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Which countries go back how far?
Short answers only, checked against official government sources in Oct 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the linked source before you apply.
| Country | Parent | Grandparent | Great-grandparent or earlier | Processing time | Dual citizenship? | Official sources (checked Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Canada | Yes, if your parent was born in Canada or naturalized | Born before Dec 15, 2025: yes in most cases. Born on/after: only if your parent spent 1,095 days in Canada before your birth | Same rules as grandparent | Use IRCC's processing-time tool | Yes | IRCC 2025 rules IRCC times IRCC dual |
 Italy | Only if born abroad with another citizenship and the parent was born in Italy or lived there 2 straight years before your birth (2025 law) | Yes if the grandparent was born in Italy. One consulate words it as a grandparent holding only Italian citizenship | No, for applications filed after Mar 27, 2025 | Varies by consulate | Yes (since 1992) | Law 74/2025 Consulate Freiburg esteri.it |
 Ireland | Yes. Automatic if your parent was born on the island of Ireland; otherwise via the Foreign Births Register | Yes, if your grandparent was born on the island of Ireland (Foreign Births Register) | Only if your parent was registered (or naturalized) before you were born | About 9 to 12 months (official pages differ) | Yes | ireland.ie FBR (12 mo) dfa.ie FAQ (9 mo) Dáil answer Oct 1, 2026 (12 mo) Dual |
 Germany | Yes, automatic. Exception: if your German parent was born abroad after 1999, the birth must be registered within 1 year | Possible if every generation kept German nationality; proven through a BVA determination | Possible in the same way; BVA traces further generations if needed | Varies; BVA says 2 years is not unusual | Yes (since June 27, 2024). Germans who took another citizenship by application before that date usually lost German citizenship | Federal Foreign Office AA FAQ BVA AA 2024 law (dual) BVA dual |
 Poland | Yes, confirmed by a voivode decision | Possible; the application covers parents and grandparents | No limit stated officially; the chain must be unbroken. Ask your consulate | Up to 6 months by law, can be extended | Yes, but Poland treats you only as a Polish citizen. Enter and leave Poland on a Polish passport or ID | gov.pl Citizenship Act, Art. 3 Border Guard (dual) |
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