Italy is a preferred immigration destination for Americans as millions of them trace their roots in the country. If you can validate an Italian bloodline, claiming citizenship can be a breeze. You may get your second passport sooner than you expect, provided you understand the process and follow the steps. Conversely, even a simple process may get complicated due to the smallest errors.
It makes sense to get your facts right before starting so that you have the right roadmap for your journey ahead. Even better, you can opt for expert guidance to expedite it and prevent hassles down the line. You can check Bersani Law Firm website to get a detailed overview of the route and connect with experts. Additionally, you can follow this ultimate checklist to prepare for Italian citizenship by descent.
Trace your Italian roots
Your Italian connection is the mainstay of citizenship by descent. It means that you will have to trace your roots to go ahead with the process. Things are relatively easy if either or both your parents are Italians. But you will have to dig deeper to find distant relatives in your bloodline. The good thing is that there are no generational limits for the descent route, and you can claim further down your ancestral line. You only need to find the connections and locate your bloodline to ensure eligibility. Consider talking to parents and relatives, or even traveling to Italy to get an idea about your family ties in the country.
Know the eligibility norms
Once you establish your bloodline, you can check your eligibility for Italian citizenship by descent. Qualifying through parents is easy, even if you are an adopted child. But you have to follow some norms to validate eligibility. Your ascendant should have been a citizen of Italy at the time of its formation in 1861. Also, they shouldn’t have been naturalized in another country before giving birth to the next person in the ancestral line. If you fulfill these conditions, you can go ahead without second thoughts.
Ensure you do not fall into an exception
Besides knowing the eligibility norms, you must also be aware of exceptions to the descent route. Primarily, you can fall into an exception if claiming through a female relative. Your eligibility boils down to the year she gave birth. An Italian woman could not pass on her citizenship to her child before 1948. So you cannot qualify through a mother or female relative who gave birth before this year. But you still have the option to claim citizenship through the 1948 Rule instead of the conventional Jure Sanguinis process.
Gather Italian documents
Your ancestor’s documents are a key piece in the puzzle because they validate your claim. These include the certificates proving their birth, marriage, and death. But the tricky part is that you have to obtain them from your ancestor’s comune in Italy. Since they are likely to be decades old, getting them can be challenging. It can also be expensive as you have to travel and stay in Italy to obtain these documents. But you can seek assistance from a citizenship expert as they have the right local connections.
Get non-Italian documents validated
The document checklist for Italian citizenship by descent is extensive. Apart from the documents from your ancestor’s hometown, you will also require their records of naturalization in the US. Further, you will also have to provide your ID proofs for the process. The catch here is that all non-Italian documents have to be validated with translations and legalization. You will have to get the translations certified by an official at the consulate, while legalization requires affixing an apostille stamp. Since documentation can get cumbersome, you should gather them before going ahead with the application.
Apply at your nearest consulate
Sorting out your paperwork means you are ready for the application process. The good thing about the Jure Sanguinis process is that you can apply at a nearby Italian consulate in the country of your residence. There is no need to fly down to Italy for application, and it can save you a fortune on travel and accommodation expenses. You have the option to apply from within Italy though, and it is ideal if you want to expedite the process.
Wait patiently for your appointment
While applying at your local consulate has its benefits, you have to be patient. The wait for your appointment can take several months. At times, you may even have to wait for a year for your appointment. The waiting period depends on the applications in the queue at the consulate. It is crucial to have complete and accurate documents at the time of your appointment. Errors and omissions can lead to delays, so ensure you have everything in place as the last thing you want to encounter is another extended waiting cycle for your appointment.
Bonus tip- Collaborate with a specialist
Anyone who wishes to apply for Italian citizenship by descent can get immense benefits by collaborating with a specialist. These professionals can guide you about the entire process, from assessing your eligibility to getting your documents, ensuring no omissions, and preparing you for consulate interviews. Their local links give you a head start with Italian documents. They make sure that your process is completed at the earliest so you can begin your life in Italy as soon as possible. Look for a dependable professional with relevant experience and a good track record in citizenship by descent cases.
This checklist can give you the right start with the Jure Sanguinis process. It gets you a step closer to your dual citizenship goal and enables you to reclaim your roots in Italy. Not to mention, you get all the benefits of a citizen, from access to education and healthcare facilities to visa-free travel across the EU. Moreover, your citizenship rights can pass onto the next generations automatically. There couldn’t be a better way to join your Italian family and experience a fresh start in an incredible country.
Author
The author works as a digital marketer with Submitcore. She also has a flair for writing and has expertise in niches like parenting, travel, and lifestyle. Her write-ups feature in top industry-leading blogs.
Comments are closed.