If you have Italian lineage that you can trace, it is well-worth looking into the jus sanguinis process. Overall, you may be eligible to obtain Italian Citizenship in three-ways.

1. Ancestry: Those who have Italian ancestors may be able to acquire citizenship through descent.
2. Marriage: If you are married to an Italian citizen may be entitled to acquire citizenship.
3. Naturalization: People who have legally resided in Italy for several years on a a valid Italian Visa may be able to acquire citizenship

Obtaining Italian Citizenship by Descent

Italian citizenship is grounded upon the principle of “Jus Sanguinis” — this allows children born to an Italian father or mother to be considered Italian nationals or to claim for this right if nationality was not immediately recognized at the time of birth.

What is the Italian Naturalization Process?

Italian citizenship is grounded upon the principle of “Jus Sanguinis” — this allows children born to an Italian father or mother to be considered Italian nationals or to claim for this right if nationality was not immediately recognized at the time of birth.

Do I qualify — how do I prove that I have Italian ancestry?

You must be able to show a continuity in the lineage through your ancestors and trace this back to Italy. It is possible to claim the citizenship from distant relatives. For example: your great-grandfather was Italian and passed citizenship onto your father and so on.

I have Italian family — do I qualify?

This depends. Not every case is the same. For example, if your parents were the first to arrive from Italy, speak nothing but Italian, and have already passed on to you the secret ragu sauce from the 15th century — it is likely that if you have all the right documents you will qualify.

Unfortunately, for many that are seeking Italian citizenship through decent, it is not so simply. You will need to demonstrate clearly that there is no break in the Italian lineage, and that all the necessary documentation is certified and presented to the respective Italian immigration authorities according to the naturalization procedures.

I have family originally from Italy — but they renounced their Italian citizenship — is this an issue.

It may be a serious issue. since renouncing the Italian citizenship may break the “continuity” requirements. It is important to consult an expert immigration attorney to assess the specifics of your case.

How do I apply for Italian Citizenship?

You can file a Citizenship application in the (1) Italian Consulate of your home country if residing abroad; or (2) at the local Town Hall (commune) if residing in Italy.

How long does the process for Italian Citizenship take?

This depends on the processing-route. As mentioned above, you can submit an citizenship application either with the respective Italian Consulate abroad or within Italy at the competent office.

Consular Filing. For applications that are submitted to the Italian Consulates, processing timelines will vary depend on several factors: (1) Where the Consulate is (i.e. Lisbon v. New York); (2) the volume of casework for that respective Consulate; and (3) staffing resources at the Consulate. Overall, it may take years to have a naturalization case processed and approved at the Consulate.

Town Call Filing. If the request is placed at an Italian Town Hall, the process is much faster and normally completed in six to eight months (except for Milan and Rome which are the busiest cities). However, the applicant is required to first obtain legal status and maintain a residence permit in Italy.

What documents do I need to provide for an Italian Naturalization case?

Each application for the citizenship via ancestry must be supported by vital records and certificates proving the Italian lineage.

All the documents issued abroad are required to be legalized with a Apostille/Consular seal and translated. The preparation of all the paperwork necessary for the application normally takes a few months, especially when dealing with very old certificates which may be difficult to be located.

Do I need to speak Italian to become naturalized?

Yes. The Italian authorities have recently implemented a requirement to pass a basic Italian language exam before becoming fully naturalized.

You may apply for Italian citizenship through marriage as follows:

(a) Resident Abroad. Three years after marriage.

(b) Resident in Italy. Two years after the marriage.

I’m married to an Italian — how do I obtain Citizenship?

Applications for citizenship by marriage have to be filed via the Ministry of Internal Affairs web portal: residents of Italy will be processed by the local Immigration Office (Prefettura), while residents abroad must deal with the competent Italian Consulate.

How long does it take to process a citizenship through marriage application for Italy?

Applications submitted through Consulates will take longer. The law has set a non-binding deadline for the authorities to complete the process within two years, but this limit is not always met and applications can actually take more time.

What documentation do we need to submit?

The applicant will need to provide copies of the Marriage Certificate and clean criminal records for ALL the countries where they have been resident in order to be awarded with the Italian citizenship.

The timing of obtaining these police certificates is important. For example, if you are from the United States you will also need to obtain a federal criminal background check from the FBI — oftentimes this may take 6-8 weeks and can risk being outdated by the time you actually submit your application.

Italian citizenship can be acquired based on the length of time that you have been a legal resident in Italy.

• 1 year: If you were previously an Italian national
• 3 years: If your parents or grandparents are/were Italian;
• 4 years: If you are citizen of a EU member state;
• 5 years: Refugees
• 10 years: If you are a non-EU national (i.e. U.S.A / UK)

How long do I need to live in Italy before becoming a Citizen?

This depends. As outlined above: 1 year: If you were previously an Italian national / 3 years: If your parents or grandparents are/were Italian / 4 years: If you are citizen of a EU member state / 5 years: Refugees / 10 years: If you are a non-EU national (i.e. U.S.A / UK)

I believe I meet the requirements of becoming an Italian Citizen — what’s next?

Since 2015, applications for Italian Naturalization can be filed via the Ministry of Internal Affairs web portal as soon as the residency period required for the eligibility is reached.

The local Immigration Office will process the applications and there is a two years period for the authorities to evaluate the case. However, we hope that the applications through the new web portal system, will shorten the length of the process.

What documents do we need for Italian Naturalization cases?

The most important documents for submitting an Italian naturalization case are:

• Evidence of being resident of Italy for the required period of time;
• Tax returns for almost the entire period (last three years are mandatory in most cases); and
• Criminal records issued by each country where the applicant resided.