How your EU citizenship is involuntarily lost?

Today we will look at loss of citizenship in EU member states through involuntary (without conscious control or will). Sometimes you wont even know you lost your citizenship.

Involuntary loss is the worst way to lose your citizenship without even knowing it, especially you are spending your life abroad..

Involuntary loss may occur due to either automatic lapse of citizenship from the citizen for failure to take some action to retain citizenship, or active withdrawal of citizenship by the country.

Summary

Citizenship can be revoked on grounds of treason or disloyalty. (in 15 EU countries)
Deprival of citizenship happens, if they take service in a foreign army (in 12 EU countries)
Prolonged residence abroad is grounds for the involuntary loss of citizenship in 10 EU countries.
Dual citizenship restrictions (acquisition of another citizenship) may cause loss of citizenship in 9 EU member states

Prolonged residence abroad

Prolonged residence abroad is also very important for many citizens, who tend to forget or not really aware they are losing citizenship. This applies to two types of citizens.

Naturalized citizens only – Cyprus, Ireland and Malta,
Citizens born abroad only – Belgium, Denmark, Spain and Sweden

Involuntary loss of citizenship in EU — Source: European Commission / GlobalCIT

The involuntary loss of citizenship is caused by 4 modes in EU member states

Austria

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Belgium

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Bulgaria

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Croatia

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – NO

Cyprus

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Czechia

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Denmark

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) –
Service in a foreign army –
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Estonia

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Finland

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

France

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Germany

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Greece

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Hungary

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Ireland

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Italy

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Latvia

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Lithuania

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Luxembourg

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Malta

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Netherlands

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Poland

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – NO

Portugal

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Romania

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Slovakia

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Slovenia

Residence abroad – NO
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – YES
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Spain

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – YES
Service in a foreign army – YES
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – YES

Sweden

Residence abroad – YES
Acquisition of other citizenship (dual nationality) – NO
Service in a foreign army – NO
Disloyalty/ treason – NO
Fraudulent acquisition – NO