Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 | 2 a.m.
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Parviz Malakouti-Fitzgerald’s Sept. 4 guest column, “Why Americans pursue second citizenship,” is as interesting as it is misleading.
The column makes it seem easy to obtain a second citizenship, and he mentions the European Union as an option.
The rules, though, are daunting. The residency requirement is at least three years in the United Kingdom with a UK spouse or partner, or five in the UK or EU with an indefinite residence permit needed before applying. One cannot work without special permission in either place, and continued residence is required. The appropriate government websites outline the requirements clearly.
Other than buying a passport in banana republics costing in the six figures, second citizenship is not easy or quick.
There are other pathways available to a few, but they are costly.
A second citizenship in a European country or the UK sounds beneficial, but for an immigration attorney to pen an column omitting the substantial hurdles and costs for success in obtaining the second citizenship strikes me as disingenuous.
