In short: of the 97 countries we track, 26 let you get citizenship after 5 years in the country or sooner, 7 of them in Europe. Argentina and Peru are fastest (2 years), then Canada and Armenia (3 years), Brazil and Australia (4). In another 7 countries the term is short only on paper: the authorities decide, and in practice it is rare. And check dual citizenship: in Japan, the Netherlands and Taiwan you will have to give up your previous passport.
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The standard term counted from your first residence permit, without marriage, descent or investment. Within each group, countries are in alphabetical order; the exact term is on each card.
Most of these countries first require permanent residence and then a few more years with it.
This group includes countries that recently lengthened the term: Portugal, for example, moved from 5 years to 10 in May 2026.
The law names a term, but the decision is at the authorities' discretion, and in practice an ordinary newcomer is rarely naturalised.
Citizenship takes 12 years in India, about 14 in Belarus, 15 in Rwanda, about 16 in the Bahamas and 20 in Oman. In the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Israel, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Cambodia and Sri Lanka, naturalisation by years of residence is in practice closed to an ordinary newcomer. Details are on each country page.
As of our check on 1 October 2026, Argentina and Peru are fastest: 2 years of residence (in Argentina a court procedure adds 1-2 years; Peru has passed a law raising it to 5 years, but it awaits implementing rules). Next come Canada and Armenia (3 years), then Brazil and Australia (4 years). In total, 26 of 97 countries grant citizenship in 5 years or less.
In 5 years: Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands. Ireland has neither a language exam nor a test about the country; France has required B2 French and a civic exam since 2026; in the Netherlands you usually have to give up your previous citizenship; in Malta the minister can refuse without giving reasons.
Dual citizenship is allowed in most of the fast countries: Argentina, Peru, Canada, Armenia, Brazil, Australia, Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, New Zealand, Turkey and South Africa. You must give up your previous citizenship in Japan, the Netherlands, Taiwan, El Salvador and Indonesia.
Ireland has neither a language exam nor a test about the country. Chile and El Salvador have no separate language exam; in Argentina a judge assesses your Spanish at an interview, and Japan and New Zealand also check language at an interview. Most European countries require A2-B2 and a test about the country.
Portugal moved from 5 years to 10 (from 19 May 2026), Sweden from 5 to 8 (from 6 June 2026, including applications already filed), Finland from 5 to 8 (in 2024), Fiji from 5 to 8 (from May 2026) and Rwanda from 5 to 15 (in 2021). Germany abolished its fast 3-year route. Peru has passed a law for 5 years instead of 2, and Chile is debating 10 years instead of 5.
Often not. In Croatia and Estonia years on a digital nomad visa do not count towards permanent status, and in Colombia years on a V visa do not count towards the resident visa. Portugal does not count time spent waiting for your card, and Argentina does not count time on the temporary precaria document. If citizenship is the goal, choose a residence permit that counts.
In the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain naturalisation formally exists but is almost never granted; China, Vietnam, Israel, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Cambodia and Sri Lanka are closed in the same way. It takes very long in Oman (20 years), the Bahamas (about 16), Rwanda (15), Belarus (about 14) and India (12).
For all 97 countries in our ranking we took the standard naturalisation term: after how many years of living in the country a foreigner can, as a general rule, apply for citizenship, counted from the first residence permit. Sources: the published country pages and the permanent residence and citizenship lines in the ranking's index cards. We do not count marriage, descent, investment or benefits for citizens of particular countries. Where the term depends on when permanent residence is granted, we take the lower bound given by the sources and put the realistic term on the card. Countries where the law names a term but citizenship is rarely granted in practice and at the authorities' discretion are listed separately. The time to apply is not the time to a passport: processing takes from a few months to several years.
The list is built from the index cards of the 97 countries in our ranking and the country pages, where every fact has a source. Checked 01/10/2026.