EU Sees 6.1% Rise in Citizenship Grants in 2023, Led by Sweden
In 2023, the EU witnessed a 6.1% rise in citizenship grants, with 1,050,100 people securing citizenship in their country of residence. However, naturalisation rates varied significantly among EU countries, reflecting diverse immigration policies and integration levels.
Sweden led the pack with a rate of 7.9 per 100 non-national residents, while Lithuania had the lowest at 0.1 per 100. This disparity is typical, with countries like Spain, Portugal, and Italy offering more lenient citizenship policies having higher rates, while those with stricter rules or smaller immigrant populations, such as Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia, had lower rates. For instance, to naturalise in Latvia, applicants must pass language and knowledge tests, though exceptions can be made by the Saeima.
Spain saw the largest increase in citizenship grants in 2023, with 58,600 more than in 2022. Conversely, Sweden experienced the largest decrease, with 24,400 fewer grants. Lithuania had the largest percentage decrease in naturalisations, at -78.1%, while Ireland saw the largest increase, at 34.3%.
The EU's overall naturalisation rate in 2023 was 2.6 per 100 non-national residents, underscoring the significant differences in citizenship policies and integration levels across member states.
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