Italian citizenship by descent or dual citizenship, is a gift to pass along to further generations.
In 2015 I applied for citizenship with Italy through the process called Jus Sanguinis (through blood) and Ilene through Jus Matrimonii (through marriage). This process (a roller coaster ride as we still refer to it) took just under three years. At the time we received our citizenship, we were informed that our children and grandchildren, if they wanted it also, would file under me. They would only have to go through the Vital Records department and not the long drawn-out process I went through. Hah!!!
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The Gift of Italian Citizenship by Descent
Our youngest daughter told us in January of 2021 that she wanted citizenship and inquired what she had to do. I told her I would get the papers and pay the filing cost to put her application through.
In hindsight, I should have had her fill out the citizenship request since she was 30 years old at the time. Instead, I filled everything out and sent it to the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles. It was sent to this consulate as she lived in Arizona at the time and this consulate overseas the state of Arizona.
Big mistake. I thought I was helping her by starting her process – but since she was an adult – she needed to be the one presenting her paperwork. Since it was during COVID, they told me to mail everything to the attention of the Vital Records Department. Easy peasy right?? Everyone I spoke to told me the process would take anywhere from six to nine months, especially in COVID-19 times.
“Good things take time, as they should. We shouldn’t expect good things to happen overnight. Actually, getting something too easily or too soon can cheapen the outcome.”
— John Wooden
All Good Things Take Time
Fast forward to February 2022.
Italian citizenship by descent takes a bit of time. Our daughter informed us that she received a communication from the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles asking if she still wants to file for Italian citizenship since the original application came from me and not from her.
Of course, she said yes so… she had to fill out the application for herself as they could not use the one, I filled out for her. At least they allowed her to use the application payment I sent instead of charging us again. Thank goodness for little miracles.
Never Give Up on Italian Citizenship
Fast forward to January 2023.
Our daughter informed us of another communication from the Consulate asking for a copy of a driver’s license, utility bill, or some other official paperwork showing her address so they can see that she lives within the LA Consulate’s jurisdiction. Within a week this was completed. Then, once again… we found ourselves in that uncomfortable holding pattern since all was in their hands now.
The Perfect Ending to Our Italian Citizenship by Descent Story
Finally, in May of 2023, our daughter received an email from the consulate. The email said she was recognized as an Italian citizen. She was now the proud recipient of Italian citizenship by descent. After two years and four months, she became a citizen just like Ilene and me. Of course, had we properly filed her application, it probably would have only taken a little over a year. Still… it wasn’t the six to nine months we were previously told. Mission accomplished and now our youngest is also an Italian citizen. Happy days are here again.
I hope if any of our other children want Italian citizenship in the future, the process gets a bit easier, or maybe we just make sure we are a bit smarter in the application process.
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Guys
Congratulazioni!
In bocca al lupo
Jeff
We have one more child possibily interested. We shall see but how funny you say, “In bocca al lupo.” New post coming soon about those words!
Great information, thanks for this post. I plan to start my Italian citizenship application process in the near future through Jus Sanguinis, and at least two of our five children (all adults) are interested in getting theirs.
Dennis
Thanks for the comment, Dennis. It is indeed a gift we can give our children. Start collecting documents now – as that’s the most difficult part.
It’s all discoverable online if you have the time and patience to read through your consulate’s instructions for applying for citizenship. Too bad Gary didn’t do that and wasted a bunch of time.
So true Linda – Gary just did what he was told rather than researching himself. It all worked out, thankfully.
And another bonus, she’ll be able to visit or even live in any one of the 27 European Union countries without visas etc.
Exactly Ken. They were thinking of this all along. It’s an amazing gift.
My grandfather was an Italian citizen when my father was born in 1922. Trying to figure out the process to get my Italian citizenship recommendations?
Your first sentence is key. You’ll need to prove your grandfather never naturalied or became a US citizen (assuming yor in the US) – We’ll send you an email to make correspondence easier.
My father and his parents were all born in Italy. Unfortunately they had to renounce their Italian citizenship when they became naturalized US citizens. Is that a deal breaker for me to get Italian citizenship by descent?
Ciao Matt – it depends if your parents naturalized before you were born. If you need more info- please email us for personal circumstances rather than a post comment. Just better than way.
I am replying to the comment I made on a TikTok video. When I went to the Italian consulate in Houston in 2016 they said I cannot reclaim my grandfather’s Italian citizenship until I could prove when he became a U.S. citizen. Since then, I found out that he became a U.S. citizen at the age of 11 in 1931 and therefore it cut the tie to the Italian government.
Ciao Melissa. True but… as a minor child, he did not “technically” agree to this- it was his parents choice. There have been several grandchildren that have fought this and we’ve heard some have won their case in court. We’ll email you privately with more information.
What a great story. This is a process that my sister and I challenged our dad to do for his grandchildren’s sake. After a lot of heavy lifting (on his end) and about 3 years out families received our passports. Now to work on our spouses and to figure out how to benefit from the citizenship
It is a process and an amazing gift, Mike. Keep us posted on the spouces and their journey! Thanks for commenting.