Ad Hoc Query on citizenship granted to foreigners in the EMN Member and Observer Countries (2021-2025)
This ad hoc query gathers comparative data from EMN Member Countries on the number of citizenships granted annually between 2021 and 2025. It highlights significant disparities in volumes and emerging trends over time, including increases, decreases, or stable patterns. It also provides an overview of the main nationalities acquiring citizenship in selected countries and the different administrative sources used to produce the data.
Background:
The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) received a request from the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion seeking information on the number of citizenships granted in each European country during the period 2021–2025. This request followed a question submitted by a Member of Parliament to the Minister. This ad hoc query aims to map the annual volume of citizenship acquisitions across the network to provide comparative data for national policy discussions.
Respondents:
A total of 26 EMN Members provided a public answer.
Findings:
A preliminary analysis of the results shows that:
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Significant disparities exist in the volume of citizenships granted across the network. A group of EMN Members with high granting volumes includes PT, ES, DE, and FR, which frequently record between 60.000 and over 200.000 grants annually. In contrast, a group with lower figures includes EE, LV, CY, and SK, where annual grants typically remain below 3.000.
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The majority of responding EMN Members report an upward trend in citizenship acquisitions between 2021 and 2025. Substantial increases were noted in DE (from 131.595 to 292.020 by 2024), IE (9.766 to 31.264), and PL (7.966 to 19.351). Conversely, SE reported a significant downward trend, with figures dropping from 89.967 in 2022 to 38.767 in 2025. EMN Members like CZ, SI, and BG showed more fluctuating or stable trends.
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Specific nationalities frequently emerge in the data of several EMN Members. In CZ, citizenship was granted most frequently to nationals of Ukraine, Russia, and Slovakia. IE highlighted a massive increase in grants to nationals from the "Rest of the World" (non-EU/UK), while LT noted that the vast majority of its grants are for "restoration" based on descent rather than ordinary naturalisation.
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The authorities providing figures vary depending on the national administrative structure. Most EMN Members derive their data from Ministries of the Interior (FR, EL, SK, PL, CZ) or National Statistical Offices (AT, DE). Others rely on specialised immigration agencies, such as the IND in NL, the UDI in NO, or Migrationsverket in SE. In PT and IT, data is primarily provided by Central Registry Offices or Directorates for Civil Rights.
For further details, please read the compilation of answers attached above.
