Between 2016 and 2023, more than 110,000 Britons acquired citizenship in EU nations, a stark result of Brexit, according to Eurostat. This figure is exclusive of those naturalised in 2024 and does not consider citizenship through ancestry or marriage. Germany saw the highest naturalisations, followed by France and Sweden. Limited dual citizenship options in countries like Spain restrict Britons, compelling them to forfeit UK citizenship. Additionally, certain smaller nations like Cyprus exhibit high naturalisation rates relative to their populations, further emphasizing the trend resulting from Britain's withdrawal from the EU.
"The dramatic increase in naturalisation of British citizens across the EU and associated countries is one of the unmistakable effects of Brexit. New [Eurostat] data show that 8 years after the [UK] decided to leave the [EU], we are well over the naturalisation peak of 2019," said Maarten Vink.
"Overall, 110,295 Britons living in EU countries took on the nationality of their country of residence in these eight years, according to the figures."
"Despite hosting the largest British population in the EU, Spain allows dual citizenship only with certain countries, so Britons would have to give up their UK passport to naturalise there."
"Smaller countries in Western Europe recorded a high number of naturalisations of British citizens in relation to the local population: 4,291 in Cyprus."
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