Over 120,000 British Nationals Gain EU Citizenship Since Brexit

More than 120,000 British nationals have been naturalised in European countries since the 2016 Brexit referendum, according to the latest Eurostat data.

Between 2016 and 2023, 110,295 British nationals obtained citizenship in EU member states, with Germany leading at 36,888, followed by France (20,966), Sweden (11,384), the Netherlands (9,000), and Belgium (7,741).

An additional 11,000 British nationals gained citizenship in Norway (3,864) and Switzerland (7,165).

Naturalisation rates surged after the Brexit vote as British nationals sought to retain EU citizenship, which grants free movement and voting rights. The trend peaked in 2019 with 29,842 naturalisations, before declining to 6,650 in 2023.

Some countries, including Spain and Austria, have restrictive dual citizenship policies, limiting British applications. However, smaller nations like Cyprus (4,291), Luxembourg (1,984), and Malta (1,385) recorded significant numbers relative to their populations.

The sharp decline in Germany (from 13,675 in 2019 to just 235 in 2023) and Sweden (from 4,489 to 10) reflects shifting policies and Brexit’s long-term impact on mobility.

This data does not include tens of thousands who have obtained Irish passports via ancestry, further underscoring the growing number of British nationals securing EU nationality post-Brexit.

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