Italian Citizenship by Descent- Eligibility Criteria, Documentation, and More…

Imagine you were exploring your family history and somehow stumbled upon the fact that your great-grandfather was an Italian citizen. That’s quite a raving story, isn’t it? Obviously, the next probable step is to travel to another part of the world to discover your roots.

Quite interestingly, the pandemic year changed a lot in terms of values, and many people started to rethink different possibilities that they once took for granted. Undoubtedly, this pandemic acted as a critical driver for many non-EU citizens to apply for Italian Citizenship. In fact, as per a survey, there was an unprecedented increase in Italian citizenship applications by around 400%.

While the people might be realizing the importance of holding dual citizenship now, the country legalized it way back in 1992. Otherwise known as Jure Sanguinis, it is an excellent opportunity to expand your horizons.

But, hey! Do you even qualify for this? And if you do, how can you prove it? Read on to know how to get Italian Citizenship by descent, the procedure, the documents, and more. So, without further ado, let’s get going!

Italian Citizenship by Descent- Do You Qualify?

The whole process only makes sense if you know whether the individual through whom you are claiming this right was naturalized or not. Or whether the naturalization took place after or before the child’s birth at a different location. To put it simply, a lot of factors govern whether you are eligible for Citizenship or not.

While the rules might seem a bit complicated, you can find a brief of what makes you eligible to become an Italian citizen below:

• If a child has an Italian parent or the parent holds Italian Citizenship through “Jure Sanguinis.”
• If a child was born before August 16, 1992, and the Italian citizen did not naturalize or took any other citizenship by naturalization at the time of the child’s birth.

Unfortunately, there are some exceptions to this rule.

• If the Italian parent renounced the Citizenship voluntarily before August 15, 1992.
• The ancestor naturalized before June 14, 1912.
• You have an Italian-born woman ancestor, and the child was born before January 1, 1948.
• The ancestors lived outside Italy before June 14, 1912, and naturalized their Citizenship outside of Italy.
• In case the ancestor died before March 17, 1861, you will be disqualified.

So, if you happen to qualify for the Italian Citizenship by Descent, the next step is to find all the documents to prove your eligibility.

Italian Citizenship by Descent- Documents You Need

If you are sure that you qualify for the conditions, start gathering all the required legal documents. First things first, make sure to certify all your relevant documents. That includes all the appropriate birth, marriage, and death certificates. Remember, all the document copies must be in long form. An abstract won’t do.

Other than that, your documents must have an official seal of the Registrar’s Office along with the date of filing of certificates. Moreover, it must have an affixed Apostille.

But here’s the catch!

Obtaining your certificates isn’t enough. You need to collect and translate them into Italian. You can ask for help regarding Italian citizenship assistance from professionals. They will identify, obtain, and authenticate all the required documents for you. In fact, A complete guide on the topic was written by Bersani Law Firm, so you can read more to find information regarding all the necessary documents and other nitty-gritty details there to help you streamline the process.

Once you have all the documents ready, you have to go ahead with your application. But where? Let’s talk about this in detail below.

Italian Citizenship by Descent- The Application Process

After you have all the required documents, you can move forward and submit your application. But before that, double-check all your forms and documents to eliminate any chances of error or omissions. After that:

• You can submit the application to the Italian municipality of the place your ancestors resided.
• You can do the same with the nearest Italian consulate back home.

So, you are all set to become an Italian citizen now. Excited? If you are still procrastinating, the following benefits of having dual citizenship might help you speed up the process.

Dual Citizenship- What Are The Benefits of Having One?

Italy is a country that has breathtaking views, magnificent architectural marvels, and a diverse culture that makes it a place that no one can replicate ever. So, naturally, the first and foremost benefit is “traveling freely without any restrictions.”

Travel Benefits

You can travel to any of the 28 European Union countries if you are an Italian citizen. In other words, “NO MORE VISA” is required. You can travel hassle-free and rejuvenate yourself without having to think about paperwork again and again. Plus, you get an advantage of the Consular and diplomatic protections of all the states that are part of the Schengen Agreement.

Not only that, holding dual citizenship (in this case, Italian citizenship) will allow you to travel safely since the ECHR will protect you. Furthermore, you’ll have an added protection by the GDPR that protects your personal information.

But what if you don’t want to explore the place alone? What if you have a fantastic opportunity to work there? So, let’s talk about the benefits of working if you have Italian citizenship.

Employment Benefits

Many companies and employers understand the advantages of hiring people with this type of Citizenship. For instance, if you apply for a company with several international offices, they will be keen to hire you. Why? Since you can travel to any country without any need to apply for a Work Visa.

And if you are thinking of starting a business, you won’t have to face any restrictions imposed on non-EU citizens. And in case if you think about buying foreign securities like unit trusts, real estate, Eurobonds, and other funds, you can do all this without any hassles.

What if you want to pursue education in Italy or any EU country? With Italian Citizenship by Descent, you can enjoy this benefit as well.

Educational Benefits

If you are a citizen of this beautiful country, it means that you, including your children, can study in Italy at an affordable rate. It goes without saying that other countries have high tuition fees that often result in long-term student debts. In contrast to that, if you opt for any college in the EU, you can skip the tuition fee or pay only minimal amounts compared to other universities.

Moreover, you can also apply to any EU university. Let’s not forget. The EU has more than 1200 higher education learning programs running. Who can miss such an opportunity?

The benefits don’t end here!

Having Italian citizenship means that you will get access to a variety of other benefits. Let’s look at them one by one.

• Your children will benefit from your decision since you can easily pass your Citizenship to your kids. So, it will be like a gift that can pass on through generations.

• It goes without saying that US healthcare is very costly. But if you have Italian citizenship, you can easily apply for Sanitaria that enables you to get access to Italian healthcare. If you are a bit hesitant about it, let’s clear one thing. Italy’s healthcare system is very good and the most cost-friendly in the entire world.

You can also look for European Health Insurance Card that helps you get access to healthcare services when you want them.

• If you want to invest in real estate, you can easily do that with this Citizenship. You won’t have to face any bureaucracy if you wish to own a home in Italy. Plus, it reduces the overall amount as well.

And guess what! If your application gets approved, your children under the age of 18 years automatically become Italian citizens. No more paperwork or application process to obtain that.

Wrapping Up

So, you fell in love with Italy and found out that you have an Italian ancestor. The feeling is fantastic. But getting Citizenship for any country is not an easy thing. But guess what, you may be entitled to have it.

This is why getting assistance for the application process is a great start. Since every case is different, they will have all the right resources and expertise to help you with your requirements. Moreover, you must consider the exceptional circumstances because of the pandemic since consulates are closing.

So, it’s better to get the right guidance right from the start. But make sure to follow the steps mentioned below to improve your chances of getting things over quickly.

• Find your Italian ancestor
• Conduct a naturalization record search
• Obtain the records
• Find other US documents
• Authenticate records with Apostille
• Translate all the documents in Italian
• Apply at an Italian Consulate nearby your area
• Schedule a passport appointment

These steps will help you with the formalities related to your Italian Citizenship by the Descent application process. Just make sure to get in touch with the experts to cut down on your time.

So, are you ready to be an Italian citizen?