The rewarding journey of becoming an Italian citizen can be lengthy and detailed, but with the help of our IDC team you can become an Italian citizen as quickly as possible. The first step is to understand the 3 paths of obtaining citizenship and chose the one that is right for you. Once you identify the path you must take, the next step is to understand the Italian citizenship requirements for that path.
There are 3 possible paths for becoming an Italian citizen: Italian citizenship by descent (Jure Sanguinis), Italian citizenship by marriage, and naturalization. Each of these methods are discussed here in detail along with the pros and cons associated with each method of applying for Italian citizenship. Obtaining Italian citizenship by descent or marriage are typically much faster where as the naturalization method normally takes over 10 years.
Jure Sanguinis, also known as citizenship by descent (by blood), is one of the fastest and easiest ways to obtain Italian citizenship. There is no limit to the number of descendants who can claim Italian heritage under their paternal or maternal line. Furthermore, Italy does not have a generational limit when applying. Meaning you can apply for Italian citizenship through parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great great grandparents.
When understanding how to become an Italian citizen through ancestry (jus sanguinis), you must first determine if you are eligible based on your ancestry as there are clear laws you must fall within in order to qualify. Individuals born in any country where citizenship is granted by birth, can apply for recognition of their Italian bloodline if at the time of their birth, their mother or father was an Italian citizen, if their paternal or maternal grandfather was an Italian citizen, or if their paternal or maternal great-grand father was a citizen at the time of their birth.
Cons: If your Italian relative was a woman born before 1/1/1948 citizenship can only be transferred to children born after that date. Also, your relative cannot have become a naturalized citizen in any other country before the birth of their child next in your bloodline.
Perhaps the most complex way to gain Italian citizenship is through residency / naturalization. You are required to establish a legal residence in Italy and live in Italy over 6 months of the year. with a visa to go to the next step.
Cons: It takes at least a decade of legally working and living in Italy under a visa to gain citizenship. The Italian government can also reject your application if they deem you a security risk of any kind.
Depending on your circumstance and the method you choose for how to get Italian citizenship, different immigration documents may be necessary. Be sure to do your research and see what type of documentation is required for you to apply. The required documents will be dependent on your specific type of case.
The list of Italian dual citizenship requirements is very long. There will be several copies of documents required going back to your Italian born ancestors, along with certifications, translations, legalization, apostilles, and legal amendments.
Your application must be addressed to the President of the Republic and be made to the prefecture. For adults, Italian citizenship applications are EUR 300. No matter what route you take to citizenship, certain fees will apply, so keep that in mind.
Cons: It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a year to complete your application process, so be prepared to be patient. Asking your local prefecture will give you a better estimate once you submit your application.
Italian American dual citizenship will not affect your current USA / American citizenship. You can simultaneously hold both passports and have dual citizenship. Depending on where you are moving from, dual citizenship may or may not be an option for you. Some countries only allow you to hold one citizenship.
Italian law will not require you to renounce your former country of origin citizenship, but your country might not allow you to be an Italian citizen as well. Do a bit of research to see if your country requires this.
Cons: If your parents became US citizens before 1992, they lost their rights to dual citizenship and you would have lost yours in the process as well. Paperwork is needed to prove you have a right to be considered a dual citizen.
Whatever path to citizenship you choose, becoming a citizen of Italy has numerous benefits. However, like any government process, time and patience are often required when getting Italian citizenship. Keep in mind, the Italian citizenship requirements for each path will vary depending your specific circumstances.
Italian citizenship is used to describe the status or position of an individual in Italy. As an Italian citizen, you are entitled to work and live in Italy. Aside from various benefits associated with health and education, Italian dual citizenship also enables an individual to travel without restriction within other countries in the European Union.
Yes. You can become an Italian citizen if you can prove that you have legitimate ties to Italian ancestry. On the other hand, you may be entitled to apply for dual citizenship through marriage and this process does not require that you renounce your right to citizenship in the United States.
If you have known ancestral ties to Italy, you can complete a form and gather documents to support your application for Italian citizenship. At this point, you will need to make an appointment at your local Italian consulate and after submitting the application in this meeting, you will need to wait for the consulate to check this application and make a final decision on your right to Italian citizenship.
You can submit an application for dual citizenship at your local Italian Consulate. After attending your appointment at the consulate, you will need to wait several months for this application to be checked and approved. However, this approval is dependent on your supporting documents and the legitimacy of your claims to Italian ancestry.
If your application is accepted, it can sometimes take more than six months for the consulate to check and register your application. At this point, you can apply for an Italian passport and the entire process can take between two and three years to complete.
When an application is accepted by the consulate, it can take as much as six months for a decision to be made regarding your right to Italian citizenship. Once approved, you can apply for an Italian passport but the overall process can take up to two or three years in total.
Upon submitting your application for Italian citizenship, the consulate will need up to six months in order to check and approve your claim to citizenship. However, you will still need to apply for an Italian passport at this point and the time frame for the entire process is closer to two or three years.
Yes. Although dual citizenship is not legally recognized in the US, there is also no law against having dual citizenship with another country. For this reason, you can apply for dual citizenship in Italy without renouncing any right to your citizenship in the United States.
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Step 2: When we decided to live in Puglia, following the 90/90 rule (90 days out of 180, we were faced with multiple decisions on how to get to our place in Puglia, near the city of Lecce. The first decision was about what city to land in from California.
I recently retired from teaching, so our budget for living in Italy and California must fit our middle-class income level. We have commuted to Italy so often that we have learned what to avoid and what works for us.
No frills airlines. Until Covid, we took Norwegian air direct to Rome from California. Though it is a no-frills airline, its planes have the latest technology since they use the Dreamliner. A smoother ride and more oxygen pumped into the cabin made it pleasant. It was fee-for-service, so food was available, the stewards were lively and kind, and the experience was positive. But the airlines ceased operations in our area when Covid struck.
Economy Lite is a category on regular flights that equals no frills, but in this flight category, we have found that one must research what is included and what is not. If I am paying extra to choose my seat, bring on a carry-on, get on board before others, etc., I should buy a regular ticket.
Non-stop: I don't want to name the specific airlines, but we wanted to fly non-stop to Italy on this last trip, so we chose the airline that offers that flight from Los Angeles now. To make a long story short, it could have been a better experience. I could not make any seat reservations for months; having no call center in the US, I had to call long-distance to Italy to try to work it out. The system wouldn't accept my credit card when we finally got the seats.
European vs. an American airlines: When I get on the plane in California, I want to get off again when I am in Europe. Flying to New York or another US city makes the trip feel longer to me. Plus, on more than one occasion, my flight to a US city was delayed, and I either missed my connecting flight or made it, but with significant stress.
On our last trip, we landed in Rome in the early evening, picked up our car, and drove for a few hours until we reached an Airbnb in a beautiful town near the freeway. The next day, well rested, we continued our way to Puglia.
Jet lag, sleeping, and pacing oneself: When I arrive in Italy, I am anxious to "get started." I want to get to our destination, put my things in order quickly, shower, and then get out to explore. But there have been times when we have pushed the limits of jet lag to risky levels. We drove for hours and hours to get to our destination in Lecce or Tuscany after we got out of the airport, barely able to keep our eyes open.
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