Planning Second Citizenship for Your Children and Future Generations

Citizenship by investment is often discussed as a personal decision — a passport upgrade, a mobility solution, a tax planning tool. In reality, for most clients with children, the most significant and enduring value of acquiring a second citizenship lies not in what it does for them personally, but in what it opens up for their children and grandchildren.

This guide focuses on the generational dimension: how children are included in CBI applications, what citizenship by descent means in practice, the educational and professional value of EU citizenship for children, and how to plan a citizenship strategy with a multi-decade horizon.

Programme rules and age thresholds are subject to change. Always verify current eligibility criteria with a qualified specialist before proceeding.

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Including Children in a CBI Application

All major citizenship by investment programmes allow the main applicant to include dependent children in the application. The rules vary by programme:

Caribbean Programmes

Programme	Children's Age Limit	Conditions
Dominica	Up to 30	Unmarried, full-time education, financially dependent (18–30)
St Kitts & Nevis	Typically up to 25–30	Current rules should be verified
Grenada	Up to 29	Unmarried, financially dependent if 18+
Antigua & Barbuda	Up to 26	Full-time education, financially dependent if 18+
St Lucia	Up to 25	Financially dependent if 18+

Children under 18 are included as minor dependants without the education or financial dependency conditions.

Malta MEIN (closed)

Malta's MEIN citizenship-by-investment programme allowed children up to age 29 in full-time education to be included as dependants, with an additional contribution per adult dependant and a separate due diligence assessment. The European Court of Justice ruled the scheme unlawful on 29 April 2025, and Malta has closed it to new applicants. It is retained here for reference only; there is currently no EU programme that grants citizenship in exchange for investment. Families seeking an EU passport for their children should consider Golden Visa residency-then-naturalisation routes (Greece, Portugal) or citizenship by descent where they qualify.

European Golden Visas (Greece, Portugal)

Residency permits can be extended to dependent children:

• Typically to children under 18 automatically
• Adult children in full-time education may be included in some programmes — confirm current rules
• Children included in a Golden Visa application begin their naturalisation clock from the permit grant date

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Children Born After CBI Grant — Citizenship by Descent

When a parent acquires citizenship through investment, children born subsequently to that parent can generally acquire the parent's CBI-acquired citizenship by descent. The mechanism varies:

Automatic citizenship at birth: In most cases, a child born to a citizen parent acquires that citizenship at birth, regardless of where the birth occurs.

Registration requirements: Some countries require the parent to register the child's citizenship claim formally — often at a consulate or embassy. Failure to register may result in the citizenship not being formally documented, even if the child is legally entitled.

Generational limits: Some countries limit citizenship transmission to one or two generations born abroad. After that, transmission may require the descendant to have a qualifying connection (e.g. having lived in the country). The specific rules for each CBI country should be confirmed with a lawyer.

Practical action: if you acquire CBI citizenship and subsequently have children, register their citizenship entitlement promptly. Do not assume it will be automatically documented — take the administrative steps to formalise their status.

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The Generational Value of an EU Passport

For parents pursuing the long-term path to European citizenship through a Golden Visa, or who qualify for EU citizenship by descent, the generational benefits of EU citizenship deserve specific attention:

University Education

EU citizenship gives students the right to attend universities in all 27 EU member states at domestic student rates. The financial value is substantial:

• Germany: public universities charge minimal semester fees (typically €200–€400 per semester) to EU students, effectively free for 3–4 year degrees. International students from non-EU countries typically pay €10,000–€20,000+ per year.
• France: EU students pay approximately €170–€600 per year at public universities. International rates are €3,000–€5,000 minimum.
• Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavia: similar structures with low or zero tuition for EU students.
• Spain, Italy, Portugal: EU students pay equivalent to domestic fees (typically €1,000–€3,000 per year).

For a UK family post-Brexit, UK students studying in the EU are classified as international students and pay international fees. An EU passport — obtained through Irish or other heritage (citizenship by descent), or eventual Golden Visa naturalisation — changes this classification entirely.

Over a 4-year medical or law degree at a German or Dutch university, the saving versus international fees can be €40,000 to €80,000 or more.

Employment and Career Mobility

EU citizenship grants the right to work in any of the 27 EU member states without requiring a work permit, visa sponsorship or employer immigration support. For a child starting their career, this is a qualitatively different labour market than the one faced by a non-EU national, who must navigate work visa requirements for each EU country separately.

Post-Brexit, UK nationals working in the EU face the same immigration requirements as non-EU nationals. EU citizenship removes this entirely.

Residency Flexibility

EU citizens can move to, live in and retire in any EU country without restriction. The ability to choose in which EU country to reside — based on lifestyle, weather, cost of living, tax environment — is a genuinely valuable long-term asset for a generation that will live and work across multiple countries.

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Starting the Naturalisation Clock Early

For European Golden Visa programmes (Portugal: 10 years to citizenship following the nationality reform in force from 19 May 2026 — previously 5 years; Greece: 7 years), the residency clock starts from the date of the first residence permit grant. Including children in a Golden Visa application means their clock starts simultaneously with the parent's.

Example: a family obtains a Greece Golden Visa when the children are aged 8, 11 and 14. The minimum physical presence is 7 days per year. After 7 years:

• The youngest child is 15 and eligible for Greek citizenship
• The middle child is 18 and eligible
• The eldest is 21 and eligible
• The parents are eligible at the same time

Greek (EU) citizenship at 15–21, with full EU rights and a top-10 globally passport, is a substantial advantage at the start of an international life.

Starting the Golden Visa process early in a child's life therefore has compounding benefits — the earlier it starts, the earlier citizenship becomes available.

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CBI Passport for UK-Resident Children: Current UK Position

The UK has tightened its entry requirements for holders of certain second passports acquired through investment. This is an evolving area of UK immigration policy and requires current advice at the time of travel:

• Caribbean CBI passport holders who are also UK citizens should enter the UK on their UK passport — this is typically a requirement rather than merely advice
• Entering the UK on a CBI passport without declaring British citizenship can create immigration complications
• The UK Border Force's position on specific programmes evolves — check the current guidance from the UK Home Office

Children who are UK citizens (by birth or descent) should always use their UK passport to enter and exit the UK. Their Caribbean or other second passport is used for international travel and other jurisdictions.

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Practical Planning Checklist for Families

When planning second citizenship with a generational perspective:

1. Choose a programme with appropriate age limits for your children's current ages — adult children near thresholds should be included now rather than later
2. Confirm dependent age rules directly with your authorised agent — rules change
3. Get children's citizenship formally documented after grant — don't assume it is automatically registered
4. Register children born subsequently — take active steps to formalise their citizenship by descent
5. Explain the passport to children so they understand how and when to use each passport they hold
6. Start the Golden Visa residency clock early if EU naturalisation is the objective — years of qualifying residency are non-recoverable
7. Consider dual nationality rules of your home country before proceeding

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How Global Investments can help

Global Investments advises families on second citizenship and residency planning with an explicit generational perspective. We help clients understand which programmes offer the best long-term value for their children and future generations — taking into account age thresholds, passport quality, educational benefits, and the naturalisation timeline.

We work with specialist immigration lawyers across all major CBI and RBI programmes to ensure family applications are structured correctly, all eligible family members are included, and citizenship is properly documented for each generation.

To discuss planning second citizenship for your family, contact our team for a confidential consultation.

Programme rules, age thresholds and immigration rules are subject to change. This guide reflects information as of mid-2026 and does not constitute legal advice.