WAYS TO OBTAIN ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP

Complex cases. Easy solutions.

ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT (IURE SANGUINIS)

Italian citizenship is passed from generation to generation ("Iure sanguinis") without limits of descent, without jumps 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 be recognized only to those who request it personally. This recognition is subject to the demonstration, by the interested party, of a direct blood link with an Italian ancestor (grandfather), and that his descendants in a direct line up to the applicant have maintained the right to Italian citizenship continuously, without interruptions. .

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

People born until 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:
whether the father or mother was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant's birth.

To begin this process it will be necessary:

Have a blood relationship with an Italian ancestor born in Italy.
Be of age.
Have a minimum residence of 6 months in the consular district
Demonstrate that the right to Italian citizenship remains uninterrupted.

REQUIREMENTS

You must have had an Italian ancestor alive 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 son.
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 January 1, 1948 in order for you to apply for recognition through administrative channels (for example, at an Italian consulate or embassy).
If you meet all of the above requirements, but have a wife whose child was born before January 1, 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 applicable 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 marriage or if the common-law husband acquired or reacquired Italian citizenship before April 27, 1983.
The process for the recognition of 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 the spouse), provided that said dissolution occurred before April 27, 1983.
2) Foreign women married since April 27, 1983 to an Italian citizen
(born in Italy or abroad) and men married on any date to an Italian citizen (born in Italy or abroad).
The spouse of the Italian citizen can obtain Citizenship by marriage (naturalization) by a 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 you legally reside in Italy. Furthermore, these periods are reduced by half 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 cause 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 by 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 record must be original, photocopies are not accepted.
Criminal record
It is issued by the National Registry of Recidivism and has to 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 Cultural Institute 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 their legal stay in said country or for other reasons, such as marriage. By adopting a nationality through naturalization, those who meet the age of majority requirements also become citizens of that country.

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

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

• Italian citizenship can 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 during 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 exceptional interest on the part of the Italian State.

✔ The foreigner born in Italy who has legally resided in Italy without interruptions until reaching the age of majority, acquires Italian citizenship if required within a period of one year from the date on which he or she reaches the age of majority.

NOTE: The Italian citizen who was naturalized as a foreign citizen as a minor (even before August 16, 1992) never lost Italian citizenship, as long as his father maintained Italian citizenship and the interested party, upon reaching the age of majority, did not expressly renounce Italian citizenship.

Previously, until March 9, 1975, Italian citizens reached the age of majority when they turned 21; Since March 10, 1975, the age of majority has been reached at 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 legislation, anyone who is 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, they will be an Italian citizen by origin if, at birth, at least one of their parents held Italian citizenship.

He is an Italian citizen by “iure soli” territory:

Who is born in Italian territory, if both parents are unknown or stateless.
Whoever is born in Italian territory, if not acquired by birth the citizenship of the 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 apply for "citizenship by option" for their child).
The child of unknown persons found on Italian territory, if it is not proven that he or she has another citizenship.

There are, however, exceptions to this principle.