Got Questions about Italian Dual Citizenship?
Got questions about Italian dual citizenship? Ask them below! Our expert knows all there is to know about qualifying, applying, putting documents together, and researching your family history. Do you have a question about your family’s journey from Italy? You might be surprised what we can uncover.
Two questions. 1) I am of Italian heritage, my wife is not. If I obtain dual citizenship, can she do so also? 2) what would the cost be for both of us?
Hi there. Yes! As the spouse of an Italian citizen, she would be entitled to citizenship. The way she applies will depend on when you guys were married. If married prior to April 21, 1983, then she automatically became an Italian citizen at the moment you guys married. In this case, you’ll only need to add on her birth certificate with your Italian dual citizenship application. If you were married after that date, then you must wait to be married for 3 years (if living outside Italy), or 2 years if living inside Italy before she can apply. She will… Read more »
You mention on your website that applying for residency in Italy might decrease the timeline to dual citizenship. Is this still true for 1948 cases?
Hello! Those who have a 1948 case unfortunately cannot apply in Italy. You’ll need to hire an Italian attorney to try your case before the Court of Rome. The good thing, however, is that you can add a veritably unlimited number of family members to your petition (as long as they go through the same 1948-qualifying ancestor), split costs, and do not need to physically be present in Italy to do this. Timeframes for a 1948 case can be slightly quicker than consular applications; this is because you don’t technically need to get an appointment (but you do need to… Read more »
Hello, I have a few questions
1. My father was naturalized after my birth but he was married to my mother before he naturalized and AFTER my mother was naturalized before 1983 making her automatically an Italian citizen, is that correct? And if so does that mean I can apply through my mother?
2. My father said he reacquired Italian citizen later on in life after 1992, could I apply through his citizenship regardless of my age? (Note: I was born before he reacquired his citizenship)
Hi there.
If your father was naturalized *after* your birth as you say, you qualify through him… full stop. It doesn’t matter when he reacquired Italian citizenship because he was still an Italian citizen at the time of your birth.
Congratulations!
I am married to an Italian citizen, what is processing time ?
Currently, Italian law allows for 48 month-processing times.
My grandparents were born and married in Italy. They came over in 1901. I am unsure if my dad was born before or after my grandfather was naturalized. My grandmother never was naturalized (or she acquired by marriage?). My dad was born in 1930 in the US. His oldest sister was born in Italy.
Is this something you can help with? What would the cost be?
Hi Kristin,
For more information about our costs for a full service application, please see here: https://getitaliancitizenship.com/full-service-italian-dual-citizenship-assistance/.
First things first, you’ll need to determine if your grandfather naturalized. If it was both after July 1, 1912, AND before your father was born, then you would definitely qualify! Failing that, you should check your grandmother’s naturalization date. We can definitely help you figure out this information. Please feel free to e-mail us at hello@getitaliancitizenship.com to tell us more about your grandparents in private so we can see if you qualify.
I’m not sure but i thought it was. If your grandfather was naturalized after 1912. Say, 1930. But their child was born “before “ they were naturalized. This would carry on Italian citizenship.
I was born in Italy & adopted in America & received American naturalization shortly after entering
Am I eligible for dual citizenship
Hi Anthony,
Your situation is one which would require the assistance of an Italian attorney. The law is very clear on people who are adopted *into* an Italian family, but those adopted *out* of one are not always covered by the law. Best of luck!
Where would I go in the U.S. to find out if /when my great-grandfather was naturalized?
I believe he arrived in the U.S. before Ellis Island was established as one of the official entry place for immigrants.
Hello!
There are a bunch of places you can check. This page has a wealth of very good, accurate information: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/United_States_Naturalization_and_Citizenship
Good afternoon,
Would I qualify for Italian Citizenship?
Condition #1 Grandfather born 1897 came here from Italy in 1911ish, married 1923 and became a Citizen in 1928. My dad was born in 1939.
Condition #2 My Grandmother on Dad’s side came here from Italy in 1903, became a citizen in 1918, when she was 15 thru my Great Grandfather.
Would I qualify for Italian Citizenship for a 1948 case?
Thanks for your help.
Jeff
Hi Jeff, Let’s examine each line: Line 1: Your grandfather became a citizen before your dad’s birth, meaning you would not qualify through dad > grandpa. The only way you could qualify though this line is if your grandmother was an American citizen married to your grandfather before your grandfather became American, OR if your grandmother was Italian and still was an Italian citizen in 1939. Line 2: Is this the same grandmother as in condition one? If so, this means she was an Italian citizen and lost her own Italian citizenship at the age of 15 through her father’s… Read more »
Hello,
My paternal great grandparents were both born and married in Ripacandida, Italy. My great grandfather naturalized in 1927, my great grandmother naturalized in 1938. My grandmother was born in the US in 1932. Would I qualify for dual citizenship?
Hi Katie!
Congrats, you qualify. You would be a 1948 case (more info here: https://getitaliancitizenship.com/1948-case-italian-citizenship/). Please feel free to contact us if you’d like to get started on your Italian citizenship application!
When applying for recognition in Italy, is it important (and more efficient) to take residency near or in the comune of one’s direct descendant?
Hello!
You can apply anywhere in Italy that you reside. It might not speed things up, but it will surely make the people processing your request smile and happy to work with you. 🙂 Other than that, it does not affect timeframes in any meaningful way.
My son would like dual citizenship. All four of great grandparents born in Italy
That’s great! Please have a look at our blog post here to see if you qualify: https://getitaliancitizenship.com/do-i-qualify-for-italian-dual-citizenship/
Ciao! Quick question about naturalization dates. Which date is the actual date that matters? Is it the date on the declaration of intention or the date of the Oath of Allegiance? Will you need to present both documents to the Consulate? Thanks!
It is the date on the Oath of Allegiance! That’s the final step in the process.
The naturalization packet gets presented all together, so bring everything. Best of luck to you!
Hello there…
My mother and grandmother moved from Itlay(where they were citizens) to the US in 1946 and became US citizens in 1947. My mother was born in Milan, Itlay in 1940, I was born in 1963 in the US at that time my mother was a US citizen and as of 1992, she received her dual citizenship.
I do not think I qualify for dual citizenship through my mother or deceased grandmother. How about through my grandfather who passed away in Milan, Italy in 1942 and was born sometime in the early 1900s in Torino, Italy?
Thank you!
Hi Susan,
If your mom was already a US citizen by the time you were born, then that means your “chain” was unfortunately broken. Even more unfortunately, you cannot skip a generation. However, the good news is that if you live in Italy legally for 3 years you can become a citizen! Normally, people must wait 10 but as the child of a former Italian citizen, it is only 3 years for you. In bocca al lupo.
How do you obtain vital records from Illinois? They seem to be very strict and only allow Parents of the child to obtain birth certificates but I need to get them for my deceased Father and Grandfather. Thanks!
If the individuals are deceased, you should be able to obtain record(s) first by obtaining proof of death and then attaching that to your request for the birth certificate. You might have better luck dealing with the county level rather than state level in Illinois on this. For example, McClean county has their own specific request form for birth records for deceased individuals here: https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/250/Application-for-Deceased-person?bidId=.
Try doing a search in the county of birth for your dad and grandfather. With Covid, they might not be answering phones now but you should be able to e-mail them (hopefully!).
Good luck!
Is it true that every document must match exactly on all documents for the Miami Consulate when applying for Italian Dual Citizenship?
My mothers birth certificate shows an incorrect birth date by one day.
Thank you very much.
It really depends.
The rule is “yes,” but if you have very small discrepancies they might accept your documents without question. Consular officers are given a lot of discretion. The best advice is to go to your appointment and see what they say. Worst case scenario they will give you a form with a list of amended/corrected documents needed. Good luck!
What is the estimate time to receive Italian citizenship for a first generation family member? According to the Italian consulate in New York, due to the delays from COVID-19, new applications are not being processed. It can take 3-4 years to obtain Italian citizenship. Is this accurate? Do you have further or updated information on this? In fact, the Italian consulate website does not allow you to book new appointments.
This is unfortunately accurate right now. But do gather your documents now and apostille them so you have a full set when you can get an appointment. Good luck!
Both grandparents born in sicily. Both naturalized around 1930. My mother was born BEFORE they were naturalized, 1917. She was born in US Do I come under the 1948 rule? I was born 3/13/54.
If not am I still eligible for dual citizenship ?
I have most of documents myself.
Please contact me regarding above
Thanks
Michele
8456080220
Hi there. If your mom was born before they naturalized then unfortunately you would not qualify through that line. The only loophole might be if your grandfather naturalized as an American citizen before The Cable Act in the U.S. Before the Cable Act (September 1922), any Italian woman who was married to a man who became an American citizen, automatically became an American citizen too. But in the 1970s the Court of Rome ruled this unconstitutional and allowed women retroactively to keep Italian citizenship if petitioned in court. Therefore, you *might* qualify under both this loophole and the 1948 rule.… Read more »
Two Questions – 1) I am applying for dual citizenship. How can my 2 adult children use the documents I have gathered for their application? Do all 3 applications (2 children + me) need to be submitted to the same time in the NY Consulate?; 2) My husband was previously married and divorced with no children. Do I have to docuement the other marriage and divorce docs for my application or only for my children’s application?
Thank you!
Hi there. The NY consulate requires all adults over the age of 18 to have their own separate applications with documentation.
You will need to provide your husband’s previous divorce records, yes. For more information check out the specific requirements on the Italian consulate of NY’s website. Good luck!
For translated docs, do I only need to translate English docs relevant to me and my connection to Italian ancestor?
For example, my great grandparents were born and married in Italy. Moved to US in 1906, never became citizens. They died in US. Had my grandmother in US. In this case do I need to translate:
Great grand parent US death certificate
Grandmother US Birth, marriage and death certificate
Mother’s US birth and marriage certificate
My birth, marriage certificate
My two under 18 children’s birth certificate
Thanks!
Jason
It depends on your consulate. If non-direct line documents are needed, then they’ll need to be translated.
The rule of thumb is if the consulate requires it, you need to translate it (unless specifically stated otherwise on their website).
Hello. We have ascertained that my husband has a path to citizenship – his mother’s father was born in the US in 1912 to Italian immigrant parents who arrived here in 1907, but did not naturalize until 1924 and 1930 respectively. He, my husband, was born after 1948, Grandpapa of course has passed, and we do not know if he ever “renounced” his Italian citizenship. In fact, we’re not sure if he knew he had it. How do we find out that vital piece of information? We are fairly certain his mom never renounced – but she is still living… Read more »
Excellent! In order to find out this information you will have to search for naturalization records.
Your first step should be to do a free trial of ancestry.com and familysearch.com. Those websites may have free digitized records.
Then, you’ll want to contact NARA and USCIS for any naturalization records. NARA in particular has field offices throughout the US you can e-mail for free. You’ll also want to think back to where the Italian ancestor lived, and start contacting the county clerks and local courts to see if they have any naturalization records on file.
Good luck!
I married my husband in 1977 and he has an Italian passport but lives in England with me. I have an UK passport but would like to apply for dual nationality.
What do I need to do.
Hi Anne. You might be happy to know you are already an Italian citizen! Women who married Italian men before April 27, 1983 automatically become Italian upon marriage. You should contact your consulate and see if they might be willing to take your documents (birth cert + marriage cert + translations + apostilles) without an appointment.
Anne,
Your best bet is to contact your local consulate. Since you married an Italian citizen prior to April 27, 1983 you automatically gained citizenship upon marriage. It may be as simple as having to get your marriage record registered in Italy, but you will want to speak to your consulate to be 100% sure.
Hi, where can I find rates for representation in applying via the court in Rome? I am in the San Francisco consulate jurisdiction and I have been trying to get an appointment for 2 years and a day in advance for the last month and have had no success…..
Ugh, the wait times can be so crazy! I certainly sympathize. Contact us at hello@getitaliancitizenship.com and we can refer you to an attorney we trust.
My wife is a dual citizen, and I am preparing to apply. I did all the work for my wife’s and daughter’s applications, including a two name changes and obtaining certification that my father-in-law was never granted citizenship in Argentina. However, I am confused about the criminal background checks required for my application. I must obtain 16 of these, 14 from US states, one from the FBI and one from Australia. Do all of them need to be based on fingerprints? Do they all need to be notarized? (I know they need to be translated and apostilled.) For example, I… Read more »
Hi James,
Unfortunately, our firm deals solely with citizenship by heritage and not marriage. Best of luck to you!
Hello! I’ve determined that I qualify. 1) I’d like to set up an appointment at a consulate asap given the wait times, but may be moving within the U.S. during the wait time. Should I sign up at the two consulates (the one I currently live in) and the one that covers the area I’m likely moving to? The current is Miami; future is likely Philadelphia. I know you have to show proof of residence at the time of the appointment. 2) I was told there is need for my father (the living Italian ascendant) to sign and get notarized… Read more »
Hi there!
There is nothing stopping you from getting two appointments in two places. However, I believe the new system the consulates are rolling out may require proof of address at time of sign up as opposed to the old system.
Yes, your father will need to sign and notarize his form.
Hi I am applying for Italian dual citizenship and I need two Birth and two Marriage certificates officially translated
with notary and apostille please provide me with the cost for these services
Thank you
Joe
Hi Joe! This may be too late but we charge $60 per page. You can contact us at hello@getitaliancitizenship.com.
Ciao! I am an Italian citizen. My wife and I have been married for over three years. I am interested in getting her Italian citizenship as well. I understand she needs to pass the B1 language exam. After she passes the exam, would it be faster if we applied in Italy with the help of your service? Or, does she just apply online through the consulate? Grazie!
Hi Scott!
Unfortunately we do not handle citizenship by marriage. Best of luck to you and your wife!
My mother and father were born in Martone, Reggio Calabria and came to the US as minors with their parents. My father in 1927 at 11 and my mother in 1932 at about the same age. I was born in 1951. Both my parents were declared on their parents’ immigration papers. I resided in Milan from August 1997 thru July 2000 and I speak conversational Italian. All of my ancestors for at least 4 generations were native Italian and lived in the same area of Italy. My maternal grandfather became a US Citizen in 1901 but returned to live in… Read more »
Since you are the child of former Italian citizens, you are entitled to a fast track naturalization. You need to live in Italy for three years and then seek citizenship via naturalization. Unfortunately you can’t use the time you spent in Italy retroactively for the purposes of citizenship. Good luck!
Hello. Do I need to have my Certificate of Non-Existence letter from USCIS apostilled by the U.S. Secretary of State? How do I do that?
Yes! As long as you meet all criteria for eligibility, you can go back as far as needed (but you cannot skip generations).
Would I qualify to request Italian citizenship? Both of my material grandparents were born in Italy. My Grandfather, born in 1897, came to the US in 1914. My Grandmother, born in 1909, came to the US in 1921. They were married in the US. My Grandfather was a US citizen when my mother was born in 1941 but my Grandmother was not. My Grandmother became a US citizen in 1979 or 1980.
Eligible!
But you are a 1948 case. See more here: https://getitaliancitizenship.com/1948-case-italian-citizenship/
Hi, My grandfather came from Sicily in 1913, He got married and then had a son (my dad) in 1925, then he filed the declaration of intent in 1934 where he renounced his Italian citizenship. Am I eligible for dual citizenship?
100% eligible! Welcome to the club 🙂
My great grandpa was born in the US in 1908 after his Italian born father naturalized. However, his mother was also an Italian citizen and didn’t submit a declaration of intent to naturalize until 1941. As far as I can tell, neither my great grandpa or grandpa or my mother ever revoked their right to Italian citizenship. I believe this means I would qualify but have to go through a 1948 case. I have a few family members interested in also joining the case. Would it make more sense to have my mother be the primary applicant since she is… Read more »
Hi Matt!
You definitely sound like a 1948 case. Congrats!
Your mother doesn’t need to be on the court case but she is certainly welcome to. For a more thorough assessment of your case, feel free to reach out to us at hello@getitaliancitizenship.com.
My mother was born in America from Grandmother that was a Italian Immigrant in 1940’s. My mother later on married my father in Italy and he moved to America with my mother. I was born in 1970 and my father became an American Citizen in 1973, after I was born. Do I qualify for dual citizenship with Sicily, Italy?
Hi Lucy.
Since your dad was still an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, yes! You’re eligible for Italian dual citizenship. Congrats!
Hi – My paternal great grandfather, born in Avigliano in 1891, immigrated alone to the USA in 1905 at age 14. He declared his intent for citizenship in 1911 (which included a statement of renouncing his Italian citizenship) but did not complete his petition for naturalization until 2017. I have copies of his immigration and naturalization paperwork. My grandfather was born in New York in 1915, before the petition for naturalization was filed, but after he declared his intent. As his descendant, am I eligible for dual citizenship? I believe we would qualify under this scenario. Any help would be… Read more »
Both my parents as well as I was born in Italy. I came to the US when I was 10 years old in 1969 and became an American citizen at the age of 16. Since I was born and previously an Italian citizen, can I get my Italian citizenship back and be a dual citizen. What do I need to do for this?
My Great Grandfather filed his first Declaration of Intention in 1910. He filed his second Declaration of Intention in 1919 at another court a few weeks after my Grandfather was born. He completed the process in 1922 with Petition fro Naturalization. Do I qualify since he didn’t complete his Naturalization Intention until after my Grandfather was born?
I am of Italian heritage and my husband is not, but our children should also inherit Italian genes where do we go from here?
I will be using your transcribed documents in Terracina Latina. Will they be accepted as certified?
Hello! I am a bit confused about whether I have a 1948 case or not. If my great-grand mother (Italian immigrant) gave birth to my grandmother in the 1920s in the US, does this mean I have a 1948 case? If I could establish the lineage through my great grandfather instead, would it still be a 1948 case? Thank you
Question, my brother and nephew have completed the dual citizenship process through our consulate. I am buying property for residency and want to complete the process in Italy. Other than my info will the rest be received from the San Francisco consulate?
My maternal grandfather was born in Italy and never renounced his citizenship, and my mother was able to claim Italian citizenship and an Italian passport around 2010 (I’m currently 49 years old). My father then also received citizenship and a passport as well, as did my older brother. So I know I qualify! My question is what I will need to bring to my appointment in July at the Miami Italian consulate? Another note is my parents and brother live in Texas so applied through the Houston office, while I am in Atlanta so must go to Miami. Do I… Read more »
Hi…..I have been approved with IT citizenship and have an upcoming appt. My question concerns Page 4 of the IT passport. I’m on my 2nd marriage. For business reasons, I kept my married name from the 1st marriage. My IT passport will of course be in my maiden name. Would I be wise to use my 1st marriage name (which is the one on my current US passport-Global Entry document and ALL my documents) on page 4 of the IT passport? Or is there any benefit to using my current husband’s last name on p4 of the IT passport? Sorry… Read more »
Hoping to use Italian court to ‘cross the finish line’ for our citizenship.
Is there a ‘family group’ pathway we can use? There are four of us siblings that have this intention! We have all the documents for the category 3 juris sanguinis, with just a few questions about apostille, and translations. Thank you for your reply!
Joan Lombardi Knecht
My brother obtained dual citizenship in 1997. The consulate told me that I can use his ancestry documents which they have on file and I would then just have to bring my birth and marriage certificate. I secured an appointment in 2025. It’s my understanding that any documents I bring have to be translated into Italian. How do I go about doing that? Also, will my husband automatically become a citizen if we have been married since 1979 or is that a whole other procedure?
I am planning to apply for my dual citizenship and have gathered all the pertinent documents (marriage and birth certificates). I became an American citizen in 1996. Do I need to submit my naturalization papers or my passport is enough. If naturalization certificate is required, can I submit my original or I would need to order a new one?
Hello! My grandfather was born in Italy in 1939 to an Italian father and American mother. He moved to the US in 1948. He was a US citizen at birth since his mother was one. Was he also an Italian citizen at that point? If he never went through the naturalization process in the US or officially denounced his right to Italian citizenship could I still qualify through him or his father? Thanks!
Here is my situation. My father reacquired his Italian citizenship in 1994, while I was a ‘non-emancipated’ minor living in our house with him and my mother. Am I eligible for Italian citizenship based on the laws of reacquisition and minors?
Hi – my Great Great Grandparents were born in Italy, but moved to a different country (Scotland) and had children outside of Italy (Scotland and Canada). Would I be eligible?
Hello!! Please help!! My husband and I are in Italy now for his citizenship recognition. He qualifies (via 4 grandparents 🙂 and he has all the necessary papers translated, apostilled correctly. We have owned our home here in Lunigana 15 years… Here is our problem and questions, please help!! We arrived (thru Switzerland) and immediately went to the Questora (Massa) to declare our presence (and we told them we’re here for his citizenship jure sanguinis …). They refused to talk/meet with us, saying we had to go back to US for a long- stay visa first. We went to our… Read more »
Hello, I was wondering if I can obtain my dual citizenship. My great grandfather came from Italy in 1906 and then went back to Italy to get his new bride, my grandmother, in November of 1912. They naturalized in 1916, I believe. My grandmother was born in 1919.