Italy is one of the best countries to live and work in if you want to experience a slice of the European lifestyle. Not surprisingly, thousands of Americans look at it as an ideal second passport destination. The growing number of immigration applications year after year validates its popularity. Once you secure an Italian citizenship, you can travel visa-free across the EU. Additionally, you get access to the best education and healthcare systems in this part of the world. The career and growth opportunities in the country are equally alluring. The best thing is that your family and future generations get all the rights and privileges by default.
While everything about obtaining an Italian citizenship sounds great, you need to know your options first. Luckily, you have more than one alternative to get closer to your dream life. If one route does not work for you, there is always another one to explore. Everything boils down to understanding the eligibility requirements and process for each option. You can pick the apt one to secure citizenship at the earliest. Let us explain the three main pathways to Italian citizenship in detail.
Route #1 – Citizenship by descent
If you have ancestral roots in Italy, citizenship by descent is the best route you can pick to immigrate and start a life in the country. Jure Sanguinis is among the easiest and fastest ways to get an Italian citizenship. Any number of descendants can claim lineage under their ancestral line, and the rights pass on to all the next generations. But the eligibility requirements can get quite complex, so you must understand them before applying.
Eligibility requirements
- You can claim through your parents, paternal or maternal grandfather, and even paternal or maternal great grandfather. The ancestor must be a citizen of Italy at the time of your birth.
- Adopted individuals can also apply for citizenship by descent, but they should have been adopted as a minor. The age thresholds are 21 years if the adoption happened before 1975 and 18 years after 1975.
- The ancestor was alive and an Italian citizen after the unification of Italy in 1861.
- They should not have given up citizenship by naturalization.
The Jure Sanguinis rule varies if you have a female Italian citizen in your bloodline. A female who gave birth before 1948 cannot pass her ancestral rights to her children. However, you can still apply for an Italian citizenship through a female ancestor, but it will not happen through the conventional rule. Such cases are decided through the court under “The 1948 Rule.” The judicial process sounds complicated, but it can be quick and easy provided you have experts handling it for you.
The Process
Obtaining an Italian citizenship through your bloodline requires you to validate your ancestral roots in the country with valid documents. You will have to locate and get them from the town or city of your predecessor. Additionally, you will require documents relating to births, deaths, and marriages of others in the bloodline, even as they moved to other countries and naturalized there. Once you have the papers, you can file an application through your local Italian embassy or consulate. The process requires you to wait for your turn and the period depends on the queues in your local consulate. It may vary from three months to three years, depending on your circumstances. It is a one-time process and is worth investing in as the rights will automatically pass down to your next generations.
Route #2 – Citizenship by marriage
Not everyone can claim through Italian routes, but it does not mean that you have to miss out on the chance. You can still move to the country if you marry an Italian citizen. You can even be eligible if your Italian spouse lives in another country and you decide to immigrate to their home country eventually.
Eligibility requirements
- You can apply for citizenship after two years of marriage if residing in Italy.
- For couples living overseas, the waiting period is three years after marriage.
However, the time period is cut to half if you have biological or adopted children. Apart from the waiting period, you will also have to meet a language criteria to apply under this route. A B1 level certification in Italian validates your proficiency and makes you eligible for applying through citizenship by marriage.
The Process
The process of application is relatively straightforward once your waiting period is over and you have language certification. You will have to gather documentary proof of your marriage and validate that it is not annulled. If these documents are issued outside Italy, you will have to get them translated and apostilled to ensure validity as in the case of the Jure Sanguinis process. You will have to apply at your local consulate and wait for your interview to complete the process and claim citizenship under this pathway.
Route #3 – Citizenship by naturalization
What if you don’t have an Italian ancestor? What if marriage with an Italian citizen is not on the cards? Experts at www.mbersanilaw.com recommend that you should proceed with the citizenship by naturalization route without second thoughts. While the process is long and cumbersome, it is the only option you have. You will need to have legal residence in the country with a valid visa and fulfill some more criteria to be eligible for this route.
Eligibility requirements
- You will have to fulfill the mandatory time requirement of living in Italy to qualify for naturalization. Typically, non-EU citizens have to live here for at least a decade to apply.
- EU citizens can enter the country without a visa and get a residence permit straight away. They can apply after four years of residence if they can show Italian heritage.
The Process
Obtaining naturalization status is perhaps the longest route and requires a good understanding of the Italian visa laws. The Golden Visa route gives you a good start if you want to make it to the country via investment. It opens up residency status in the country and enables you to move a step closer to the naturalization status. Since the journey is a tad longer and more complicated, it is best to have experts showing the way.
How does Italian citizenship assistance get you on the right track?
Now that you know about all three popular Italian citizenship routes, the next step is to pick the right one. Essentially, the eligibility requirements can act as your guide. You may get confused if you seem to be eligible under two routes. What if you have ancestral heritage and are married to a local? Which route will be the right pick for you? What if you have a female ancestor? In either case, you can get on the right track with professional assistance. Here are some valid reasons to have experts guiding you through the process rather than handling it on your own.
- The expertise and experience of visa and immigration experts are always an advantage for applicants. They can help you through the entire steps, right from determining your eligibility to collecting the paperwork and applying online or at your local consulate. You will have a fair idea of the process and timelines, making you better prepared right from the start.
- Having experts handling your case helps you save time and minimize errors throughout the process. The length and complexity of the process often make it risky. There are good chances of missing out on details and paperwork. But Italian citizenship specialists ensure that no such errors or delays happen. Your immigration process is completed at the earliest and without any glitches.
- Since these experts reside in Italy, they have strong local connections in offices and courts. You need not even travel down to Italy to gather proof and paperwork to validate your ancestral roots in the country. Further, they can act as your representative in the court if claiming under the 1948 Rule. In either case, you can save a fortune on travel and lodging expenses.
- With an immigration expert guiding you, there is always peace of mind that you have better chances of making it through. You need not worry even if you have a complex case that requires a great deal of paperwork and evidence. You pay them but feel more confident about the process from start to end.
Italy is one of the premier destinations for young professionals, aspiring entrepreneurs, and retirees looking to settle abroad. It is also much loved by the high net worth Americans who want to explore greener pastures overseas. The good thing is that you have different citizenship routes to explore, but the chances of securing it depend on picking the apt one. It makes sense to hire Italian citizenship experts to handle the process for you. They ensure that the journey is smooth and seamless, and you can land and start a new life in Italy sooner than you imagine. Choose a trustworthy guide you can rely on, and realize your dream at the earliest.
