Dual Citizenship and Citizenship by Investment: Can You Keep Your Passport?
The seven citizenship by investment programmes we cover do not ask you to give up your first citizenship, but your home country decides whether you can keep it. Some countries accept dual citizenship freely, some ask for permission, and a few end your citizenship the day you take another.
Check your own country’s rule before you pay anything. This page shows how to check it, and what each programme says.
Key Takeaways
- The programmes are the easy part. None of the seven asks you to renounce your first citizenship. Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis and Grenada say so on their official sites.
- Your home country is the real test. India, China, Japan and Singapore, for example, end or do not allow a second citizenship.
- Check before you pay. Get your home country’s answer in writing, from your embassy or a lawyer there.
- Losing a passport can cost more than the fee. It can affect where you may live, work or own property at home.
- Do not hide a second passport where the law says you must tell the authorities. The cover-up can cause more trouble than the passport.
Do citizenship by investment programmes allow dual citizenship?
Yes. None of the seven programmes we cover asks you to renounce your first citizenship, and Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis and Grenada say so on their official sites. The harder question is your home country’s law, which no programme can change for you.
Where the official site is silent, we say so and confirm the position in writing before you file.
| Programme | Must you renounce? | What backs this up |
|---|---|---|
| Dominica | No | The official Citizenship by Investment Unit FAQ says Dominica allows dual citizenship and tells you to check your home country’s law. |
| St Kitts and Nevis | No | The official Citizenship by Investment Unit says you do not have to renounce your original nationality, and asks you to confirm your home country allows it. |
| Grenada | No | The official Citizenship by Investment FAQ says you do not need to renounce any other citizenship or passport. |
| Turkey | No | Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 recognises multiple citizenship (Article 44). We confirm the current terms before you file. |
| Antigua and Barbuda | No requirement listed | We confirm the position with the programme in writing before you file. |
| St Lucia | No requirement listed | The application form warns that becoming a citizen may affect your current citizenship, so we confirm the position before you file. |
| Nauru | No requirement listed | We confirm the position in writing before you file. |
Will your home country let you keep your passport?
That depends only on your home country’s law. Some countries accept dual citizenship freely, some require permission, and some end your citizenship when you take another. Ask your embassy or a lawyer in your country before you pay anything.
Many countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, accept dual citizenship. The examples below do not, and laws change, so use them as a warning and not as advice.
| Home country | What its law says |
|---|---|
| India | Under the Citizenship Act 1955 (Section 9), an Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires another country’s citizenship ceases to be an Indian citizen. |
| China | The Nationality Law does not recognise dual nationality. A Chinese citizen settled abroad who acquires foreign nationality of their own free will loses Chinese nationality automatically. |
| Japan | Under the Nationality Act (Article 11), a Japanese citizen who acquires a foreign nationality by choice loses Japanese nationality. |
| Singapore | Singapore does not allow dual citizenship. A citizen who obtains, renews or uses a foreign passport risks losing Singapore citizenship (Articles 134 and 135 of the Constitution). |
| Pakistan | Pakistan’s immigration department publishes a list of 22 countries it has dual nationality arrangements with. None of the seven programme countries is on it, so get written advice on your own position before you pay. |
How do you check whether you can keep your passport?
Check it in five steps, and get the answers in writing. Your country’s own law decides, so start with your embassy or a lawyer there. We handle the programme side once you tell us your nationality.
- Step 1: Ask your country. Find your nationality law, or ask your embassy in writing what happens if you voluntarily take another citizenship.
- Step 2: Get a lawyer’s answer. Ask a lawyer in your country to confirm in writing whether you would lose your citizenship, keep it, or need permission to keep it.
- Step 3: Check the side effects. Look at military service, tax reporting, public jobs, security clearances, and property or inheritance rules.
- Step 4: Check the border rules. Some countries recognise only their own passport when you enter or leave, so ask which passport you must use.
- Step 5: Tell us your nationality. We check the programme side in writing for your file before you pay.
What if your country does not allow dual citizenship?
Then taking a second citizenship can cost you your first, so you should decide before you pay, not after. A citizenship you lose can take away the right to live, work or own property at home, and consular help abroad. Some countries offer a lesser status to former citizens, such as India’s Overseas Citizenship of India card, and a lawyer can tell you whether that fits.
- Ask about a residency route. A residency by investment route can give you a second base without touching your citizenship. See how citizenship and residency by investment differ.
- Ask about exceptions. Some laws allow you to keep your citizenship with permission or in special cases.
- Do not hide it. Where the law says you must tell the authorities about a second passport, concealing it can cause bigger problems than having it.
Can you travel on both passports?
Usually you enter and leave your home country on your home passport and use the second one elsewhere. Some countries treat you only as their own citizen at the border and may refuse consular help for you there. Check the rules of each country you plan to use.
Does dual citizenship change your taxes?
No. A second passport does not change your tax residence, which depends on where you live and where your income comes from. Some countries, such as the United States, tax their citizens on worldwide income wherever they live.
Read the tax section of our Benefits page, and take tax advice in your home country before you decide.
Which situation are you in?
Match what your home country says to the next step. If you are not sure, start with the five checks.
Ready to compare programmes? Use Find my program to answer a few questions and get a shortlist. Once you have a shortlist, you can then book a strategy consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you hold dual citizenship through citizenship by investment?
Yes, as far as the programmes go: none of the seven we cover asks you to renounce your first citizenship. Whether you can keep your first passport depends on your home country’s law. We confirm the programme side in writing before you file.
Do you have to give up your passport to get a Caribbean passport?
No programme rule forces you to, and Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis and Grenada say so on their official sites. Your home country may still end your citizenship when you take another one. Check its law first.
Which countries do not allow dual citizenship?
Examples include India, China, Japan and Singapore, whose laws end or do not allow a second citizenship. Lists vary and laws change, so check your own country’s current law. Many countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, accept dual citizenship.
Does India allow dual citizenship?
No. Under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act 1955, an Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires another country’s citizenship ceases to be an Indian citizen. India offers an Overseas Citizenship of India card to people of Indian origin, with fewer rights than citizenship.
What happens if my country does not allow dual citizenship?
You may lose your first citizenship when you take the second, with effects on where you can live, work, own property and get consular help. Get written advice from a lawyer in your country before you pay. If your country ends your citizenship, ask about a residency route instead.
Can I travel on both passports?
Usually you enter and leave your home country on your home passport and use the second one elsewhere. Some countries treat you only as their own citizen and may refuse consular help for you there. Check the border rules of each country you use.
Does dual citizenship change my taxes?
No. A second passport does not change your tax residence, which depends on where you live and where your income comes from. Some countries, such as the United States, tax their citizens on worldwide income. Take tax advice in your home country.
Which citizenship program fits you?
Tell us a little about your plans and we will match you with the programs that may suit your family.
We work with the government-authorised representative in each country, who files your application. Your details stay private.
Why clients choose Amir Ismail & Associates
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Written and reviewed by Amir Ismail, founder of Amir Ismail & Associates. This page is general information and not legal advice. Check your own country’s law with a lawyer there.
Last reviewed: 21 October 2026.
