Many countries around the world allow people to make a claim on their citizenship based on their family ancestry. This is the law of “jure sanguinis”, which is Latin for “by right of blood”. It’s also known as “jus sanguinis” and “iure sanguinis”. Interestingly, the United States is not a jure sanguinis country, but rather a “jus soli” country, meaning by right of soil, which contrarily is birthright citizenship to anyone born inside the country.
Depending on which country’s citizenship you are pursuing, you may be able to make a claim by documenting ties to your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great grandparents, or even more distant relatives. Citizenship by descent is a birthright, meaning you are technically a citizen at birth, but you need to apply in order to have it recognized by the government. The government then legally recognizes you as a citizen after receiving your valid documentation.
Some of the countries that allow citizenship by descent by applying the law of “jure sanguinis” or right of blood, include: Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Spain. Each country has its own criteria and application process, but generally speaking the procurement of vital records is of paramount importance.
LoBrutto Law, P.C. 