If you're someone who's looking to obtain Italian citizenship through ancestry (jure sanguinis), you may be aware that the process can take quite some time. It can take up to three years or even longer for Italy to approve applications for citizenship via ancestry.
However, there's some good news! There's another way that you may be able to cut down the waiting time.
You'll be pleased to know that Italy has some of the most generous citizenship laws compared to other countries. You can go back as many generations as you need to claim you are Italian, if you can prove your Italian ancestor was alive after March 17th, 1861 (which is when the Kingdom of Italy was formed), and that none of your ancestors renounced their Italian citizenship before the next generation was born. If this fits the bill, then you have the right to become an Italian citizen.
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It's important to note that the process of obtaining Italian citizenship through ancestry can be complex and requires a lot of documentation. In fact, it can sometimes take years to collect everything you need. However, with patience, a good plan and the right guidance and support, it is definitely doable!
Now, it's no secret that this process can be notorious for involving lots of paperwork and being painfully long.
To start with, you'll need to get an appointment at your local Italian consulate, which can take years. But don't worry, there are ways to work around this (check out my blog post "No Appointment, No Problem!" for some tips and tricks).
After you've submitted your application, it can take anywhere between two to three years to receive a ruling from the Italian authorities. And, in some countries where the number of applications is high, the waiting times can be even longer.
But, fear not! There is an alternative route available to you if you're willing to take a bold step. Italy has a 'fast track' citizenship application option that can significantly reduce the adjudication times to around a year on average.
However, this avenue comes with a catch.
To be eligible for this quicker process, you'll need to move to Italy, become a legal resident, and file the citizenship request directly with the local comune (town). This means you'll have to be a legal resident in Italy for the entire duration of the citizenship application process. This doesn’t mean that you can’t travel back to your home country for a visit, but it does mean that you have to be truly living in Italy.
It's essential to note that Italian police will conduct checks on your presence, and breaking the rules can void your application. So, if you’ve heard of providers out there that tell you it’s possible to only come for a couple of weeks or a month, don’t believe it. This is against the law and if you do this and get caught, your citizenship will be revoked.
There have been several stings in the past years that have caught many fraudulently obtained citizenships, all of which have been revoked. This has also caused the authorities to look closely at all applicants to ensure they are truly living in Italy. It is very possible that the police will make several checks throughout the year, or the town hall will call you in for a spontaneous meeting to check that you are indeed living in Italy.
If you are able to move to Italy for a year, then the fast-track option is perfect for you!
Let’s dive into what you need to do to claim citizenship directly in Italy because while it's a quicker option, it does require a fair amount of preparation. So, let's get started!
Step 1. Collecting the Documents
If you're planning on applying in Italy, you'll want to make sure that you have all the necessary documents in order before you arrive. Trust me, it's best to get everything sorted out beforehand to avoid any potential complications that could further delay the process.
Now, if you’ve assembled your application yourself, I highly recommend that you have a legal review of your documents to ensure that they meet the criteria of the comune you are applying at. This will save you time and headaches in the long run. Plus, having the peace of mind that everything is in order will make the entire application process much less stressful.
This process can be a bit daunting, and each comune approaches it differently (welcome to Italy) so it’s best to have someone, a friend or professional who speaks Italian, go with you. Be sure to double-check that all your documents are in order and accurately reflect the information required. Any inconsistencies with dates or name spellings could potentially complicate and lengthen the process.
So, what documents do you need? Here's a handy overview to get you started:
Birth Certificates and death certificates for all the Italian ancestors and everyone in your direct line of descent
Marriage certificates for all the Italian ancestors and everyone in your direct line of descent
A certificate of Naturalization or a CoNE (certificate of non-existence) issued by your home country's immigration services proving that the first Italian ancestor did not renounce his Italian citizenship before the birth of the next child.
A certificate issued by your country's Italian consulate proving that no other relative in the direct line ancestor in your direct line ever renounced Italian citizenship.
A residential address in Italy where you are living. This should be a deed of property or a registered rental lease. An Airbnb won’t cut it for your residency application.
All documents issued outside of Italy will have to be legally validated by the issuing country's Italian consulate or Apostille in some countries. This means that you'll need to ensure that your documents are properly legalized before submitting them with your application, which can add to your assembly time.
Also, all documents that are not in the Italian language will have to be translated be legally validated (this is known as ‘asseverazione’) in an Italian court. This is the big difference between the document preparation for a Consulate case and a Fast Track in Italy.
Now that you have all of your documents, they have been reviewed and are ready to submit we can move to Step 2.
Step 2. Moving to Italy
As we mentioned earlier, one of the requirements of the faster citizenship option is being a permanent resident in Italy. There are many things to consider before you make the move to Italy like where will you live, tax implications, healthcare, and all of the “life” things that come into play.
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For EU-passport holders you can establish your residency easily. You don't need a visa nor do you need a permesso di soggiorno (residency permit). Essentially, all you need to do is physically relocate to Italy and become legally resident by registering with the Ufficio Anagrafe (Registry Office) in the town where you are living.
For non-EU nationals, things are a bit more complicated. You will usually arrive as a visa-free 90-day tourist (unless you need a Schengen visa) and then when you are here you can apply for a residency permit pending the acquisition of citizenship and a permit to stay (permesso di soggiorno in attesa di cittadinanza ) which will allow you to stay in Italy throughout your application. Please bear in mind, that you will not be permitted to work while you are in Italy waiting on your citizenship. So now that you have your documents, and are ready to move, now we can go to Step 3.
Step 3 – Applying for Your Citizenship
Now, it's time to kickstart the process of your citizenship application.
First things first, all of your documents must be submitted to the Ufficio di Stato Civile (Vital Records Office) at the town hall where you're currently living. It's important to ensure that all the relevant documents are attached, translated into Italian, and properly legalized. The application form itself is relatively simple and straightforward, but any errors or omissions can significantly delay the process.
That's why I recommend seeking the assistance of a specialized citizenship consultant who can help you with the application process. They can guide you through the process and ensure that everything is in order as well as act as your translator as many official clerks do not speak English.
Once your application has been submitted, it can take up to a year for the Italian authorities to issue a ruling. The delay is that the Italian side needs to send the documents back to your home country's consulate to reconfirm that they are accurate and that no one naturalized. This is just a double-check, but it takes time.
The amount of time depends on many factors. In the past, our clients have waited anywhere from four months to one year. No one, however, has had to wait longer than a year. Remember though, you must maintain your residency throughout the entire waiting period and not spend more than six months outside of Italy in any one calendar year. So, moving to Italy to apply, although is faster, it can also be expensive and tricky if you need to work.
Let's talk about what happens after you've submitted your Italian citizenship application.
If your application is successful, you'll be granted Italian citizenship, and any children of yours under the age of 18 will also become Italian citizens. However, if you have children over 18, they will need to file their own application for citizenship.
Once you've been granted Italian citizenship, you'll have six months to take an oath of allegiance to the Italian Republic. It's an important step in the process, and if you don't take the oath within the six-month timeframe, your citizenship will be automatically revoked.
So, make sure to mark your calendar and don't miss your appointment to take the oath. It's a small but important step towards becoming an official Italian citizen! Once you have done these things, you can apply for the red Italian passport!
So, there you have it - the ins and outs of the Italian citizenship application process. It may seem like a lot to take in, but with the right guidance and preparation, you'll be well on your way to becoming an Italian citizen. Good luck!
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