5 Hardest Countries to Get Citizenship in Europe

3. Estonia

Naturalization Rate: 0.5%
Access to Nationality Rank: 16

The criteria for obtaining Estonian citizenship through naturalization involve possessing either a long-term residence permit or permanent residence rights, residing legally in Estonia for a minimum of eight years with the last five years continuously as a permanent resident, demonstrating proficiency in Estonian through a language test or qualifying Estonian education, passing an Estonian history examination, proving financial self-sufficiency, registering one’s residence in the Estonian population register, showcasing loyalty to Estonia, and renouncing one’s prior nationality as part of the application process.