Living the GOOD LIFE for the REST OF YOUR LIFE!
DUAL CITIZENSHIP
WITH ITALY
For many reasons, North Americans are reinvestigating their Italian heritage and roots, and opting to become citizens of Italy. If you can prove you have “jure sanguinis”, continuity of blood, in your lineage, you may be eligible to become a Dual Citizen. It’s tricky and time consuming, but it is being done in large numbers!
The important piece in this puzzle is “when” your ancestor became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Children born to that ancestor PRIOR to his naturalization are also considered citizens of Italy. Children born AFTER, are not. So find out when your grandparent, or great-grandparent became naturalized, and trace your lineage back.
The website:
http://www.italiandualcitizenship.com/
will lead to you some answers to your questions.
The Jure Sanguinis application is on your local Italian Consulate website. It is complicated, as will be your research, but the end result will be worth it. When putting together the pieces of your family puzzle, don’t forget to check the birth records not only in the “comune” of your ancestors, but the church records as well.
The person you must convince of your case is the one in charge of the Dual Citizenship Department of the Consulate which services your area. This person determines whether or not you get citizenship.
If Jure Sanguinis does not pertain to you, and you want to pursue Italian citizenship, you must reside in Italy, legally, for ten (10) years, be free of any criminal record, and have sufficient financial resources behind you. If you are an EU citizen, your wait is four (4) years.
The advantages of receiving dual citizenship are several: an Italian passport holder can travel and work freely in any European country. You will have the benefit of the Italian healthcare system, which transfers to any European country. You can invest in sources that otherwise would be off limits to a holder of non-Italian citizenship. You will be considered “one of us” by your neighbors, the work environment, and by your community. If you are seriously considering living in Italy on a permanent basis, consider also applying for dual citizenship.