Citizenship Changes 2025: New Immigration Rules for Expats

Among the most talked-about global citizenship changes in 2025 is Portugal’s decision to double its residency requirement and end automatic birthright citizenship.

It’s just one example of how countries are tightening or restructuring access to nationality this year.

As governments rethink how and why they grant citizenship—whether through birth, investment, or merit—global expats and high-net-worth individuals must stay informed.

This guide outlines the most significant citizenship changes in 2025, including:

• What is the new Nationality Law in Portugal 2025?
• Is there a generational limit on Italian citizenship?
• What is a good character for British citizenship?
• What is the status of the US birthright citizenship program?

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La información contenida en este artículo es meramente orientativa. No constituye asesoramiento financiero, jurídico o fiscal, ni una recomendación o solicitud de inversión. Algunos hechos pueden haber cambiado desde el momento de su redacción.

Argentina Birthright Citizenship

In May 2025, Argentina implemented a major shift in its nationality law by ending automatic birthright citizenship (jus soli).

Previously, any child born on Argentine soil regardless of the parents’ immigration status, was eligible for immediate citizenship.

Under the new rule, children born in Argentina to foreign parents must now complete two years of legal residency before qualifying for Argentine citizenship.

This change directly impacts expat families, migrant communities, and those who previously viewed Argentina as a strategic destination for birth tourism.

While the country still maintains a relatively open path to naturalization, the revised law reflects a growing trend among governments to limit automatic access to citizenship and place more emphasis on integration or long-term presence.

The new requirement does not apply retroactively, but going forward, it introduces a waiting period that expats and global families must now factor into their residency and citizenship planning in Argentina.

Portugal New Rules For Immigration 2025

Portugal’s 2025 citizenship changes mark one of the most comprehensive overhauls in Europe this year with the doubling of the general residency requirement for naturalization, from 5 years to 10 years.

A reduced 7-year requirement is still available for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique.

Another major shift affects children born in Portugal. Birthright citizenship is no longer automatic.

Foreign parents must now have at least 3 years of legal residence before their child can qualify for Portuguese nationality, ending a long-standing provision that attracted migrant families.

In addition, Portugal is introducing a more rigorous integration process.

Applicants must now demonstrate not only Portuguese language skills, but also a working knowledge of the country’s culture and democratic values.

These elements will be evaluated through new standardized testing.

The reforms are not retroactive—applications filed under the current rules (i.e., with 5 years of residency) will still be processed accordingly.

As of mid-2025, the changes have passed Cabinet approval and are awaiting final parliamentary confirmation, expected later this year.

UAE Citizenship by Exceptional Merit

The United Arab Emirates continued refining its discretionary citizenship framework in 2025, further expanding eligibility under its merit-based citizenship program.

Originally launched in 2021, the initiative was designed to attract global talent and recognize individuals who contribute meaningfully to the UAE’s national development.

In 2025, the program now formally includes a broader range of eligible categories, such as prominent scientists, artists, cultural innovators, and select investors—all assessed under the umbrella of national interest.

The criteria emphasize global impact, sustained achievement, and alignment with the UAE’s strategic goals, such as technological innovation, cultural diplomacy, and knowledge-based economic growth.

The naturalization process for long-term residents has also become more streamlined.

Qualified individuals no longer need to give up their original citizenship, and the selection process now includes clearer benchmarks tied to measurable contributions in their fields.

While the pathway remains by invitation only, the increased visibility and structure around eligibility have made this once-elusive option more accessible to accomplished expats who have built their careers in the UAE.

Italian Generational Citizenship

On May 24, 2025, Italy enacted Law No. 74, formalizing significant citizenship changes to its legislation, including the introduction of a generational limit.

Individuals born abroad with Italian ancestry will no longer be eligible for automatic recognition unless they meet specific conditions, such as:

• Their application was submitted before March 27, 2025, with all supporting documentation.
• Their appointment was confirmed before March 27, 2025, even if the submission occurs later.
• They have a parent or grandparent who is or was an Italian citizen exclusively at the time of death or currently.
• They have a parent or adoptive parent who lived in Italy for at least two continuous years after becoming an Italian citizen and before the applicant’s birth or adoption.

Special provisions also apply to minor children:

• Children under 18 as of May 24, 2025, can acquire citizenship via a parental declaration submitted by May 31, 2026.
• For children under 1 year old, a declaration must be made within the first year of life.
• Children over 1 year old must live in Italy for two consecutive years following a parental declaration.

UK Citizenship Good Character Requirement

In February 2025, the UK government updated its guidance on the good character requirement for British citizenship, introducing new restrictions based on how an individual entered the country.

As of February 10, 2025, applicants who entered the UK illegally or via dangerous routes such as small boats or concealed in lorries, will now normally be refused citizenship, regardless of how long ago they arrived.

While the Home Office still retains discretionary power, this language shift signals a tougher stance.

The changes apply to both adults and children over the age of 10, and are particularly relevant to refugees and asylum seekers who were granted legal status after irregular entry.

Prior to the update, most breaches of immigration law were typically disregarded after 10 years; this new guidance overrides that leniency for cases involving irregular arrival.

Applications submitted before February 10 are assessed under the previous framework.

However, for those applying under the new rules, entry method now weighs heavily, creating greater uncertainty for individuals with complex immigration histories.

These changes reflect the UK’s broader move toward tightening migration pathways, particularly for individuals who did not arrive through formal channels, even if they later gained lawful residence.

Turkey Citizenship By Investment 2025

In 2025, Turkey introduced regulatory refinements to its citizenship by investment program, not by raising financial thresholds, but by tightening oversight and procedural requirements.

How much is the CBI in Turkey?

The minimum investment amounts remain unchanged:

• $400,000 in real estate with a 3-year holding period
• $500,000 in fixed capital, bank deposits, government bonds, or approved business ventures

However, the government has increased scrutiny in several areas:

• Mandatory physical presence: Applicants are now required to be physically present in Turkey during the application process, with fingerprinting mandatory prior to obtaining the special residency permit.
• Enhanced due diligence: Greater emphasis on verifying the source of funds, accurate property valuations, and preventing artificially inflated transactions
• Legal compliance audits: Authorities now cross-check investment documents with land registry, tax, and anti-money-laundering databases

These measures are aimed at improving transparency, minimizing abuse, and aligning with international compliance standards.

While the Turkish CBI program remains one of the fastest in the world with typical processing times of 3 to 6 months, it now requires a higher level of personal involvement from applicants.

Austria Merit-Based Citizenship and Its New 2025–2029 Government Program

Austria’s discretionary citizenship framework faced a major reset in 2025, in response to growing EU scrutiny and domestic demands for transparency, the government has introduced both stricter oversight and broader legal reforms under its 2025–2029 national program.

For citizenship granted by exception (e.g., to athletes, scientists, cultural icons, and high-impact investors), the process now involves:

• Stricter documentation of national interest and contributions
• Formal justification for each individual case
• Periodic reporting to EU institutions for transparency and compliance

Austria Citizenship By Naturalization

Beyond discretionary citizenship, Austria has also made significant changes to its general naturalization criteria:

• Increased German language requirement: Applicants must now demonstrate B2-level proficiency, replacing the previous B1 standard. This applies even to standard naturalization and will likely make the process more challenging for skilled workers in hands-on professions.
• Mandatory integration course: A new citizenship course through the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) will focus on democratic values, gender equality, and civic understanding.
• Tougher revocation standards: Citizenship may now be revoked under expanded criteria, though exact offenses are yet to be defined.
• Eased rules for minor infractions: Repeated administrative offenses like parking tickets will no longer automatically disqualify an applicant.
• Facilitated self-sufficiency proof: For skilled workers in high-demand sectors, income requirements will now be assessed based on collective minimum wage levels, potentially easing access.
• Modernized processing: Austria plans to digitize parts of the application process and allow real-time status tracking.

Saint Kitts and Nevis CBI Program

Express Entry Canada and Bill C-3 Canada Citizenship

While Canada has not introduced new citizenship requirements per se in 2025, it has enacted major legislative reforms affecting both skilled migrants and Canadian citizens abroad:

What is the citizenship bill c3?

• Introduced June 5, 2025, Bill C‑3 amends the Citizenship Act to:
  • Automatically grant citizenship to those who were previously ineligible due to the first-generation limit
  • Allow children born abroad to Canadian parents (who were also born abroad) to inherit citizenship, provided the parent had a substantial connection to Canada, defined as at least 1,095 days (three years) of Canadian residence before the child’s birth
• Includes a provision to restore citizenship to “Lost Canadians” affected by earlier law changes
• Bill C‑3 is currently before Parliament and awaiting Royal Assent

Express Entry Changes Canada 2025

• Job-offer points removed: The 50–200 CRS points previously awarded for valid job offers have been eliminated; intended to curb misuse of LMIA-based offers
• Category-based draws introduced: IRCC now holds targeted draws for priority occupations, including healthcare, trades, education, and Francophone candidates, providing lower CRS thresholds for selected sectors
• Focus on candidates with Canadian experience, such as existing temporary residents with work or study histories

United States Birthright Citizenship

In 2025, the United States remains in the midst of a highly politicized debate over birthright citizenship, with proposed legislation aiming to restrict US citizenship only to children born to US citizens or lawful permanent residents.

Key developments include:

• Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025: Introduced in January by Senator Lindsey Graham (S. 304) and Rep. Brian Babin (H.R. 569), this legislation seeks to restrict automatic U.S. citizenship to children born to parents who are U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or active-duty service members, excluding undocumented immigrants and temporary visa holders. It has attracted limited support (two Senate and 51 House co-sponsors) and currently awaits Senate Judiciary Committee revise.
• Trump Executive Order: On Inauguration Day 2025, President Trump issued an order similarly aimed at limiting birthright citizenship. The order has been temporarily blocked by multiple federal courts, and as of July 10, a New Hampshire judge issued a nationwide injunction in response to a class-action lawsuit.

Despite these moves, no law has passed, and the constitutional guarantee remains intact.

Other Noteworthy Citizenship Changes

• Montenegro officially closed its citizenship by investment program to new applicants. Initially launched as a time-limited offering, the program faced increasing EU scrutiny and was discontinued in favor of traditional naturalization routes.
• Dominica and Antigua & Barbuda introduced minor amendments to their CBI programs, mostly around family eligibility rules and enhanced vetting procedures. These citizenship changes aim to align with global compliance standards without significantly altering the programs’ core structure.
• South Korea launched new initiatives to attract high-skilled returnees and second-generation Koreans abroad. These include relaxed visa-to-citizenship transitions, tax incentives, and recognition of foreign qualifications—part of a broader strategy to combat demographic decline and brain drain.

Conclusión

The citizenship changes in 2025 is marked by more selective, compliance-driven policies across multiple jurisdictions.

From Europe to the Caribbean, governments are raising the bar through language, integration, and physical presence requirements, while narrowing eligibility for descent and discretionary grants.

For expats and high-net-worth individuals, these shifts make it critical to plan early, stay informed, and align mobility strategies with the new regulatory climate.

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Adam es un autor reconocido internacionalmente en temas financieros, con más de 830 millones de respuestas en Quora, un libro muy vendido en Amazon y colaborador de Forbes.