Sylvenstein Lake, Germany, the country that issued the most passports to non-EU nationals in 2024.gettyMore Americans are seeking a life overseas and new data shows which countries issued the most EU citizenships in 2024 to non-EU nationals—Germany, Spain and Italy. According to Get Golden Visa’s American Retirement Exodus Report, there has been a rising trend of Americans relocating abroad. This may be due to the pull factors of a new place—lifestyle options, cost of living—or push factors driving people away from the U.S., such as increasingly unaffordable healthcare. There are currently about 5.5 million Americans live abroad, and almost 1 in 4 are retired. So, for Americans looking to head to Europe, how long do you need to be resident before acquiring citizenship, and which EU countries are issuing the most passports to non-EU nationals?Germany, Spain And Italy Are Issuing More Passports To Non-EU NationalsEuroNews recently reported that there has been a significant increase in the number of people granted EU citizenship over the past decade, from 762,000 in 2014 to 1.2 million issued in 2024, according to Eurostat data—an increase of 54%. The vast majority are non-EU nationals (88%), with the remainder being a citizenship acquired—or exchanged—among the 27 member states.Germany granted the most citizenships in 2024, with 300,000, amounting to one quarter of the total. Spain granted 250,000 citizenships, and Italy granted 217,000.What Is The Average Residency Required For EU Citizenship?The length of residency required to apply for citizenship varies across EU countries, but 5 years is the average, with some, like Spain and now Portugal, much longer at 10. It does depend, however, on your background as Latin American nationals (Argentinians and Brazilians), for instance, can apply in Spain after only two years. Italy is increasingly a choice for American expats, because of its Mediterranean climate, healthcare, affordable cost of living and the culture. Non-EU citizens must have 10 years of residency before applying for citizenship in Italy and there is also a very long wait for the Italian citizenship process, with wait times of 24 to 36 months.Golden visa programs offer another alternative to obtain residency and then possibly citizenship. Through Italy's golden visa program, Americans can invest in the country and obtain residency without maintaining a permanent presence, as some golden visa programs, such as Italy’s, do not require a physical presence at all—countries like Greece, Hungary, Bulgaria, Latvia, Malta, and the UAE. Portugal requires 7 days per year, Cyprus requires 1 visit every 2 years, and Singapore requires 1 day a year.EU Citizenship Requirements Can Change QuicklyIf you are already living in your country of choice, Martín Hecht, founder of MH Legal Hub, a Buenos Aires international relocation agency, highlights the risks of stalling until the right time to apply for citizenship, when political changes can significantly alter the landscape for non-EU nationals. Across the EU, the citizenship timeline can shift quickly, as witnessed by three big recent changes:In Germany, the fast-track program for highly-skilled workers was replaced in October 2025 with a much stricter language-level requirement and a requirement of 5 years of residence plus a citizenship test.Portugal's parliament voted (again) in April to extend the citizenship pathway from 5 to 10 years. The law still awaits ratification. Italy's constitutional court recently upheld changes that brought in strict limits on descent-based citizenship. The implication is that fewer Americans can now apply for an Italian passport (a further hearing is pending in the law courts)."The rules are changing faster than people can plan," Hecht explains. "Portugal and Italy both closed inside a month... The Americans who get residency or citizenship now are the ones who were ready to go when the door was open."The same was true of Brexit where the vote had consequences for anyone traveling between the U.K. and Europe, whether that's longer queues at some airports at immigration or the inability to travel, work and study freely throughout Europe or the U.K. EU Citizenship rules sometimes shift faster than most expats can plan for and while EU countries are giving out more citizenships than ever before, recent reforms in Portugal, Italy, and Germany show just how changeable the pathways can be. MORE FROM FORBESForbesNew Zealand Golden Visa Demand Leaps As Americans Seek Plan BBy Alex LedsomForbesEurope’s New Border Control, EES, Is Now Operational—What To KnowBy Alex LedsomForbesPortugal Golden Visa—Government Votes To Extend Citizenship TimelineBy Alex Ledsom