Italy is one of the popular immigration destinations for Americans. Not surprisingly, thousands of Americans apply for Italian immigration every year. The good thing is that it has the Jure Sanguinis option for people who have an Italian bloodline. In simple words, you can claim Italian citizenship by descent if you can establish your roots in the country. A significant percentage of US citizens immigrated from the country in the first place. So there are good chances you may qualify if you check your ancestral roots.
But it is crucial to understand how the process of citizenship by descent works because there are some exceptions to the norms. You have to understand the administrative process and documentation requirements as well. You must read this page before starting the application process of Italian citizenship by descent because it offers detailed information. Further, you can ease your journey by collaborating with a professional who can guide you through the process. Let us explain the facts you need to understand about this option in detail.
Eligibility and exceptions
Before initiating the process, you need to know the eligibility requirements that make a valid claim. The good thing about Italian citizenship by descent is that it has no generational limits, and you can apply through your parents or other ascendants. Here are the eligibility requirements you need to follow:
- You were born or adopted by at least one parent who was Italian. If an adopted individual, you must be a minor at that time. A person is regarded minor at the age of 21 if born before 1975 and 18 if born after 1975.
- Your Italian ascendant was alive and a citizen of the country after its unification in 1861.
- Your ascendant did not become a naturalized citizen of another country before the next person in the Italian line was born.
Apart from these eligibility requirements, there are some exceptions you must know about. Anyone who renounced their citizenship voluntarily before August 15, 1992, cannot apply through the descent route. Other exceptions include:
- Your ascendant was naturalized before June 14, 1912.
- Your only Italian legal parent is female, and you were born before 1948.
- You want to claim through a female ancestor who gave birth before January 1, 1948.
Citizenship by descent takes a different form for applicants claiming through a female relative. Even though your roots lie in the country, you cannot claim through the conventional Jure Sanguinis route. But the 1948 Rule applies in this case, and it involves a judicial process.
Documentation requirements
Once you establish your eligibility, you will need a long list of documents to validate your ancestral roots in the country. It makes sense to gather your paperwork well in time because you have a lot of work to do. Even better, seek help from an expert to get the local documents from your ancestor’s comune. They have the right connections to ease things and can even do the needful on your behalf. Here are the documents you need for the process:
- Your ancestor’s vital records from their Italian comune
- U.S.-issued vital records such as birth, marriage, and death certificates of people in your bloodline
- Naturalization certificates of your ancestors
- Your personal civil records
Apart from gathering these documents, you need to make sure they are translated and certified. The non-Italian documents should be certified long-form copies and must also have the official seal of the Registrar’s Office. Additionally, they must be apostilled to be considered legal for the process. Translations have to be attested by an official from the Italian consulate.
The Jure Sanguinis process
The final phase is the actual application process for claiming citizenship by descent. Gathering the documents and ensuring translation and legalization is half the work done. At this stage, you are ready to apply at your local Italian consulate or Embassy. Those residing in Italy can apply to their local municipality. It means you have the option to apply from within and outside the country, though applying locally enables you to expedite the process.
Once again, Italian Citizenship Assistance is your best bet because these experts can speed up and simplify the journey by ensuring there are no errors or omissions in your documents. The consulate will give you an appointment for a future date for the interview and document verification. It can take well over a year, depending on the cases already in line. Thankfully, you have good chances of getting a favorable verdict if all the documents are in place.
Citizenship by descent benefits for your family
The benefits of Italian citizenship by descent extend to your family as they can live and work in Italy just like a citizen. The best part is that the right passes on to your future generations as well. Your family gets a second passport that lets them travel visa-free across the EU nations. They also have access to the education and healthcare facilities in the country.
Not to mention, you can start life afresh in a beautiful country with a pleasant climate and an excellent quality of life. The country also has great opportunities for professionals and entrepreneurs. It is an excellent destination for retirement as well. All these benefits make citizenship by descent worth pursuing. The best thing about this option is that it is one of the easiest routes of Italian immigration.
The eligibility and documentation requirements for citizenship by descent appear daunting for an aspiring immigrant. But having an expert to assist you through the process makes things much simpler. They can guide you about every single step, from assessing your eligibility to completing your documents, legalizing them, and applying at the consulate. You feel less stressed and more confident about completing the process within expected timelines. There are hardly any chances of making mistakes or missing out on anything during the process. You can complete it at the earliest and start a dream life with your family in one of the most incredible countries.