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Inherited, Confirmed, Registered, Restored or Naturalized? Five Ways Descent Claims Work
Last reviewed against the official sources below: October 31, 2026.
Each country uses its own legal route, and the route decides what you file and what you get back.
| Route | What it means | Official example |
|---|---|---|
| Inherited (automatic) | You became a citizen at birth by law. Nothing is granted; you only prove it. | Ireland: automatic if your parent was an Irish citizen born on the island of Ireland. Source: ireland.ie |
| Confirmation | An authority confirms you already hold citizenship and issues proof. | Canada's citizenship certificate Source: canada.ca; Germany's Feststellung Source: BVA; Poland's voivode confirmation Source: gov.pl; Italy's recognition iure sanguinis Source: esteri.it |
| Registration | You become a citizen from the date you're entered in a register. | Ireland's Foreign Births Register: once entered, you are an Irish citizen. Source: ireland.ie |
| Restoration | Citizenship lost or taken away is given back, sometimes to descendants. | Germany, Article 116(2) Source: Federal Foreign Office; Poland's restoration for loss before 1999 Source: gov.pl; Italy's 2025–2027 reacquisition window Source: esteri.it |
| Naturalization / grant | Citizenship is granted by discretion or entitlement, effective from the grant. | Germany, Section 15 Nationality Act Source: Federal Foreign Office; Canada's direct grant for adopted people Source: canada.ca |
Why it matters
Confirmation routes look back at every generation, so a break in any generation (for example an ancestor who naturalized elsewhere at the wrong time) can end the claim. Registration routes like Ireland's depend on the order of events, such as whether your parent was registered before you were born. Source: dfa.ie
General information only. This site is not legal advice and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any government or government agency. Rules change. Always confirm with the official sources linked on each page before you apply.