How To Get a Second Passport From One of These Five Countries

Who knew your ancestry could mean you have dual citizenship even if you've never even realized it or known your genetics?

With a bit of research, you may just be a citizen of another country besides the United States and you never even really thought about it. It's all about your bloodlines.

While many Americans are clear about their dual citizenship because of where they were born, where their parents are, etc., many of us may not even realize the option is there, but it is.

According to the Simplemost website, dual citizenship means more than getting a passport from that country. Other perks include healthcare, education subsidies, and loosened travel restrictions.

IRELAND

According to Conde' Nast Traveler, nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population identifies as fully or partially Irish American. You qualify if you have at least one parent or grandparent with Irish citizenship, and in some cases, a great-grandparent born on the Emerald Isle works, too. Ireland’s passport is one of the world’s most powerful, so click here for more.

ITALY

Nearly 16 million Americans identify as Italian Americans, and if you have a mother or father who was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, then it's time to work on that dual citizenship. According to Conde' Nast Traveler, if you can prove that you have Italian grandparents, great-grandparents, and even great-great-grandparents, that works, too. Click here.

POLAND

If you have a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent born in Poland or one of its territories after 1918, when Poland became independent, you may qualify for dual citizenship. According to Conde' Nast Traveler, the only catch is that the family tree must be unbroken. This means if family members didn't acquire Polish citizenship somewhere along the line, you're out of luck. Find your info here.

GERMANY

If you were born after 1975 and one of your parents was a legal German citizen, then you're eligible. If you were born before 1975, your father must be a legal German citizen. If you can prove that at least one grandparent or great-grandparent was German, even if their citizenship was stripped under Nazi rule, then you're eligible, according to Conde Nast Traveler, so click here for more info.

ISRAEL

You're eligible for dual citizenship if one of your parents was born here. How easy is that? Also, according to Simplemost, you can get dual citizenship if you're ethnically Jewish, and that includes anyone who has converted to Judaism. Click here to start the process.

That family tree research may be even more valuable than you thought.