EU countries awarded 989,000 citizenships in 2022. Overall, 163,000 more citizens than the previous year. This is the highest number of citizenships awarded in one year since 2013. It shows an overall 2.6 naturalization rate in the whole of Europe. The increase of 20% shows a positive trend where more and more people can enjoy the perks attached to the world’s strongest passports.
Spain, Italy, and Germany combined awarded 57% of the total awarded citizenships. France, Netherlands, and Portugal gave fewer people citizenship rights as compared with 2021.
EU countries awarded 826,800 citizenship in 2021, about 730,700 in 2020, and 712,300 in 2019.
EU countries that awarded most citizenships
Italy issued most of the citizenships in the EU in 2022 where it awarded 213,700 people. This is an immense part of 22% of the EU total awarded citizenship in the same year. Spain remained at number two which gave 181,800 people its nationality. This is also a very high ratio with 18% of the EU total. On the third number, Germany awarded 166,600 citizenships which is 17% of the total EU-wide. France awarded 114,500 (12%) residents the nationality status whereas Sweden granted it to 92,200 (9%) residents.
EU countries that awarded the least citizenships
Liechtenstein was awarded the least number of citizenships of the year. It awarded only almost 200 foreign nationals its citizenship. On the other hand, Lithuania awarded it to only 500 people followed by Iceland only to 700. Please note these numbers are not compared against the “naturalization rate”.
Which counties saw an increase in citizenship awards?
All these three countries issued more citizenships in the year 2022 than they did in 2021. Italy 92,200, Spain 37,600, and Germany 36,600 granted extra citizenships to the residents compared with 2021.
Which counties saw a decrease in citizenship awards?
France, Netherlands, and Portugal granted less citizenship status in 2022 than in 2021. Overall, Portugal saw a decrease of -3,700, the Netherlands -9,300 and France -15,900.
Highest Naturalization rate
In terms of the naturalization ratio, Romania was the top country in 2022. Its ratio remained at 26.8% against its 100 nationals. The naturalization rate is the ratio of the number of persons who acquired the citizenship of a country where they were living during a year over the stock of non-national residents in the same country at the beginning of the year. On the same parameters, Sweden is at number 2 position with 10.6, Netherlands at number three with 4.4 followed by Italy at 4.2.
Region-wise comparison
Region-wise comparison remained extremely high. Citizens of the non-EU countries were 87% of the total awarded nationality status in the country they lived in. On the contrary, 12% were from EU countries. About 1% were of unknown nationality holders and 0.7% were stateless.
Nationals which countries have the most citizenship status in the EU?
In 2022, the citizens of Morroco remained at the top position where they were granted 112,700 EU citizenships. The second largest group was Syrian which was 90,400 followed by Albanian 50,300. Nationals of Türkiye were awarded 29,700 citizenships and from Ukraine 29,300.
List all EU countries that granted citizenship in 2022
| EU (EFTA) Countries Awarding Citizenships | Number of Citizenships Awarded (The last 2 digits have intentionally been written 00) |
| Austria | 10,900 |
| Belgium | 48,500 |
| Bulgaria | 900 |
| Croatia | 800 |
| Cyprus | 2,900 |
| Czechia | 4,600 |
| Denmark | 5,100 |
| Estonia | 800 |
| Finland | 10,200 |
| France | 114,500 |
| Germany | 166,600 |
| Greece | 12,700 |
| Hungary | 3,000 |
| Ireland | 13,600 |
| Italy | 213,700 |
| Latvia | 1,000 |
| Lithuania | 500 |
| Luxembourg | 5,400 |
| Malta | 800 |
| Netherlands | 53,700 |
| Poland | 9,600 |
| Portugal | 20,800 |
| Romania | 13,400 |
| Slovakia | 700 |
| Slovenia | 1,600 |
| Spain | 181,600 |
| Sweden | 92,200 |
| *Iceland | 700 |
| *Liechtenstein | 200 |
| *Switzerland | 41,500 |
| *Norway | 39,400 |
| Total | 989,000 |
Nationals of countries receiving most EU Citizenships
| Countries receiving Citizenships | Number of citizenships awarded |
| Marocco | 112,700 |
| Syria | 90,400 |
| Albania | 50,300 |
| Romania | 37,700 |
| Türkiye | 29,700 |
| Ukraine | 29,300 |
| Brazil | 25,900 |
| India | 24,100 |
| Moldova | 21,600 |
| Russia | 20,200 |
| Algeria | 18,300 |
| Pakistan | 18,200 |
| Ecuador | 17,100 |
| Iraq | 15,500 |
| Tunisia | 15,500 |
Number of Citizenships awarded in the last 10 years by the EU countries
| Year | Number of Citizenships Granted |
| 2022 | 989,000 |
| 2021 | 826,800 |
| 2020 | 730,700 |
| 2019 | 712,300 |
| 2018 | 676,600 |
| 2017 | 703,700 |
| 2016 | 843,900 |
| 2015 | 721,700 |
| 2014 | 762,100 |
| 2013 | 779,600 |