10 countries where it’s nearly impossible to become a dual citizen

By Brianna Moné From Business Insider

Some countries won’t allow you to be a citizen of two places. Associated Press/Mark Lennihan
Being born in a specific country gives you an automatic claim of that country, a right to citizenship. Sometimes, depending on your country of birth, you can claim dual citizenship of another country for a variety of reasons. Maybe it’s the country where your parents were born, or you’ve been living in a country for years and want to make it home, or it’s a country you just admire.

Dual citizenship is not always the case for those who want to obtain it. Currently, there are around 40 countries that typically don’t allow dual citizenship. Here are some of them.

Japan gives a person until 22 to decide their country loyalty.
Children don’t have to choose just yet. Itsuo Inouye/AP
Japan gives a Japanese citizen until the age of 22 to decide their country of loyalty if they have obtained dual citizenship through a country that allows it.

According to the Japan Nationality Act: “If dual nationality is acquired between ages 20-22, the person must choose one nationality within two years. If one does not choose Japanese nationality within these periods, the Minister of Justice can require one to choose a nationality. Failure to comply within one month of this requirement will result in loss of Japanese citizenship.”

But that doesn’t mean that everyone follows this rule.

There’s only one exception to dual citizenship in Singapore.
It can be maintained for 21 years. Nuttawut Uttamaharad/Shutterstock
In Singapore, citizenship can be acquired in multiple ways: by birth, descent, marriage, and naturalization. Through naturalization, the person seeking citizenship must be at least 21 years old, have resided in Singapore for 10 years (continuously for at least the 12 months prior to the application), be of good character, have a knowledge of the language, and intend to permanently reside in the country.

Although dual citizenship is not allowed in Singapore, there is one exception, according to the country’s Constitution. Similar to Japan, a child born abroad of Singaporean parents, who acquires the citizenship of the country of birth, may maintain dual citizenship until the age of 21 years.

After 21, that now-adult has 12 months to take the Oath of Allegiance and Loyalty and renounce the foreign citizenship of the other country, or their Singaporean citizenship will be revoked.

The Netherlands is all about jus sanguinis (right of blood).
You can lose your Dutch citizenship. Photography by Adri/Shutterstock
One can become a Dutch citizen by birth, adoption, marriage, descent or through naturalization, which also makes you a citizen of the European Union (EU). Citizens of the EU can travel and reside freely in any of the member states of the EU. Those from the Netherlands can lose their citizenship if they have a foreign citizenship, and reside outside the country or the European Union for 10 years.

If a Dutch national is over the age of 18 and willingly obtains citizenship or naturalization from another country, in addition to a Dutch citizenship, that person will lose their Dutch citizenship.

The only way you can keep dual citizenship is if you’re a citizen of another nation and you marry a Dutch national or you’re a refugee.

Nepal has no exceptions to dual citizenship.
There are some special allowances. Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
In Nepal one can only become a citizen by birth, descent, marriage or naturalization, that’s it. If birth, descent or marriage isn’t an option for you, these are the naturalization allowances: can read and write the national language of Nepal; have a job in Nepal; reside in Nepal for 15 years or more, and renounce the citizenship of their former country.

Dual citizenship is not allowed in Myanmar.
Becoming a citizen is also tough. Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters
In Myanmar, dual citizenship is not allowed, full stop, no exceptions. Additionally, being born within the borders of Myanmar does not guarantee citizenship at all. Children must at least have a mother who is a citizen of Myanmar to be considered a citizen. Naturalization is limited.

Becoming a citizen elsewhere automatically means losing Chinese citizenship.
You have to choose. Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider
The Chinese government does not recognize dual citizenship at all. In fact, once you become a citizen of another nation, you lose citizenship in China immediately and have even offered some strict consequences for those who violate this.

“The embassy will invalidate the related documents of anybody who violates Chinese law and deny Chinese visas and entry to that person,” a government notice said, according to The South China Morning Post.

People in Indonesia have to give up dual citizenship when they turn 18.
Garuda Indonesia Darren Whiteside/Reuters
Though Indonesian citizens can be dual citizens, they can only do so until they turn 18. Then they’ll have to choose one or the other.

This can be a difficult decision for many, as outlined in The Jakarta Post.

Laos does not allow dual citizenship and obtaining citizenship at all is tricky.
Pha That Luang stupa is seen in Vientiane ahead of the ASEAN Summit, Laos September 5, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva
Dual citizenship is not allowed in Laos at all. In fact, obtaining citizenship in Laos requires you to stay there for 10 years before applying for citizenship, unless you are “qualified” in which case you only have to wait five.

People in Malawi cannot hold dual citizenship.
A man carries food aid distributed by the United Nations World Food Progamme (WFP) in Mzumazi village near Malawi’s capital Lilongwe, February 3, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
People born in Malawi cannot hold dual citizenship after the age of 21. There is currently a movement to allow dual citizenship, but nothing has been put on the table yet.

Kuwait is strict about naturalized citizens.
There are no exceptions. Flickr/CC0
Like Nepal, Kuwait doesn’t allow dual citizenship, at all, no exceptions. Even for naturalization, a person is only granted citizenship through a special act of government. Other than that, the other ways to obtain citizenship are: birth, descent, and marriage (after 15 years of living in Kuwait if you’re a woman). Men who marry Kuwait citizens cannot become citizens of the country.

In fact, if a person loses their citizenship, any minor children will as well.

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