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I was born in the United States but travel widely and often think about moving abroad. I also want my children to have the option if they ever want to leave the US.
In more recent years, as I became increasingly concerned about the political landscape in America and the impact it could have on my family's lives, I got serious about looking for ways to gain citizenship in another country.
This process isn't possible for everyone. Among other obstacles, some people are unable to trace their roots because their ancestors were brought to the US as slaves.
However, after doing a lot of research and submitting so much paperwork, I was granted citizenship in Poland and Portugal before ever setting foot in either country.
Here are the steps I took.
To build my tree, I did research on where each of my ancestors was born and the date they immigrated to the US.
Then, I filled in the gaps by asking relatives and conducting research online. US government databases and Ancestry.com were my main sources for verifying things I'd already been told and looking into further immigration information.
In my experience, details as small as the exact year someone immigrated or where they were buried were critical.
Once I had my tree, I researched immigration laws.
Through my research, I found a few potential paths to citizenship but focused on Poland. My grandfather was Polish, and I had his Polish passport, so the process was straightforward.
Most countries require original documents issued in that country, such as a birth certificate or baptismal certificate, to successfully apply for citizenship. In some cases, immigration attorneys can help track down these types of documents.
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Although a common path to citizenship is through descent, several countries offer alternate avenues. It's worth looking into different immigration laws, especially if tracing exact roots and finding original documents isn't possible.
I was able to get Portuguese citizenship by proving I am a descendant of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th Century. Although the deadline to apply for nationality under that specific Portuguese law was January 1, 2024, similar laws may exist in other countries.
For example, Spain grants citizenship to those who fled the Franco dictatorship during the Spanish Civil War and their descendants. Austria and Germany also offer it to the descendants of Jews who fled the Nazis.
In some cases, countries will even give you citizenship in exchange for a sizable investment, like real estate.
One of the best decisions I made was joining social-media groups for Americans looking to gain dual citizenship.
I regularly received tips and swift answers to questions from people who were experiencing the same thing as me. It was also a great way to connect with people with similar heritage.
Before investing a lot of time and money in the citizenship process, I wanted to get an honest assessment of my chances.
To ease my mind, I had free consultations with an attorney in Poland and one in Portugal. From there, I hired them to help me troubleshoot problems.
Although hiring an attorney isn't always required, I thought it was time and money well spent. I was also very glad I used local attorneys who are experts in their country's process.
Poland and Portugal required a ton of documents to apply for citizenship.
In both cases, my local attorney filled out the necessary forms, but I was responsible for obtaining everything else. I needed to submit my birth certificate and marriage certificate, among others.
Because my Polish citizenship is based on descent, I also needed to submit documents proving that I was descended from my grandfather, including my grandparent's marriage certificate and my parents' birth certificates.
For my Portuguese citizenship, I was able to submit a letter from a rabbi about cultural practices and proof that my grandfather was buried in a Sephardic section of a cemetery. I also needed to submit an FBI background check.
Once I gathered all the documents, my attornies submitted my applications for me.
Jamie Davis Smith
After submitting, there was nothing to do but wait.
My application for Polish citizenship was granted in about a year. I didn't get Portuguese citizenship until nearly three years after I applied.
Waiting was the most frustrating part of the process. However, once I held my new passports in my hand, I forgot about it.
I love having the freedom to move abroad. Now that my children also have dual citizenship, I rest easy knowing that they have the same opportunity.
