- Children acquire nationality by descent, as dependants in a program, or later by naturalisation; the first two are plannable.
- Descent rules carry conditions: generation limits, registration deadlines and loss provisions. Read the statute.
- Dependant definitions drive both eligibility and price; file before any child ages out.
- A child's existing nationality may restrict a second one, often requiring a choice at adulthood.
- Succession law, forced heirship and estate taxes depend on residence and assets, so refresh wills when you move.
For many families the real beneficiary of a second passport is not the person who applies but the children who inherit the option. Nationality can pass by descent, dependants can be added, and estates can be governed by the law of one country or several. Each of those rules is different, and getting them wrong quietly narrows a family's choices for a generation. This guide covers the questions that matter most.
Three ways a child acquires a nationality
- By descent from a parent who holds it. Most countries pass citizenship to the children of citizens, but the rules differ on whether descent works through the mother, the father or both, whether it extends beyond one generation born abroad, and whether registration is required within a time limit.
- As a dependant of the main applicant in an investment program, where the child is included in the application and granted the same status.
- By later naturalisation or registration, on the child's own account after years of residence, education or family connection.
The first two are what families usually plan for. The third is a fallback that depends on residence, which is why children's education and residence choices matter long before they reach adulthood.
Descent: where the real value lies
A citizenship that passes by descent to children and later generations is a family asset, not an individual one. St Kitts and Nevis, for example, offers citizenship that is transmissible to future generations by descent. But descent rules have conditions worth reading closely:
- Limits on generations born abroad. Some states stop automatic descent after one or two generations born outside the country unless the family registers or maintains a link.
- Registration deadlines. Births abroad may need to be registered with consular authorities within a stated period.
- Gender and marital-status rules, where older laws treated mothers and fathers differently.
- Loss provisions. Some countries remove nationality for long absence without maintaining a link or for acquiring another nationality.
Before assuming a passport will pass to grandchildren, read the nationality statute, not the brochure.
Who counts as a dependant
Programs define dependants differently, and the definition drives both eligibility and price:
- Children: a maximum age for dependent children, with adult children sometimes admitted only if they are studying or dependent, or only at an additional contribution.
- Spouses and partners: recognition of marriages and, in some systems, long-term partnerships.
- Parents and grandparents: admitted in some programs with age and dependency conditions, usually at an extra fee.
- Siblings: admitted in a few programs only where financially dependent.
Children born after approval are usually eligible by descent; children who age out before filing may need their own route. A family with teenagers should file before the age limit, and a family planning more children should check how the program treats future births. For multi-person pricing, see the true cost.
Will the child's other nationality allow it?
If a child already holds one nationality, whether it permits another matters. Some countries do not allow adults to hold dual nationality, and many with such rules treat minors differently, often requiring a choice at adulthood. Parents based in such countries should understand what happens when the child reaches majority: the second nationality may be fine until then and require a decision afterward. This is one reason a residence-first plan sometimes suits families better than a citizenship-first plan.
Education, residence and the future
A nationality opens doors, but residence is what lets a child use them. Considerations include:
- Access to schools and universities. Some nationalities qualify for domestic tuition or easier admission; some do not help at all without residence.
- Work rights. A passport that does not allow work in the countries a child will want to live in is of limited use for that purpose.
- Military or national service. Some countries impose service obligations on citizens, including those by descent. Check before accepting.
- Residence conditions for naturalisation or retention that may need to be met in the child's own right.
Succession: nationality and the law that governs the estate
A family with several nationalities and several homes can face several succession laws. The rules that decide which applies differ by country, and they interact with tax:
- Which law governs the estate: some systems apply the law of the deceased's last habitual residence, others of nationality, and some distinguish between movable and immovable property. Within the European Union, a regulation generally applies the law of habitual residence at death but allows a person to choose the law of their nationality.
- Forced heirship: civil-law systems commonly reserve a fixed share of an estate for children and sometimes spouses, which can override a will that treats heirs differently.
- Inheritance and estate taxes: whether the heir, the deceased, or the property triggers the tax, and the rates, differ widely. Some countries levy none; others tax worldwide assets of residents or citizens.
- Recognition of wills and trusts across borders, and probate in each place where assets are held.
A second nationality does not by itself change these outcomes, but changing residence, buying real estate abroad, or holding assets through foreign structures can. A family moving as in the relocation playbook should refresh its wills and structures at the same time, with advisers in each jurisdiction, rather than assuming the old documents travel intact.
A family checklist
- Map every family member's current nationalities and whether each permits another.
- List ages against dependant limits; file before any child ages out.
- Read the descent rules for the target nationality, including generation limits and registration.
- Check military-service or other citizenship obligations.
- Plan the children's education and residence so their rights are usable, not just held.
- Review wills, trusts and guardianship arrangements in every country with assets or family connections.
- Revisit the plan when a child reaches majority, marries or relocates.
Cross-generation planning is the heart of our Lifelong Governance phase. If you would like it applied to your own family, start a private conversation, or see the family-office focus of our Private Clients division.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice, and programme rules change, sometimes at short notice. Confirm current terms with Indohill and your own qualified advisers before acting. See our Disclosures.