Guide for Acquiring Italian Citizenship through Heritage
Applying for Italian Citizenship by Descent: A Comprehensive Guide
Obtaining Italian citizenship by descent can be a valuable step towards internationalizing your life, offering not only a connection to your heritage but also the benefits of a passport ranked 16th on the Nomad Passport Index, providing visa-free access to around 190 countries and access to the European Union and Schengen Area.
To apply for Italian citizenship by descent, you'll need to meet certain eligibility criteria and gather a variety of documents. The key requirement is to prove your Italian ancestry, which can be traced back at least three generations, and more if you can establish a paper trail that connects you to that ancestor. However, it's essential to note that if your ancestor never naturalized in the US, you'll need to present an original certificate of the nonexistence of records from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services and a copy of the census first available immediately after the birth in the US of the direct descent.
The documents required for the application process are extensive, including a copy of your passport and ID/driver's license, proof of residency, an application form, birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, divorce judgments, and census records. In some cases, DNA testing may be requested to verify biological descent. It's important to note that all documents must be apostilled and translated into Italian.
You can apply for Italian citizenship at an Italian consulate, which can take a year or more for an appointment, or at an Italian town hall, which is faster and allows you to remain in Italy with residence status. The Italian citizenship by descent program is one of the best-known and is pretty liberal, but the process can be arduous and time-consuming due to bureaucratic hurdles.
It's worth noting that if your ancestor renounced their Italian citizenship prior to your birth, you won't be eligible to apply through them. However, if they did not claim it, acquiring Italian citizenship by descent for them became impossible. Italy lets you go back at least three generations, and you can qualify for Italian citizenship if you can prove your Italian ancestry.
One of the advantages of Italian citizenship by descent is that it allows dual citizenship, so you wouldn't have to renounce your current citizenship(s) if you claim your Italian one. As of now, around 15.9 million people in the United States identify as being of Italian descent, making it one of the most common ancestries in the country.
Compared to the Irish citizenship by descent program, the Italian one is considered more complex and unclear. However, for those who can navigate the process, obtaining an Italian passport can be a valuable asset for international travel and connections to your heritage.
