Although the European Union is a unified political and economic entity, each of the 28 member states issues its own passport, collectively referred to as EU passports. However, EU passports share some common design standards, including a red cover, which features the words "European Union" in both the official language of the issuing country and in English, and all passports utilize biometric recording (electronic photos, electronic signatures, and fingerprint records).
I. Conditions for Obtaining an EU Passport
Since "EU passports" are issued by 28 different countries, the application requirements vary by country. Applicants wishing to obtain an "EU passport" from a specific country must meet that country's specific naturalization conditions.
Most EU countries have five requirements for naturalization:
1. The applicant must make an investment in the country to help stimulate economic growth;
2. The applicant must meet the residency requirements set by the country;
3. The applicant must pass the country's language examination;
4. The applicant must provide a certificate of no criminal record;
5. The applicant must pass the country's background check.
Once the applicant meets the above five criteria, they can be naturalized in that EU country and obtain an EU passport.
II. Method of Obtaining an EU Passport: Cyprus Investment Citizenship
On September 13, 2016, the Government of Cyprus announced an update to the Cyprus Investment Citizenship Program, reducing the minimum investment amount stipulated in the investment citizenship law to €2 million, eliminating the requirement for group applications, and allowing parents to also become applicants for the passport. Families can complete the investment individually and obtain Cypriot passports for the entire family.