Question 1

Which citizenship by descent is cheapest to claim?

Accepted Answer

Canada is by far the cheapest — most applicants spend only $200–$400 USD total because IRCC's fee is just $75 CAD (about $54 USD) and no apostilles or translations are needed. Germany and Ireland are middle-tier at $500–$1,000 and $500–$900 respectively. Poland is lower-middle tier at $300–$600 — the $118 Voivode confirmation fee (gov.pl item 2.03, effective 2026-01-01) is modest, but sworn Polish translations ($30–$100/page) on US vital records are the main cost variable. Italy is the most expensive at $1,300–$2,300 for consulate cases or $4,000+ for judicial (1948) cases. Notably, Germany's §5 declaration and Art. 116(2) restitution applications are free to file.

Question 2

Can I apply for multiple citizenships based on the same family?

Accepted Answer

Potentially yes, but each country's citizenship runs on its own eligibility rules. If your family tree includes, say, an Italian grandparent and an Irish great-grandparent, you would need to qualify under each country's rules separately and file separate applications with separate fees. None of the seven countries we cover has any conflict with holding another citizenship alongside, but check each country's specific rules before investing time in multiple paths.

Question 3

Does the fee change based on how many ancestors are in my chain?

Accepted Answer

Government fees are fixed per applicant and do not increase based on generation count. However, document costs scale with generation count because each additional ancestor adds birth and marriage certificates to your document list. The apostille and translation costs in the Italian case are the biggest generation-count multipliers — every additional ancestor means more US vital records, more apostilles, and more translations.

Question 4

Do I need a lawyer?

Accepted Answer

For consulate-track Italy, IRCC applications for Canada, and Irish FBR applications, most applicants successfully file on their own. You only need a lawyer for Italian 1948 judicial cases, cases with adoption complexity, or cases with documentation gaps that need professional problem-solving. Full-service citizenship firms charge $5,000–$15,000, which is several times the actual fees. For straightforward cases this markup is not worth it.

Question 5

How accurate is this calculator?

Accepted Answer

The calculator uses government fees published directly by the relevant ministries and consulates, verified against primary sources. Document cost ranges are based on published vendor rates. The calculator ran its numbers against one of our team's actual Italian binder data and landed within the $1,500–$2,000 typical-case range. For your specific situation, expect the total to land somewhere inside the range — probably closer to the typical-case anchor than to either extreme.

Question 6

What recent changes should I know about?

Accepted Answer

Italy raised its consulate fee to €600 per adult applicant in 2025 under Law 74/2025 (up from ~€300 previously). Canada passed Bill C-3 in December 2025, meaningfully expanding descent eligibility beyond the first-generation limit. Ireland's rules have been stable, but FBR processing times have lengthened since the Brexit referendum. Germany introduced dual citizenship on June 27, 2024 — ending the prior rule that required applicants to give up their current nationality. The §5 StAG gender-discrimination declaration route carries a statutory deadline of August 19, 2031. All seven countries are worth re-checking against current government sources when you start your application.

Country	Total range	Gov fee	Apostille	Translation
Canada	$200–$400	$75 CAD	None	None
Poland	$300–$600	$118 USD	Required	Polish (sworn)
Portugal	$400–$800	€175 (~$205)	Required	Portuguese (certified)
Hungary	$300–$700	Free	Required	OFFI ($60–$150/doc)
Germany	$500–$1,000	€51 (§4) / free (§5, Art. 116)	Required	German (sworn)
Ireland	$500–$900	€278	Selective	None
Italy	$1,300–$2,300+	€600 (~$703)	All docs	Italian (all docs)

Compare the Cost of Citizenship by Descent Across Seven Countries

Breakdown

Government & filing fees

Document acquisition

Apostilles & translations

Not included

Breakdown

Government & filing fees

Document acquisition

Apostilles & translations

Not included