Zemira

Citizenship through marriage: where it is fastest

How many years to citizenship for someone married to a citizen of the country — and how much faster that is than the ordinary route.

  1. 1ArmeniaResidence as the spouse of an Armenian citizen2 years faster than the ordinary route1–2 years
  2. 2Netherlands *Residence permit4 years faster than the ordinary route2–3 years
  3. 3BrazilResidence through family with a Brazilian citizen5 years faster than the ordinary route2–4 years
  4. 4SpainTemporary residence9 years faster than the ordinary route2–4 years
  5. 5JapanSpouse of a Japanese citizen4 years faster than the ordinary route2–5 years
  6. 6ArgentinaTemporary residence permitno separate shortcut for spouses3–5 years
  7. 7PortugalResidence permit10 years faster than the ordinary route3–5 years
  8. 8SingaporeSpouse of a citizen → Permanent resident2 years faster than the ordinary route3–5 years
  9. 9AlbaniaSpouse of an Albanian citizen4 years faster than the ordinary route4 years
  10. 10VietnamResidence as a citizen's family member → Permanent residenceno separate shortcut for spouses4–5 years
  11. 11South KoreaSpouse-of-citizen F-6 visano separate shortcut for spouses4–5 years
  12. 12GermanyFamily residence permit2 years faster than the ordinary route4–5 years
  13. 13Hungary *Spouse of a Hungarian citizen8 years faster than the ordinary route4–5 years
  14. 14Kazakhstan *Permanent residence through marriage to a citizenno separate shortcut for spouses4–6 years
  15. 15IrelandStamp 42 years faster than the ordinary route4–5 years
  16. 16TürkiyeFamily residence permit2 years faster than the ordinary route4–6 years
  17. 17ItalyResidence as the spouse of an Italian citizen8 years faster than the ordinary route4–7 years
  18. 18ChileTemporary residence → Definitive residence3 years faster than the ordinary route4–8 years
  19. 19CanadaPermanent residenceno separate shortcut for spouses5–6 years
  20. 20United StatesGreen card3 years faster than the ordinary route5–6 years
  21. 21Israel *Spouse of an Israeli citizenno separate shortcut for spouses5 years
  22. 22GreeceSpouse of a Greek citizen with a common child4 years faster than the ordinary route5–8 years
  23. 23AustraliaSkills in Demand visa → Permanent residence → Permanent residence for over a yearno separate shortcut for spouses5–6 years
  24. 24PolandResidence permit through marriage to a Polish citizen → Permanent residence as the spouse of a Polish citizen4 years faster than the ordinary route5–7 years
  25. 25ThailandSpouse-of-citizen visa6 years faster than the ordinary route5–9 years
  26. 26UruguayLiving in Uruguayno separate shortcut for spouses6–7 years
  27. 27CroatiaResidence to join a citizen spouse → Permanent residence as a citizen's spouse4 years faster than the ordinary route6–8 years
  28. 28FranceResidence as the spouse of a French citizen1 year faster than the ordinary route6–8 years
  29. 29Belarus *Permanent residence permit7 years faster than the ordinary route6 years
  30. 30ColombiaCitizen's-spouse M visa → Citizen's-spouse R visa5 years faster than the ordinary route6–8 years
  31. 31GeorgiaTemporary residence permitno separate shortcut for spouses6–7 years
  32. 32Montenegro *Residence as the spouse of a Montenegrin citizen10 years faster than the ordinary route6–7 years
  33. 33IndonesiaKITAS / KITAP residenceno separate shortcut for spouses6–8 years
  34. 34United KingdomFamily visa → Indefinite leave to remain1 year faster than the ordinary route6–7 years
  35. 35Belgium *Residence → Unlimited right of residenceno separate shortcut for spouses6–7 years
  36. 36RomaniaLiving with a Romanian spouse in Romania3 years faster than the ordinary route6–9 years
  37. 37SwitzerlandResidence as the spouse of a Swiss citizen5 years faster than the ordinary route6–9 years
  38. 38New ZealandPartner work visa → Resident visa1 year faster than the ordinary route7–8 years
  39. 39AustriaRed-White-Red Card or family permit4 years faster than the ordinary route7–9 years
  40. 40AzerbaijanTemporary residence → Permanent residence permitno separate shortcut for spouses8–9 years
  41. 41LithuaniaResidence as the spouse of a Lithuanian citizen → Permanent residence as a citizen's spouse3 years faster than the ordinary route8–9 years
  42. 42EstoniaTemporary residence → Long-term residence permitno separate shortcut for spouses9–10 years
  43. 43MalaysiaSpouse visa → PR as the wife of a citizenno separate shortcut for spouses9–12 years
  44. 44SwedenWork permit → Permanent residence1 year faster than the ordinary route9–11 years
  45. 45BulgariaTemporary residence → Permanent or long-term residence2 years faster than the ordinary route9–11 years
  46. 46DenmarkResidence as the spouse of a Danish citizen → Permanent residence as a citizen's spouse1 year faster than the ordinary route10–12 years
  47. 47SlovakiaTemporary residence → Permanent residence1 year faster than the ordinary route11–12 years
  48. 48CzechiaLong-term residence → Permanent residenceno separate shortcut for spouses11–12 years
  49. 49LatviaTemporary residence → Permanent residenceno separate shortcut for spouses11–12 years
  50. 50South AfricaWork visa → Permanent residenceno separate shortcut for spouses13–16 years

No ordinary route

For a typical applicant these countries have no time-based route to citizenship: special grounds are needed (descent, points, high income, investment) or naturalisation is practically unavailable. Details on each country page.

China, United Arab Emirates

How we calculated

The same «typical applicant» as in the timeline comparison, but married to a citizen of the destination country. The time runs from moving to the passport, including processing. Many countries also require a minimum length of marriage or living together — details on each country page. Where marriage gives no shortcut, it is marked.

* — some points for this country are unconfirmed (status «being checked»); details on its page.

Work it out for your situation