Could your ancestry DNA results unlock citizenship?

September 20, 2025

DNA testing has led over 40 million people to discover unexpected ancestry, with many using these revelations to claim citizenship in countries like Ireland, Germany, the US, Italy, and New Zealand. People like Richard Sayers, who discovered his biological father was Irish, have leveraged these findings to obtain foreign passports, granting new rights and opportunities such as the ability to live and work across the EU. Lawyer Polly Ho notes a significant increase in citizenship-by-ancestry inquiries, particularly following COVID-19 travel restrictions, which has prompted her firm to create the Global Ancestry Index to help navigate complex citizenship policies.

Who is affected

People who have taken DNA tests (over 40 million individuals)
Those discovering previously unknown ancestry or biological parentage
Richard Sayers from Merseyside
Leo Hickman from east Hampshire
Sarah Claxton, former Team GB Olympian
Mark from Oxfordshire
Lucinda Gillespie from Harrogate
Children of unmarried parents seeking citizenship by descent
People with incomplete documentation about their ancestry
The article's author seeking New Zealand citizenship

What action is being taken

People are using DNA tests to discover their ancestry
Individuals are applying for citizenship in countries connected to their newly-discovered heritage
Harvey Law firm has launched the Global Ancestry Index to rank and explain countries' citizenship policies
Leo Hickman is challenging a rule that excludes children of unmarried fathers born before May 1949
The article's author has launched a petition regarding New Zealand's citizenship laws for "illegitimate" children
The Select Committee has recommended to the New Zealand government to amend Section 9 of the Citizenship Act 1977

Why it matters

Citizenship shapes identity, grants rights, and provides access to key services
It enables people to live and work in new countries (like Richard Sayers moving to Spain)
DNA evidence helps people fill gaps in their documentation and family history
It provides a sense of belonging both to a country and a family
New connections can help complete people's understanding of their identity
For some, like Mark, discovering biological heritage explains lifelong feelings of not fitting in
Citizenship can open doors to new lives abroad and deeper connections with ancestral cultures

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC