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Years of residence required for naturalization

What this indicator measures

Naturalization allows a foreigner to obtain a country's nationality. Most countries require having lived there for a certain number of years beforehand. Only countries that give a single, simple number of years are included; those whose rule depends on the situation (ranges, conditions) are not.

How to read this?

The number of years of legal residence generally required before one can apply for nationality.

Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest

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152countries with data
35 yrsmaximum · Central African Republic
5 yrsmedian
2 yrsminimum · Peru
2026data year(s)

In brief

The "Years of residence required for naturalization" ranking covers 152 countries and territories. Lowest value: Peru (2 yrs). Highest value: Central African Republic (35 yrs). Median: 5 yrs (data: 2026). The top 10% of countries exceed 10 yrs, while the bottom 10% stay below 5 yrs. By continent, the median is highest in Africa (5 yrs) and lowest in South America (3 yrs).

Median by continent

Lower Higher
  • Africa 5 yrs (44)
  • Asia 5 yrs (35)
  • Europe 5 yrs (36)
  • North America 5 yrs (17)
  • Oceania 5 yrs (10)
  • South America 3 yrs (9)

Why this indicator matters

The length of residence required is one of the main criteria for becoming a citizen of another country. Comparing it shows how quickly or cautiously states open access to their nationality.

What makes this indicator vary

Conditions reflect immigration policy, the conception of citizenship, colonial or migration history and regional agreements. They are often reformed, and other criteria are added, such as language.

Reading precautions

Only the general duration is compared. Special cases (spouses, refugees, descendants) and language or income conditions are not taken into account. Countries with variable rules are not included, and the source may lag behind.

Full ranking

ranked from highest to lowest

RankCountryValueYear
1er🇨🇫 Central African Republic35 yrs2026
2e🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates30 yrs2026
2e🇸🇲 San Marino30 yrs2026
4e🇦🇩 Andorra25 yrs2026
5e🇪🇷 Eritrea20 yrs2026
6e🇯🇴 Jordan15 yrs2026
6e🇳🇬 Nigeria15 yrs2026
6e🇳🇵 Nepal15 yrs2026
6e🇹🇩 Chad15 yrs2026
10e🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis14 yrs2026
11e🇧🇳 Brunei12 yrs2026
12e🇦🇴 Angola10 yrs2026
12e🇦🇹 Austria10 yrs2026
12e🇧🇮 Burundi10 yrs2026
12e🇧🇯 Benin10 yrs2026
12e🇧🇫 Burkina Faso10 yrs2026
12e🇧🇲 Bermuda10 yrs2026
12e🇧🇹 Bhutan10 yrs2026
12e🇧🇼 Botswana10 yrs2026
12e🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville10 yrs2026
12e🇰🇲 Comoros10 yrs2026
12e🇩🇯 Djibouti10 yrs2026
12e🇪🇬 Egypt10 yrs2026
12e🇬🇦 Gabon10 yrs2026
12e🇬🇪 Georgia10 yrs2026
12e🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea10 yrs2026
12e🇬🇷 Greece10 yrs2026
12e🇮🇶 Iraq10 yrs2026
12e🇱🇦 Laos10 yrs2026
12e🇱🇹 Lithuania10 yrs2026
12e🇲🇨 Monaco10 yrs2026
12e🇲🇩 Moldova10 yrs2026
12e🇲🇪 Montenegro10 yrs2026
12e🇵🇭 Philippines10 yrs2026
12e🇷🇼 Rwanda10 yrs2026
12e🇸🇩 Sudan10 yrs2026
12e🇸🇬 Singapore10 yrs2026
12e🇸🇾 Syria10 yrs2026
12e🇹🇱 Timor-Leste10 yrs2026
12e🇻🇺 Vanuatu10 yrs2026
12e🇾🇪 Yemen10 yrs2026
42e🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina8 yrs2026
42e🇩🇪 Germany8 yrs2026
42e🇭🇺 Hungary8 yrs2026
42e🇱🇨 St. Lucia8 yrs2026
42e🇲🇰 North Macedonia8 yrs2026
42e🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea8 yrs2026
42e🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago8 yrs2026
49e🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda7 yrs2026
49e🇧🇾 Belarus7 yrs2026
49e🇨🇷 Costa Rica7 yrs2026
49e🇨🇾 Cyprus7 yrs2026
49e🇩🇰 Denmark7 yrs2026
49e🇩🇿 Algeria7 yrs2026
49e🇰🇭 Cambodia7 yrs2026
49e🇰🇮 Kiribati7 yrs2026
49e🇱🇰 Sri Lanka7 yrs2026
49e🇱🇺 Luxembourg7 yrs2026
49e🇲🇼 Malawi7 yrs2026
49e🇳🇴 Norway7 yrs2026
49e🇸🇧 Solomon Islands7 yrs2026
49e🇸🇴 Somalia7 yrs2026
49e🇹🇲 Turkmenistan7 yrs2026
49e🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines7 yrs2026
65e🇫🇮 Finland6 yrs2026
66e🇦🇫 Afghanistan5 yrs2026
66e🇦🇱 Albania5 yrs2026
66e🇦🇿 Azerbaijan5 yrs2026
66e🇧🇪 Belgium5 yrs2026
66e🇧🇩 Bangladesh5 yrs2026
66e🇧🇬 Bulgaria5 yrs2026
66e🇧🇿 Belize5 yrs2026
66e🇧🇧 Barbados5 yrs2026
66e🇨🇱 Chile5 yrs2026
66e🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire5 yrs2026
66e🇨🇲 Cameroon5 yrs2026
66e🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa5 yrs2026
66e🇨🇴 Colombia5 yrs2026
66e🇨🇻 Cape Verde5 yrs2026
66e🇨🇿 Czechia5 yrs2026
66e🇩🇲 Dominica5 yrs2026
66e🇪🇪 Estonia5 yrs2026
66e🇫🇷 France5 yrs2026
66e🇫🇲 Micronesia5 yrs2026
66e🇬🇧 United Kingdom5 yrs2026
66e🇬🇭 Ghana5 yrs2026
66e🇬🇲 Gambia5 yrs2026
66e🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau5 yrs2026
66e🇭🇷 Croatia5 yrs2026
66e🇭🇹 Haiti5 yrs2026
66e🇮🇩 Indonesia5 yrs2026
66e🇮🇳 India5 yrs2026
66e🇮🇷 Iran5 yrs2026
66e🇯🇵 Japan5 yrs2026
66e🇰🇿 Kazakhstan5 yrs2026
66e🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan5 yrs2026
66e🇰🇷 South Korea5 yrs2026
66e🇱🇮 Liechtenstein5 yrs2026
66e🇱🇸 Lesotho5 yrs2026
66e🇱🇻 Latvia5 yrs2026
66e🇲🇦 Morocco5 yrs2026
66e🇲🇽 Mexico5 yrs2026
66e🇲🇭 Marshall Islands5 yrs2026
66e🇲🇱 Mali5 yrs2026
66e🇲🇹 Malta5 yrs2026
66e🇲🇳 Mongolia5 yrs2026
66e🇲🇿 Mozambique5 yrs2026
66e🇲🇷 Mauritania5 yrs2026
66e🇳🇦 Namibia5 yrs2026
66e🇳🇱 Netherlands5 yrs2026
66e🇵🇦 Panama5 yrs2026
66e🇵🇱 Poland5 yrs2026
66e🇷🇴 Romania5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇳 Senegal5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇱 Sierra Leone5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇻 El Salvador5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇷 Suriname5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇰 Slovakia5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇪 Sweden5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇿 Eswatini5 yrs2026
66e🇸🇨 Seychelles5 yrs2026
66e🇹🇬 Togo5 yrs2026
66e🇹🇭 Thailand5 yrs2026
66e🇹🇴 Tonga5 yrs2026
66e🇹🇳 Tunisia5 yrs2026
66e🇹🇷 Türkiye5 yrs2026
66e🇹🇼 Taiwan5 yrs2026
66e🇹🇿 Tanzania5 yrs2026
66e🇺🇦 Ukraine5 yrs2026
66e🇺🇸 United States5 yrs2026
66e🇺🇿 Uzbekistan5 yrs2026
66e🇻🇳 Vietnam5 yrs2026
66e🇼🇸 Samoa5 yrs2026
66e🇽🇰 Kosovo5 yrs2026
66e🇿🇦 South Africa5 yrs2026
66e🇿🇼 Zimbabwe5 yrs2026
139e🇦🇺 Australia4 yrs2026
139e🇧🇷 Brazil4 yrs2026
139e🇪🇹 Ethiopia4 yrs2026
139e🇳🇮 Nicaragua4 yrs2026
143e🇦🇲 Armenia3 yrs2026
143e🇧🇴 Bolivia3 yrs2026
143e🇪🇨 Ecuador3 yrs2026
143e🇳🇿 New Zealand3 yrs2026
143e🇵🇾 Paraguay3 yrs2026
143e🇷🇸 Serbia3 yrs2026
149e🇦🇷 Argentina2 yrs2026
149e🇩🇴 Dominican Republic2 yrs2026
149e🇱🇷 Liberia2 yrs2026
149e🇵🇪 Peru2 yrs2026

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the highest value for "Years of residence required for naturalization"?

The highest value is in Central African Republic, at 35 yrs (2026).

Which country has the lowest value for "Years of residence required for naturalization"?

The lowest value is in Peru, at 2 yrs (2026).

What is the world median value of "Years of residence required for naturalization"?

The world median is 5 yrs, calculated across 152 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.

What is the value of "Years of residence required for naturalization" for France?

France scores 5 yrs (2026), ranking 66 out of 152 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).

Where does the "Years of residence required for naturalization" data come from?

It comes from CIA World Factbook (Citizenship). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.

Is this duration the only condition?

No. Most countries also require other conditions, such as knowledge of the language, no criminal record or sufficient resources. Duration is only one criterion among others.

Why are some countries missing?

When the rule depends on the person's situation, for example with a range of durations or multiple conditions, no single comparable value exists. These countries are then left out.

Source and update

Source : CIA World Factbook (Citizenship). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.

Indicators in the same category : Family & Nationality