EU Member States granted citizenship to over 800 thousand persons in 2017

EU Member States granted citizenship to over 800 thousand persons in 2017 

Date Published: 06.03.2018

Sub-heading:  In 2017, 8,195 persons were granted Irish citizenship

The latest Eurostat figures show that in 2017, 825,400 persons acquired citizenship of an EU Member State, a decrease of 17 % compared with 2016 (995,000 persons).

The largest group acquiring citizenship of an EU Member State are former European (38%) and African citizens (27%).

The most new citizenships were granted in the following EU Member States in 2017:

Italy: 146,605 (18 % of all citizenships granted in the EU in 2017)

·         United Kingdom: 123,106 (15%)

·         Germany: 115,421 (14%)

·         France: 114,274 (14%) and

·         Sweden: 68,898 (8 %)

In 2017, the largest groups that acquired citizenship of an EU Member State were citizens of:

·         Morocco: 67,900 (8.2%)

·         Albania: 58,900 (7.1 %)

·         India: 31,600 (3.8%)

·         Turkey: 29 900 (3.6%) and

·         Pakistan: 23,100 (2.8%)

The three largest groups of EU citizens acquiring citizenship of another EU Member State for this period were:

·         Romanians: 25,000 persons

·         Poles: 22,000 and

·         Britons: 15,000

Key figures for Ireland 

8,195 persons were granted Irish citizenship in 2017.

The largest groups that acquired citizenship in Ireland were citizens of:

The top three EU citizens acquiring citizenship in Ireland in 2017 were:

·         Poles: 1,400

·         Romanians: 800

·         Britons: 500

For more information: 

See: Eurostat News Release  41/2019 – 6 March 2019  https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/9641781/3-06032019-AP-EN.pdf/2236b272-24b1-4b59-ade4-748361331b18

Eurostat Acquisition of citizenship statistics (March 2019) 

Eurostat Infographic: Acquisition of citizenship in the EU28