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WAYS TO OBTAIN ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP

Complex cases. Easy solutions.

ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT (IURE SANGUINIS)

Italian citizenship is transmitted from generation to generation («Iure sanguinis») without limits of descent, without gaps between generations.

To acquire Italian citizenship, it is necessary to be a direct descendant of a relative who is an Italian citizen (for example: great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather, father).

Citizenship can only be granted to those who apply for it in person. This recognition is subject to the applicant proving a direct blood link with an Italian ancestor (grandfather), and that his or her descendants in a direct line back to the applicant have maintained the right to Italian citizenship continuously, without interruptions.

The following are Italian citizens by birth (or "Iure sanguinis"):

  • People born before December 31, 1947:
    if the father was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant's birth.
  • People born on or after January 1, 1948:
    if the father or mother was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant's birth.

To begin this process it will be necessary:

  • Having a blood relationship with an Italian ancestor born in Italy.
  • Be of age.
  • Have residency of at least 6 months in the consular district
  • Demonstrate that the right to Italian citizenship remains uninterrupted.

 

REQUIREMENTS

  • You must have had an Italian ancestor living after March 17, 1861.
  • If your Italian ancestor ever obtained the nationality of another country, it must have happened after July 1, 1912, such as after the birth of his or her child.
  • If your Italian ancestor never obtained foreign nationality, you may be able to automatically obtain an Italian passport by descent.
  • If there are women in your direct genealogical line, the children of these women must have been born after 1 January 1948 in order for you to apply for recognition through administrative channels (for example, at an Italian consulate or embassy).
    If you meet all the above requirements, but you have a wife whose child was born before 1 January 1948, you can still apply for Italian nationality, but you must apply to an Italian court with the assistance of an Italian lawyer.
  • If your Italian ancestor obtained foreign nationality after August 15, 1992, regardless of whether it was before or after your birth, you would automatically obtain Italian nationality.

ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE - (Iure Matrimonii)

  • Italian citizenship by marriage or Iure Matrimonii can be obtained by anyone who has married an Italian citizen and depending on the date on which the marriage took place, citizenship may be automatic.

    Italian citizenship by marriage can be applied to two large groups of people:

    1) Foreign women married to an Italian citizen
    (born in Italy or abroad) before April 27, 1983.
    They automatically acquired Italian citizenship if the husband was an Italian citizen at the time of the marriage or if the cohabiting husband had acquired or reacquired Italian citizenship before 27 April 1983.
    The procedure for the recognition of the acquisition of citizenship through marriage can be carried out at any time, even after the dissolution of the marital bond.
    (due to divorce, death of spouse), provided that said dissolution occurred before April 27, 1983.

    2) Foreign women married after April 27, 1983 to an Italian citizen
    (born in Italy or abroad) and men married at any time to an Italian citizen (born in Italy or abroad).

    The spouse of an Italian citizen may obtain citizenship by marriage (naturalization) by decree of the Minister of the Interior, after three years of marriage, provided that there has been no dissolution of the marital bond, annulment or divorce and that the spouses are not legally separated.
    The three-year period is reduced to two years if the spouses are legally resident in Italy. Furthermore, these periods are halved in the presence of children born or adopted by the spouses.

    NOTE: Since April 27, 1983, the dissolution of marriage (due to divorce or widowhood) does not result in the loss of citizenship acquired through marriage.

    If the dissolution of the marital bond took place before the April 27, 1983, The woman lost the Italian citizenship acquired through marriage if she resided abroad and reacquired or maintained her foreign citizenship of origin.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Birth certificate
  • Marriage certificate
    It must be issued by the Italian commune indicating the references of the transcription.
    The minutes must be original, photocopies are not accepted.
  • Certificate of criminal record
    It is issued by the National Registry of Recidivism and must be legalized, apostilled and translated into Italian. This certificate is valid for 6 months.  

ITALIAN EXAM LEVEL B1 or, failing that, a degree issued by a public or private educational institution recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI) or by the Ministry of Education (MIUR), such as, for example, the Italian Institute of Culture and the Dante Alighieri Institute.

ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION

Naturalization is the process by which a citizen of one state acquires the nationality of a second country, due to the ties established by his or her legal stay in that country or for other reasons, such as marriage. By adopting a nationality by naturalization, those who meet the requirements for coming of age also become citizens of that country.

The foreign and/or stateless individual may apply for Italian Citizenship by Naturalization if he/she falls into the following cases:

  • If your father or mother or one of your four grandparents was an Italian citizen by birth, you can apply for Italian citizenship by naturalization if you meet any of the following criteria:
  • Perform effective military service in the Italian Armed Forces (this option has been limited due to a recent reform).
  • Being an employee of the Italian State
  • Have legal residence in Italy for at least two years and express the desire to acquire Italian citizenship upon reaching the age of majority.

• Italian citizenship may be granted by decree of the President of the Republic in the following cases:

  • Foreigner, whose father or mother or one of the four grandparents was an Italian citizen by birth, after three years of legal residence in Italy.
  • Foreigner born in Italy, after three years of legal residence in Italy.
  • Foreigner adopted by an Italian citizen at the age of majority, after five years of legal residence in Italy following the adoption.
  • Citizen of a Member State of the European Union, after four years of legal residence in Italy.
  • Stateless, after five years of legal residence in Italy.
  • Foreigner, after ten years of legal residence in Italy.
  • Foreigner who has provided exceptional services to the Italian Republic or if there is an exceptional interest on the part of the Italian State.

 

✔ A foreigner born in Italy who has legally resided in Italy without interruption until reaching the age of majority, acquires Italian citizenship if he so requires within one year from the date on which he reaches the age of majority.

 

NOTE: An Italian citizen who became a naturalized foreign citizen while still a minor (even before August 16, 1992) never lost his Italian citizenship, provided that his father maintained Italian citizenship and the person concerned, upon reaching the age of majority, did not expressly renounce his Italian citizenship.

Previously, until 9 March 1975, Italian citizens reached the age of majority upon reaching the age of 21; since 10 March 1975, the age of majority is reached upon reaching the age of 18.

ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY TERRITORY – (IURI SOLI)

For the purposes of the transmission of Italian citizenship, the place of birth is not relevant. According to Argentine law, anyone born in Argentina is automatically considered an Argentine citizen; however, the opposite occurs in Italy, where not all those born in its territory are Italian citizens. Even if someone is born outside the territory of the Italian Republic, he or she will be an Italian citizen by origin if, at birth, at least one of his or her parents had Italian citizenship.

He is an Italian citizen by territory "iure soli":

  • Anyone born in Italian territory, if both parents are unknown or stateless.
  • Anyone born in Italian territory, if he or she does not acquire by birth the citizenship of his or her parents according to the law of the State to which the parents themselves belong.
    (does not apply to children of a native Argentine father or mother, because current Argentine law allows parents to process "citizenship by option" for their child).
  • The child of unknown persons found on Italian territory, unless it is proven that they have another citizenship.

 

There are, however, exceptions to this principle.

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