Top-10 Hardest Countries to Get Citizenship, Know About Them

Becoming a citizen of another country can offer many new opportunities, like better jobs, education and safety. But not all countries make it easy. Some have very strict rules and long waiting times. In some places, you must live there for many years, learn the language or give up your old citizenship. In this article, we will go through the list of top-10 countries where getting citizenship is the hardest.

Why is it So Hard?

There are many reasons why some countries are tough when it comes to granting citizenship. These includes:

• Lengthy Residency Requirements: You must live in the country for many years – sometimes 10, 20 or even 30 years!
• Language Proficiency: You need to speak and understand the national language fluently.
• Cultural and Religious Factors: Some countries want people to fully adopt their culture, religion and values.
• Strict Rules and Limited Dual Citizenship: Many countries don’t allow you to keep your old nationality.

List of Top-10 Hardest Countries to Get Citizenship

Here are the names of top-10 countries where getting citizenship is especially difficult:

• Qatar
• Vatican City
• Liechtenstein
• Bhutan
• Saudi Arabia
• Kuwait
• Switzerland
• China
• North Korea
• Japan

Qatar

Qatar, a rich country in the Middle East, makes it very hard for foreigners to become citizens. You must live there for 25 years without leaving, speak Arabic, have good behavior and prove you can support yourself financially. You also must give up your current  citizenship. In many cases, you may need to convert to Islam as well.

Vatican City

Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, only gives citizenship to a few special people. These include cardinals, diplomats for the Catholic Church, or those who work inside Vatican City. If you don’t meet one of these conditions, it’s nearly impossible to become a citizen.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein, a small and wealthy European country, requires foreigners to live there for 30 years before they can apply for citizenship. You can apply earlier if you marry a citizen or get special approval, but it still takes many years. This long wait makes it one of the hardest countries for citizenship.

Bhutan

Bhutan, a peaceful mountain kingdom, has very strict citizenship rules. If you don’t have Bhutanese parents, you must live there for 20 years and never speak badly about the king or the country. The government can also deny your application without giving a reason.

Saudi Arabia

To become a Saudi citizen, you must live in Saudi Arabia for 10 years, speak Arabic well and have a good character. You also need to give up your previous nationality. The final decision is made by the Ministry of Interior and it can be very hard to get approval.

Kuwait

Kuwait also makes it tough to become a citizen. You must live there for 20 years, speak Arabic and either be born Muslim or convert to Islam. Like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait does not allow dual citizenship.

Switzerland

Switzerland requires you to live in the country for 10 years and hold a special residence permit. You must also speak one of its national languages (German, French, Italian or Romansh). The process involves getting approval from local, regional and national authorities – each with their own set of rules.

China

China rarely gives citizenship to foreigners. The rules are unclear and usually, only people with Chinese family or strong reasons are considered. There’s no set number of years for residency, making the process even harder to understand.

North Korea

North Korea keep its rules on citizenship a secret. The decision is made by a high-level government body, and the country does not allow dual nationality. Very few outsiders even try to get citizenship because it’s nearly impossible and not widely desired.

Japan

Japan requires you to live there for five years, behave well and prove you can support yourself. You must also give up your current citizenship. Though the language requirement is basic, the overall process is strict and carefully checked by the authorities.