Is it possible to have 3 citizenships?

Question

i have an american, libyan, and want a maltese. is it possible to have all 3?

Answer 1

Please note that while it is possible to have more than one citizenship, according to international law, you can only have one nationality at a time.

Your nationality indicates which nation may protect your interest in an international matter.

International case law outlines a 'test' in order to make this determination, which essentially depends on you connections to a particular nation (residence, owning property, family, how long you've lived there, how often you visit another nation and for how long, etc.).

For example, if you have U.S. citizenship, but haven't visited the U.S. in 7 years, haven't paid taxes in the U.S. in that time, have been living in Malta for the majority of that time and are married to Maltese national, it would be possible (and probable) for a court to decide that you are a Maltese and not a U.S. national. Of course this would only matter in international law (and when trying to give a foreign born child U.S. citizenship).