CITIZENSHIP · ACQUISITION
Jus soli, jus sanguinis and naturalisation: birth, descent and later citizenship
Understand how nationality is acquired before treating marriage, ancestry or a residence card as a passport route.
By Ties Jezuit · Reviewed 14 October 2026 · General orientation
Jus soli concerns birthplace
A birthplace-based rule connects nationality to qualifying birth in a territory. Conditions and exceptions vary, including questions about parents and legal status. Do not generalise from one country to another. A child’s nationality also does not automatically give parents the same nationality. Any family residence or later naturalisation route must be analysed separately.
Jus sanguinis concerns descent
Descent-based rules connect nationality to a parent or ancestor under the applicable law. Dates, generation limits, prior loss, registration and documentary chains can matter. US official guidance, for example, describes conditions for acquisition through citizen parents abroad. That is evidence of a particular system, not proof of an unrestricted worldwide ancestry entitlement. Start with civil records and the law in force when the relevant events occurred.
Naturalisation is a later legal process
Naturalisation normally involves an application or decision after specified conditions. Presence, lawful residence, language, conduct and integration may be relevant depending on the jurisdiction. Paraguay’s court publishes its own evidence requirements. A seller’s statement that a passport comes after a certain number of years should be tested against the actual naturalisation process. Elapsed time and a right to apply are not the same as approval.
Check the nationality you already hold
Acquiring another nationality can affect an existing one. For a Dutch citizen, voluntary acquisition and the applicable exceptions deserve review before taking the decisive step. Marriage may be relevant to Dutch retention, while the other country still applies its own acquisition rules. Build a plan that protects the rights you want to keep and records the authority basis for each conclusion.
Sources and further checks
- US Department of State — citizenship laws and policy
- Paraguay judiciary — naturalisation requirements
- NetherlandsWorldwide — loss and retention of nationality
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