Why Do I Need a Second Passport?

Just the other day I was talking to a friend of mine who is interested in moving to Iceland, something I myself did almost eight years ago.

Like any country in the European Schengen zone, the easiest way to move here is if you're a citizen of another European country (which I personally am not). So my first question to her was obviously asking if she had any other citizenship, apart from the American passport I knew she had from birth.

Although currently only an American citizen, she did mention that her mother was born in the Philippines. And while that didn’t help her with her problem of moving to Iceland, it did make we wonder.

So I asked "Have you ever checked if you can become a dual citizen of both the Philippines and America?"

Her answer: no.

After a two-minute internet search, it became obvious to me that my friend was eligible to become a citizen of the Philippines and get a second passport, due to the fact that’s where her mother was born.

This is a big deal. A very big deal.

Now, you may be wondering; why I would consider this so valuable, if it didn’t help her with her move to Iceland? After all, the Philippines isn’t in Europe.

Here’s why:

Having two passports can be one of the most valuable things you ever do to secure your future, and your freedom.

Let me say that again…

Getting a second (or third, or even fourth) passport can be one of the most valuable things you ever do to secure your future and freedom.

I’ll explain why.

In my life, I’ve already missed out on acquiring not one, but two second passports by descent — and in my case, both were European.

At certain times in the past, both the nations of Austria and the Czech Republic (countries where I have either a parent or grandparent that is or was a citizen) would have allowed me to become a citizen. Unfortunately, my unluckiness resulted in me not applying for either, due to me not being aware of certain laws at the time.

In both cases, I’m no longer eligible to apply for either citizenship. In Austria, due to the fact that I’ve served in a foreign military, and in the Czech Republic, because they only had a one-year amnesty in the case that I could have applied. And that amnesty is now closed.

If I’d checked my family history more carefully, and was aware of my rights at a younger age, I could be a dual citizen right now. Maybe even a citizen of three countries total.

But instead, I still only have the Australian passport I was born with.

I’m not upset that I only hold an Australian passport. It’s one of the most powerful passports on the planet when it comes to visa-free travel. And let’s face it, having the indefinite right to live in one of the world’s most beautiful and laid-back countries with such a high quality of life ain’t so bad either.

But like many things in life, two is much better than one. And that definitely holds true when it comes to dual citizenship.

A second passport can open you up to new opportunities, additional freedom of travel, the potential to lower your taxable income, and so much more.

A second passport can offer you the possibility to live, work, and do business in many more countries around the world. And it can offer you a backup plan if you ever need to escape your home country in the unlikely event of war, famine, unforeseen legal troubles, or extreme economic hardship.

And in my personal case, if I had held a dual citizenship of another European country, like Austria or the Czech Republic that I could have had by now, I would never have needed a visa to live here in Iceland. But instead, the last seven-plus years of my life have been wrapped up in a ton of paperwork, and almost-yearly renewals with the local immigration department.

In Sorelle’s case, her parents were wise enough to ensure that she knew her rights, and was granted two citizenships at birth — one from Australia, and one from Poland. But unfortunately, my parents weren’t as diligent.

In short, don’t make the same mistakes that I did.

The funny thing is that there are literally millions of people around the world who are eligible to get a second citizenship, and they don’t even know it.

Just like my friend who I mentioned at the start. And just like me, who didn’t know about it until it was too late to apply.

But how do you know if you’re potentially eligible for citizenship by descent?

Here are some good questions to ask yourself.

Was one of your parents, or grandparents, or even great-grandparents born in another country?

Was one of your ancestors the victim of religious or political persecution in a country like Austria, Spain, or Germany over the last century?

Or did you spend many years of your childhood living in a country outside the one you were born in?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, chances are you may be eligible to apply for citizenship in another country. And with that, will come a second passport, and all the benefits that come with it.

Fortunately, my story has a happy ending. I’m likely less than a year away from my second passport. And I'm currently also working on getting my third, and fourth.

However, it could have happened much earlier than at 36 years of age. If only I’d decided to learn my family’s history, and my rights, much sooner than I did.

Again, don’t make the same mistakes that I did.