A complete guide to required documents for Italian citizenship by descent
About 20 million Americans have Italian ancestry, making them eligible for Italian citizenship by descent, which they may not know about. As a result of the Italian Unification War and its economic ramifications, many Italians departed their nation in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. As a result of the contributions of Italian-Americans to American culture, several well-known Italian singers and actors are still enchanting the world today. Many Italian-Americans are happy to identify themselves as such, and there is a unique subculture of Italian-Americans. Due to the numerous benefits associated with Italian nationality, an increasing number of people are pursuing it.
A growing number of Americans are applying for second citizenship, primarily European citizenship, and paying up to $1 million for the privilege. Many people throughout the world consider multiple citizenships as a rare commodity, whether it’s for banking, participating in crypto exchanges, allowing travel, or for investment purposes. In every Passport Index, the Italian passport is rated higher than the American one. An important contributing factor to this is European Union (EU) citizens’ freedom to live and work anywhere inside the EU. With an EU passport, you have access to all 27 European countries’ environments, tax rates, and political systems. A more important consideration is ensuring that their heritage as Italians will be passed down through generations of Italian-Americans in the United States.
Documents required for the application process
Document retrieval might be straightforward or quite difficult, depending on how far back in your family tree you need to travel. It’s not difficult if one of your parents is an Italian citizen, but the further back you go, the more difficult it becomes. Here are some of the most commonly requested documents:
1) Birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates for each of your ancestors are required (if applicable).
2) A copy of your first US-born Italian ancestor’s parents’ US naturalization records (or confirmation that these papers do not exist). This can quickly get extremely complex.
Due to the likelihood that the application will be filed in Italy, all documents must be translated and apostilled by a qualified translator. Retrieving documentation from ancestors, you know very little about is the most difficult part of genealogy. My great-great-grandfather was born in a different country than most people! A court order is required in some states, such as New York, to obtain the birth certificate of a deceased person’s children. New York will only issue apostilled copies in the absence of a court order. The Italian authorities will not accept these.
There are many dead ends if you go through this procedure alone. You’ll have to spend time and money searching through state archives and other government entities to find the papers you need. Legalization and translation of documents will also be necessary.
How can I receive expert advice for my Italian citizenship by descent application?
It is hard for inexperienced people to apply for Italian citizenship on your own due to the outbreak and the closing of Italian consulates in the United States. However, there is still good news, and that is everything is being done in Italy, the process can move much more quickly than before. Doing it yourself, on the other hand, will cost you money. You will spend around $2,000 -$3,000 to acquire the paperwork from the authorities, translate them, and legalize them. In addition, you can add $5,000-$7,000 for the legal fees associated with bringing your case before an Italian court. An Italian lawyer will not assist you in reclaiming your documents in the US. You should plan to spend at least $7,000 to $10,000 for the full process. Also, it would be preferable to give yourself a 1–2-year cushion before setting your court appearance to recover your papers and be sure of your eligibility. If you incorporate children in your application, expect an added level of complexity.
It is possible to save time and money by working with a professional. We specialize in European citizenship by ancestry, and we can often determine eligibility for additional European citizenship by ancestry.
Our fees for Italian citizenship by heritage start at $15,000 because the consulates are closed. The following services are offered by us:
1) Your eligibility assessment
2) Choosing between direct and indirect path
3) Showing your incapacity to acquire consulate appointments
4) Court petition and representation
5) All document retrievals
6) All translations of documents
7) All document legalizations
8) Genealogical mapping
9) Registration of birth certificate and other Italian IDs
Our legal experts can handle the whole thing from a distance. Our genealogists can retrieve documents quickly, but if your claim to ancestry extends further back than your grandparents’ generation, it may take 3–6 months. One to two years is typical for the complete procedure.
Do you believe our prices are too high for what we provide? Many of our clients split them with other family members like parents, siblings, and cousins and get a family package! We also provide financing at 0 percent interest.
If you’re interested in learning more and finding out whether you’re eligible for Italian citizenship, reach out to us. We’ll arrange a complimentary call with one of our consultants.
Global RCG is a leader in Citizenship by Ancestry, reach out to know more.
