# Are there any European countries that are particularly easy for an American to move to? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011 "2009-08-20T00:16:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/1 "2009-08-20T00:16:15Z")
I’m not considering emigrating myself (though one never knows down the road and all), but I’m just curious. I know that it’s very difficult for an American to become a citizen of England or France or, per my understanding, to move their long term, but are there any where it is relatively easy? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/2 "2009-08-20T01:27:55Z")
I have heard that Ireland is really easy for people with significant Irish heritage and have known some people here in the Boston area that got dual citizenship just for the hell of it. The requirements are pretty easy to google but here is one example and they are pretty lax as long as you have the right genealogy. > **[Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](https://www.yahoo.com/)** > > Latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores and video are just the beginning. Discover more every day at Yahoo! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/3 "2009-08-20T01:53:11Z")
Germany not long ago had a “blood law” that allowed anyone with German ancestry to become a citizen. I’m not sure they’re still doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/4 "2009-08-20T01:58:29Z")
I take that back; you need a [parent](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_nationality_law) who’s a citizen. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/5 "2009-08-20T03:32:14Z")
If you can get the citizenship of _any_ EU country, e.g. through ancestry or a prudent marriage, then you have the right to settle in all the EU countries. The OP’s question only m makes sense with respect to a US citizen who doesn;t also have any EU nationality, and so can only immigrate to a European country as a resident non-citizen. Since there is a high degree of freedom of movement within the EU, in practice it is difficult for EU countries to maintain distinct immigration policies. There is no movement control at all between the countries in the Schengen countries (all E.U. countries except for Ireland, the UK, Rumania and Bulgaria) group, so I think they must already have petty similar immigration policies. And there is a move afoot in Brussels formally to adopt a common immigration policy for all EU states, though I’m not sure how far it has got. So my guess is that the answer to the OP is that, for a non-EU citizen seekign to immigrate to an EU country, the immigration rules and policies of the EU countries are likely to be quite similar. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/6 "2009-08-20T04:17:49Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I have heard that Ireland is really easy for people with significant Irish heritage and have known some people here in the Boston area that got dual citizenship just for the hell of it. The requirements are pretty easy to google but here is one example and they are pretty lax as long as you have the right genealogy. > > [Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](http://www.geocities.com/tanseyjim/irish_citizenship.htm) Bah, you got me all hopeful for Irish citizenship. To register, you have to have a parent or grandparent that was _born_ in Ireland. One could be half-Irish, like myself, but not qualify for citizenship because my nearest ancestors born in Ireland were my great-great-grandparents. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/7 "2009-08-20T06:15:02Z")
Ireland used to be pretty easy, even for someone without significant Irish heritage (like myself). When I arrived here in 2000 it was just a matter of finding someone who wanted to hire me and was willing to sign a form saying they’d tried to find EU citizens first. The rules have since been tightened considerably (in fact, they were tightened within a couple years after I got here, though I’m sure there’s no connection ;)) - I’d never be able to do it now. Given current economic conditions I would guess it is all but impossible for someone without very highly-sought skills or an EU spouse to immigrate to any country in the EU. I don’t know about non-EU European countries but I’d think the same is pretty much true for them too. Of course, someone who wasn’t too concerned about formalities could probably find work teaching English in a lot of these countries. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/8 "2009-08-20T06:31:44Z")
You cannot become a “citizen of England” (there is no such thing) but you might be able to become a UK citizen. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/9 "2009-08-20T07:09:29Z")
I’m pretty sure you can get a job teaching English pretty easily in some of the less desirable Eastern European destinations. (You’ve always wanted to live in Albania or Moldova, right?) I don’t know about acquiring citizenship, though. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/10 "2009-08-20T13:23:48Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > Ireland used to be pretty easy, even for someone without significant Irish heritage (like myself). When I arrived here in 2000 it was just a matter of finding someone who wanted to hire me and was willing to sign a form saying they’d tried to find EU citizens first. The rules have since been tightened considerably (in fact, they were tightened within a couple years after I got here, though I’m sure there’s no connection ;)) - I’d never be able to do it now. > > Given current economic conditions I would guess it is all but impossible for someone without very highly-sought skills or an EU spouse to immigrate to any country in the EU. I don’t know about non-EU European countries but I’d think the same is pretty much true for them too. As my American girlfriend is finding, to our chagrin. It looks like wedding bells are the only viable option! ---
**Author:** ![ascensions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@ascensions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ascensions)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/11 "2009-08-20T17:07:51Z")
In that case… wonder if my partner would mind if I divorce for a bit, while I marry a Brit? ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/12 "2009-08-20T23:02:00Z")
No. I’m a regular on another forum were this question comes up constantly. It’s always phrased something like, “I want to move to a stable, prosperous English-speaking European nation with a high standard of living and socialized health care. Where can I move to easily?” You simply cannot find _prosperous + English-speaking + easy to emigrate to_ – it just doesn’t exist. If you’re an American who does not have a European parent or grandparent, your best bets are Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. Please note that these countries are NOT easy to emigrate to, just \*easier \*to emigrate to than EU countries. ---
**Author:** ![ascensions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@ascensions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ascensions)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/13 "2009-08-21T14:31:13Z")
“America, you can get in, but you’ll never get out” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/14 "2009-08-21T14:38:08Z")
Spain has a procedure for children or grandchildren of emigrants to request citizenship (“yeah well, so he gave it up, but I’d like it back pretty please”), but it doesn’t apply to the general population. It certainly is easier for an American citizen to move here legally (and I don’t mean to a NATO base) than for someone from, say, Somalia - but only because it’s easier for the American to get a job or some other sponsor. ---
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/15 "2009-08-22T01:57:01Z")
> [@ascensions](#): > > “America, you can get in, but you’ll never get out” Actually, for EU citizens, it is next to impossible to move to the US. More or less the same conditions as vice versa. (Some countries are eligible for the green card lottery, though.) pdts ---
**Author:** ![ascensions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@ascensions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ascensions)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/16 "2009-08-22T02:17:26Z")
> [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](#): > > Actually, for EU citizens, it is next to impossible to move to the US. More or less the same conditions as vice versa. > > (Some countries are eligible for the green card lottery, though.) > > pdts Which makes you wonder why the restrictions are in place… Would be nice if these two countries had open borders with one another… though I understand why the UK wouldn’t want some Americans… we’ve got some nutters here. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/17 "2009-08-22T02:37:22Z")
Svalbard, you can romp with the polar bears 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/18 "2009-08-22T02:57:27Z")
> [@ascensions](#): > > Would be nice if these two countries had open borders with one another Which two countries, US & which member of the EU? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/19 "2009-08-22T04:48:19Z")
If just one of your grandparents was Jewish, you can become a citizen of Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011/20 "2009-08-22T06:36:29Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > If just one of your grandparents was Jewish, you can become a citizen of Israel. If you’re Jewish, have a Jewish mother, or converted to Judaism you can make aliyah to Israel. Liberia also offers citizenship to people of “Negro descent”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-european-countries-that-are-particularly-easy-for-an-american-to-move-to/507011.md?page=2)