In June 2016, Denmark introduced a new, multiple-choice
citizenship exam focused on Danish history and culture. The test is reportedly so difficult that less
than a third of foreign nationals passed, and even many Danes have had trouble with
it. This comes at the heels of other efforts by
the Danish government to crack down on immigration, including a law requiring refugees to hand
over their valuables upon entry. But even with these new regulations, Denmark
is still far from the hardest place to naturalize. So, where is it the hardest to become a citizen? Well, one of the most infamously hard places
to gain citizenship is Switzerland. Unlike Denmark, Switzerland places less importance
on a foreigner’s knowledge of the country, and instead ensures that they are fully integrated
into society. Most prospective citizens are eligible only
after living in Switzerland for at least a decade, during which time they must fully
adopt Swiss culture and traditions. Integration is overseen by local officials,
who have been known to go to great, arguably intrusive lengths to monitor applicants, including
regular check ups to ensure they interacting with their community. In one famous case in 2014, a local naturalization
commission rejected citizenship for a 75-year-old man who had lived in Switzerland for nearly
40 years and taught at a Swiss University, only because they felt that he did not know
enough about the region’s politics and geography. Austria has similarly strict requirements
when it comes to integration. Anyone planning to stay for more than two
years must sign an “Integration Agreement”, a six-month program designed to improve German
language skills and one’s ability to [quote] “participate in the social, economic and
cultural life in Austria." But the real hurdle on the path to Austrian
citizenship is the time commitment. A foreign national has the right to obtain
citizenship only after living in the country for 30 consecutive years, or 15 if they can
prove that they’ve fully integrated. Most prospective citizens must also renounce
any other citizenship they may have, as Austria does not allow dual citizenship, with few
exceptions. But perhaps the most difficult place to naturalize
is Japan, where prospective citizens must live in the country for at least 5 years,
gain approval by the Minister of Justice and submit a slew of paperwork, which is known
to include detailed questions about the applicant’s personal life. Some applicants have reported having their
home or workplace inspected by immigration officials, in order to corroborate the details
on their application. If approved, applicants must renounce any
other citizenship. According to the Japanese Ministry, this process
takes anywhere from 6 to 12 months, however those who have gone through it have said it
can take years. Interestingly, the process to obtain permanent
residency, but not citizenship, is even longer. This is because permanent residents receive
all the benefits of citizenship, without being required to swear allegiance to the Constitution
of Japan or renounce other citizenships. Although the road to citizenship in Japan,
Austria and Switzerland is lengthy and demanding, it is very rare for an applicant to be denied. In Japan for example, about 99 percent of
citizenship applications are approved. What’s more, all of these countries rank
extremely high in terms of quality of life. So obtaining citizenship, or at least residency,
might be worth the wait. On the other hand, some places are so open
to new citizens that you can just buy a nationality, sometimes for only a few thousand dollars. That said, these might not necessarily be
places you’d want to live in the first place, so where exactly can you buy citizenship? Find out in this video! Thanks for watching Seeker Daily
