Italian Citizenship For Your Family – How To Leverage The Descent Route

Navigating the complexities of family immigration is a challenging endeavor, yet it remains a goal for countless Americans. Italy stands out as a top choice for many families due to its exceptional way of life, favorable climate, and vibrant cultural heritage. As a citizen, you’ll have the opportunity to benefit from top-tier healthcare and educational systems for your family. Additionally, the benefit of visa-free movement within the EU, promising career prospects, and strong potential for business endeavors make Italy an appealing option for those looking to relocate with their families.

The good thing about Italian immigration is that you have several routes to explore, depending on your circumstances. The descent route is ideal if you have ancestral roots in the country. It lets you pass on the citizenship rights to your family and even the next generations. If you want to know more about Italian citizenship by descent, Bersani Law Firm provides a great guide for you. Here is a brief explanation you can go through to understand how it works.

Know your eligibility

Jure Sanguinis or citizenship by descent is an ideal option if you have ancestors in Italy. But it is not as simple as it sounds as you have to fulfill some eligibility criteria before applying. You cannot simply go ahead because you have a relative in the country. Here are the factors that make you eligible for the route.

  • You are of Italian descent with either or both parents belonging to the country. Even being adopted as a minor by Italian parents makes you eligible. If the adoption happened before 1975,  you should have been 21 and 18 if it happened after 1975.
  • Your Italian-born ascendant was a citizen of Italy after its unification in 1861.
  • The ascendant never lost citizenship by naturalization in any other country. If they were naturalized, it was only after the birth of the next person in the lineage.

Apart from these criteria for Italian citizenship by descent, some exceptions may deprive you of qualifying. People born before 1948 cannot qualify through a female relative. Women were not allowed to pass on their citizenship rights before this year. It made the Italian law discriminatory against female citizens. The country’s government realized the fact and came up with the 1948 Rule that lets people with female bloodlines apply for citizenship. The process lets you apply through the court rather than the consulate as the regular Jure Sanguinis process. But the good thing is that it is relatively simple and allows you to claim your right without much hassle.

Gather your documents

The process for Italian citizenship by descent hinges on documents that validate your bloodline in the country. There is an extensive list you will need, so it makes sense to gather them before applying. Here is the complete checklist of documents you will require for the process.

  • A copy of your passport
  • A copy of driver’s license
  • Proof of residency
  • Your birth certificate
  • Birth certificate of your Italian ancestor issued by their comune in the country
  • Birth certificate of other relevant ancestors
  • Marriage certificates and divorce judgments if applicable
  • Death certificates
  • Naturalization certificate of the ascendant if they naturalized in the US
  • A copy of their Declaration of Petition for Naturalization
  • An application form

It can be a long road as collect documents from the Italian comune where your ancestor lived. Moreover, you cannot submit documents issued outside Italy as they are. You will have to get them officially translated into Italian to make them valid for the process. At the same time, you will also need to have them Apostilled. All the documents must be original and not photocopied. It is crucial to double-check your documents before applying because errors and omissions can delay the process and even lead to rejection.

Going ahead with the application

Having all your documents in place gives you a head start with the application process. It is almost half the work done, and the rest requires filling up the application form for Italian citizenship by descent. Once you submit the forms, you can seek an appointment from the nearest Italian consulate to go ahead. You may have to wait for a long time, sometimes even a year, for an appointment. The waiting period depends on the applications in process at the consulate. However, you can expedite the process by traveling to Italy and applying as a resident. You can even set up a legal residence in the country when the application is in progress. It is a favorable choice because your family will find the transition easy down the line. It is worth taking a note of the important places and dates of births, marriages, and deaths of your ascendants as you will need them during the process.

Collaborating with an Italian citizenship expert

Although Jure Sanguinis is perhaps the fastest way to immigrate to Italy, it is a complex subject. The eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and application process can get overwhelming. The waiting period is even more daunting for applicants. But all the effort is worthwhile, considering you will get one of the most powerful second passports once you complete the process. The good thing is that you can simplify it by collaborating with an Italian citizenship expert. A local expert can help you in more than one way. No one understands the law better than them, and you can trust them for the best guidance. Additionally, their connections give you an advantage when gathering documents from the Italian comune of your ancestor. You will feel more confident about the entire process when you have a seasoned professional backing you.

Italian citizenship by descent is an ideal option if you want to move to the country with your family. It promises all the rights and privileges for your loved ones and even the next in your lineage. But you must understand how the process works to get through smoothly and seamlessly. When you leverage your bloodline, you can stay here for good. It also enables you to give the best life to your family and descendants.

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Krystal Morrison
 

I create this blog to share my daily tips about home improvement, children, pets, food, health, and ways to be frugal while maintaining a natural lifestyle. Interested to be a Guest Blogger on my website? Please email me at: [email protected]

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