Dual citizenship (2026): which countries allow it and which don't

Visas & Immigration
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Dual citizenship means being a full citizen of two countries at once, and in 2026 most passports nomads hold or chase allow it, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Italy and, since 27 June 2024, Germany. The catch is the other side: China, Singapore, Malaysia, Austria and Japan still make you choose, and the Netherlands strips Dutch nationality from most citizens who voluntarily take another.

Last checked: October 2026

In short:

  • Germany dropped its rule against multiple citizenship on 27 June 2024 and Norway on 1 January 2020, so both now let you keep your existing passport when you naturalise.
  • Japan requires anyone who becomes a dual national before 18 to choose one nationality before turning 20, or within two years if the second nationality comes at 18 or older.
  • The US State Department says dual nationals must use a US passport to enter and leave the US, and the IRS taxes US citizens on worldwide income wherever they live.

What dual citizenship actually means

Each state decides only whether its citizenship survives you taking another, so a combination can be fine on one side and fatal on the other. A US citizen naturalising in Austria stays American as far as Washington is concerned, but Austria will normally make them give US citizenship up. The conflict shows up in three ways:

  • Automatic loss. Some countries cancel your citizenship when you voluntarily take another (China, the Netherlands, Austria).
  • Renounce to naturalise. Some make you give up your old passport to become a citizen (Austria, the Netherlands, with exceptions).
  • Choose by a deadline. Some tolerate dual nationality from birth but force a choice in early adulthood (Japan, Singapore, Indonesia).

Countries that allow it

Country Position
United States Law doesn’t require you to choose
United Kingdom “Dual citizenship… is allowed in the UK”
Canada You can hold multiple citizenships and keep Canadian
Australia Allowed since section 17 of the 1948 Act was repealed on 4 April 2002
Ireland No need to give up Irish or other citizenship
Italy Acquiring foreign citizenship doesn’t remove Italian unless you renounce (Art. 11, Law 91/1992)
Portugal Portuguese law lets you hold other nationalities
Mexico Allowed since 1998 under the Nationality Law
Brazil Since Constitutional Amendment 131 (3 October 2023), loss only by fraud-based cancellation or express request
Colombia Nationality isn’t lost by acquiring another (Constitution Art. 96)
Germany Allowed since 27 June 2024; naturalisation residence cut from 8 to 5 years
Norway Allowed since 1 January 2020

Countries that restrict it

Country Rule
China “Does not recognize dual nationality”; Chinese nationals who settle abroad and take foreign nationality lose Chinese nationality automatically (Arts. 3 and 9)
India No dual citizenship; OCI is a lifelong multiple-entry visa, “not to be misconstrued as dual citizenship”, with no vote or government jobs
Japan Choose before 20 (dual before 18) or within two years (dual at 18+); failing to choose can cost Japanese nationality
Singapore Citizens aged 21 and above can’t hold dual citizenship
Malaysia “Malaysia does not recognise dual citizenship,” per the National Registration Department (December 2025)
Indonesia Children of mixed marriages may hold both until 18, then choose, with a three-year grace period to 21
Austria Voluntarily taking another nationality loses Austrian citizenship unless you get prior written approval to retain it
Netherlands Taking another nationality usually costs Dutch citizenship, except if you were born in and live in that other country, lived there five years as a minor, or take your spouse’s nationality
Paraguay Multiple nationality only by reciprocal treaty (Art. 149); naturalised Paraguayans lose it by voluntarily taking another (Art. 150)

We left Argentina off because we couldn’t confirm its position on an official page this month. If you’re Dutch, Austrian or Japanese, check your exceptions, retention permit or deadline before filing anywhere.

Practical issues once you hold two

Use the right passport at the right border. The State Department says US nationals, “including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.” Canada says you need a valid Canadian passport to return by air. Colombia’s foreign ministry says dual nationals must enter, stay and leave Colombia as Colombians, on Colombian documents.

Military service. Canada warns that another country of citizenship may make you register for military service, on arrival or when you try to leave.

Consular help shrinks. GOV.UK is blunt: you can’t get British diplomatic help while you’re in your other country of citizenship. The State Department says dual nationality may hamper US consular protection, “especially when they are in the country of their second nationality.”

Tax: Americans are the exception. Most countries tax by residence; the US taxes citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. Only renunciation ends that, and a State Department rule published on 13 March 2026 cut the renunciation fee from US$2,350 to US$450, effective 13 April 2026. Renouncing can trigger exit tax, so read Exit tax explained: which countries charge it when you leave first.

Passing it on. A US citizen parent married to a non-citizen transmits citizenship to a child born abroad only after five years of physical presence in the US, at least two after age 14. An Irish citizen registered on the Foreign Births Register passes citizenship only to children born after that registration. Italy now restricts descent sharply, covered in Italian citizenship by descent (2026): what the new law allows.

Related guides: Second passport (2026): how to get one by descent, residency or investment · Irish citizenship by descent (2026): grandparent rule, FBR, costs · Italian citizenship by descent (2026): what the new law allows · US dual citizenship (2026): what the US allows, taxes and renunciation

Quick answers

Q: Does the US allow dual citizenship?
Yes. The State Department says US law doesn’t require you to choose a nationality, but dual nationals owe allegiance to both countries, must obey both countries’ laws and must use a US passport to enter and leave the US. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live.

Q: Can I keep my passport if I naturalise in Germany?
Yes. Germany’s Interior Ministry says that since 27 June 2024 eligible people are naturalised without having to give up other nationalities, and the standard residence requirement fell from eight to five years. Check that your current country also lets you keep its citizenship.

Q: Which countries don’t allow dual citizenship?
Among nomad-relevant countries, China, Singapore (from age 21), Malaysia and India don’t; India’s OCI is a visa, not citizenship. Austria and the Netherlands usually strip citizenship from people who voluntarily take another, and Japan makes dual nationals choose before 20.

Sources

This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before applying.

Over to you: If you’ve naturalised in Germany since the 2024 reform while keeping another passport, how long did it take from filing to certificate? And has anyone with dual nationality been asked to register for military service when visiting their second country?

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Irish citizenship by descent (2026): grandparent rule, FBR, costs