million people), in other countries Russians make up about 1% of the total population of a particular country.
Of course, the EU attracts with its well-being, but not everyone can afford to become a citizen of a country that is part of this union. Every year it becomes more and more difficult to obtain a coveted passport of a European state, but this does not stop people in search of a better life.
Author: Pavel Ustyantsev
Photos: vprodagah; advokat-miller; vuz-chursin