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Americans Are Using Their Ancestry to Gain Citizenship in Europe

A growing number of US citizens are acquiring EU passports to expand their options for work, life and travel.

A French European Union passport at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. 

Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg
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A growing number of Americans are applying for EU citizenship, taking advantage of their ancestry to gain a new passport and expand their options for work, life and travel.

There were 3,284 Americans who applied for an Irish passport in the first six months of the year, more than double the same period of 2021, according to government statistics. Demand for Italian and German passports has also increased exponentially, according to several citizenship consultancy firms. At the New York Italian consulate, the waitlist has 3,700 people on it.