Obtaining second or main citizenship in European countries is a dream of many people. EU countries are attracted by:
- high standard of living;
- excellent social security;
- quality medical care;
- low levels of corruption;
- availability of products and household items;
- high level of education;
- the opportunity to travel and work in the Eurozone.
There are several ways to become a citizen of the European Union: repatriation (in Poland), investment immigration (acquisition of Cypriot citizenship), naturalization.
Usually, naturalization is a long process, which involves obtaining a temporary residence permit, then permanent residence in the EU, and only 5-10 years later – a passport of the selected country. But some circumstances can speed up this process. Such circumstances include obtaining a residence permit through marriage.
Conditions by country and terms of obtaining a residence permit
Most people choose to believe in the myth that getting married or getting married is a quick and reliable way to gain citizenship of any country in Europe. Unfortunately, it is not.
Marrying an EU citizen will indeed allow you to obtain a residence permit in your country upon providing supporting documents. But this status is temporary and its registration may be accompanied by difficulties.
In many European countries, migration services check the legality of the marriage and the seriousness of the couple’s intentions by conducting various surveys. They test the knowledge of the spouses’ habits, facts from the biography, hobbies, family, etc. If the answers do not match, the marriage license may not be issued.ย An already concluded union can also be recognized as fictitious. In this case, the residence permit is invalidated or simply not issued, and the spouses may be criminally liable.
After obtaining a residence permit, it is not easy either. Representatives of the migration service will visit your home to check if the married couple is living together. A short separation may become a reason for refusing to extend a residence permit and sending one of the spouses home within a specified time frame.
Financial requirements
To obtain a residence permit in Europe, you must prove your financial viability. To do this, you must have a significant amount of funds in your bank account. For example, to obtain a UK residence permit, you must have 18.6 thousand pounds (for a year). If a family moves with children, the amount increases.
In some cases, it is possible to apply for a long-term residence permit only after six months or more.
If you live in the country based on a family residence permit, then you must remain in this status until you receive permanent residence or citizenship. In the event of a premature divorce, your status may be revoked and you will have to go home.
Peculiarities of obtaining citizenship through marriage in the EU countries
If you are determined to get an EU passport, then you have to wait. Even though Europe is considered a single space, the timing of obtaining citizenship after marriage differs in different countries:
- to obtain French citizenship, the spouses will have to live at least 4 years in marriage. If they live outside the territory of the country, the period increases to 5 years;
- to become a British citizen, a foreign spouse will have to live 5 years in temporary status and another 1 year in a permanent one;
- Spanish citizenship can be obtained in just a year of cohabitation in the kingdom if the spouses are not divorced at the time of submission of documents;
- It is possible to become a resident of Italy 2 years after marriage while living in the country, 3 years while living outside its borders. Terms are halved when a family has children;
- documents for obtaining a German passport can be submitted after 4 years of marriage to a foreign spouse and 5 years to a spouse;
- You can become a Swiss citizen after 5 years of residence in Switzerland with official status. At the same time, the spouses must live under one roof for at least 3 years and stop traveling abroad a year before applying.
As you can see, getting European citizenship through marriage is more difficult than it seems. Sometimes the time it takes to obtain a passport is the same with the time it takes for naturalization under general conditions. It is worth thinking twice about how to enter into a fictitious marriage for the sake of going abroad.
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