World Citizenship Report 2026 finds that 71.6% of surveyed affluent individuals are more likely to consider alternative citizenship, with family security and long-term planning emerging as key considerations.
Global political uncertainty, economic pressures and shifting international relations are encouraging affluent individuals to reconsider the role of citizenship in their long-term plans, with nearly three in four respondents saying they are more likely to consider an additional citizenship or residency in response to global events.
The finding comes from the World Citizenship Report 2026, published by CS Global Partners. The report examines how people evaluate citizenship against factors including personal security, quality of life, economic opportunity, global mobility and financial freedom.
According to the report, 71.6% of respondents said global events had made them more likely to consider an additional citizenship or residency. Of these, 32.6% reported being significantly more likely to consider the option, while 39% said they were somewhat more likely. Only 2.7% said they were less likely to consider it.
The findings point to a broader shift in how affluent individuals approach citizenship, with additional nationality or residency increasingly being considered as part of long-term planning rather than solely as a response to an immediate crisis.
Family security emerges as a key consideration
The report identifies family security and generational protection as the leading strategic benefits of additional citizenship when respondents consider future scenarios. Emergency and contingency planning ranked second, followed by asset and estate protection.
The results suggest that citizenship decisions extend beyond immediate financial considerations, reflecting concerns about maintaining stability, preserving family opportunities and preparing for uncertain future conditions.
Quality of life also featured prominently in the findings. Some 27.3% of respondents identified it as the most important feature of citizenship, ahead of financial, business and career opportunities, cited by 18.9%, and freedom of movement, cited by 18.7%.
These priorities indicate that respondents are evaluating citizenship in terms of the broader conditions it may offer to individuals and their families, including living standards, access to opportunities and long-term security.
Economic opportunities remain important
While family protection ranks highly in the report’s assessment of future strategic benefits, economic considerations continue to influence interest in additional citizenship.
Business and professional opportunities were cited by 29.9% of respondents as a reason for seeking another citizenship, making this the leading motivation among the options measured. Investment diversification followed at 24.5%, while tax efficiency accounted for 22.3%.
The findings highlight the range of considerations shaping citizenship decisions, from professional development and investment planning to family resilience. They also suggest that additional citizenship may be evaluated as one element of a broader strategy for accessing opportunities across different jurisdictions.
The report’s findings come amid changes in international economic relationships, geopolitical tensions and regulatory environments, all of which can influence how individuals assess their future prospects. However, the survey does not establish that any single global development is responsible for the reported change in attitudes.
Confidence in existing citizenship remains a question
The report also examined respondents’ confidence that their current citizenship would continue to provide the same level of security and opportunity over the following decade.
Around 33.5% said they were very confident, while 39.2% were somewhat confident. Nearly 27% expressed uncertainty or a lack of confidence.
These responses suggest that, although many respondents retain confidence in their existing citizenship, a sizeable proportion are less certain about the long-term outlook. The findings provide further context for the reported interest in additional citizenship and residency as part of future planning.
The report also found that approximately 80% of respondents held only one citizenship, while around 15% held dual citizenship and 5% held three or more nationalities. This indicates that multiple citizenship remains a minority arrangement among those surveyed, despite the high proportion expressing greater interest in considering an additional option.
A changing global citizenship landscape
The report’s findings also point to shifting patterns in the countries and jurisdictions attracting interest. In a separate finding, US nationals accounted for 21% of global Citizenship by Investment (CBI) applications, representing the largest share from a single nationality, according to CS Global Partners.
The figure challenges the assumption that interest in alternative citizenship is concentrated primarily in developing economies. It also highlights how individuals in established economies are exploring additional options amid changing political and economic conditions.
The World Citizenship Index, meanwhile, placed Ireland first overall in its 2026 rankings, followed by Switzerland and Denmark. The index assesses jurisdictions using five weighted pillars: safety and security, quality of life, economic opportunity, global mobility and financial freedom. These rankings measure the report’s broader concept of citizenship value rather than the quality of any particular citizenship-by-investment programme.
As governments and individuals navigate an increasingly complex international environment, the report suggests that citizenship is being assessed through a wider set of considerations, encompassing family wellbeing, stability, economic prospects and future flexibility.
Although the findings reflect the views of a specific mass-affluent sample and should not be taken as representative of the entire global population, the 71.6% figure offers a clear indication of respondents’ stated intentions. For many of those surveyed, the possibility of additional citizenship or residency has become a more prominent consideration in planning for an uncertain future.
