Your Complete Guide to the Italian Passport Requirements
Your Complete Guide to the Italian Passport Requirements
An Italian passport is one of the most popular passports in the world. For those who meet the requirements, obtaining a passport is rather straightforward, and it allows you to travel anywhere in the European Union.
Are you eligible to apply for an Italian passport? At the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program (ITAMCAP), we can help you through the process. This guide to the Italian passport requirements will help you determine if you qualify, and outlines the many benefits of Italian dual citizenship.
Benefits of Getting an Italian Passport
If your Italian passport application is approved, you gain access to all the benefits of becoming an EU citizen. Some of the notable advantages include:
- The ability to live, work, or purchase property in Italy, or any member country of the EU
- Hiring preference by employers inside the EU, and the ability to do business there
- Access to low-cost healthcare, including doctors and emergency services
- Higher education at a reasonable cost, including top universities
- Permission to use Fast Track lines at travel hubs, available only to EU citizens
- Voting rights for parliamentary elections
- Traveling without visas to 190 countries and without time limits to European Union countries, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein
Do You Meet the Italian Passport Requirements?
In order to obtain your Italian passport, you will need to qualify for Italian citizenship. The most common way to meet the Italian passport requirements for foreigners is to apply for dual citizenship either based on your descent from or marriage to an Italian citizen.
The requirements of Italian law specify who is eligible for citizenship based on when individuals immigrated to the United States and the circumstances of their naturalization. Important factors that will determine if you qualify include:
- Your Italian ancestor immigrated from Italy after March 17, 1861
- Your ancestor was not a minor when they immigrated
- Your ancestor was not naturalized before June 14, 1912
- At the time of a descendent’s birth (if born before August 16, 1992) their Italian parent must not have been naturalized or taken other citizenship
- Female Italian ancestors used in the application process must technically have been born after January 1, 1948, although courts may grant exceptions to this
How to Get Your Italian Passport
Because you can only apply for an Italian passport in Italy if you are already a citizen and have a permanent residence there, US citizens will apply for citizenship at the Italian Consulate or Embassy that has jurisdiction over the state in which they live. The documents you need to submit will differ if you are applying for citizenship by blood (jure sanguinis) or citizenship by marriage (jure matrimonii).
Once you have been approved for Italian citizenship, you will be notified by the Consulate or Embassy, and at that time you may apply for your Italian passport. You must provide the requested documentation, with Apostille (legal certification).
Documentation to Apply for Your Italian Passport
- Completed application(s) for you and your children
- Registration with AIRE (the registry of Italian residents living abroad)
- Your current passport, US Visa, or green card
- Driver’s license and naturalization certificate, if applicable
- Two passport photos
- Consent agreements (parental awareness forms) for your children (two copies of each)
Italian Passport Photo Requirements
Your Italian passport photo size should be 4.5cm x 2.5cm. Not only should the Italian passport picture size be correct, it must be taken on a white background within the last six months. Supply two photos that meet these requirements with your application.
How Much Is a Passport from Italy?
The Italian passport application cost will be approximately $145 USD. This includes about $84 in administrative tax and $49 for the passport booklet itself. These fees must be paid via USPS money order.
Your Italian passport will be valid for up to 5 years, at which time it will need to be renewed. Also factor in the cost of Italian citizenship if you have yet to apply.
How Long Does It Take to Get Your Italian Passport?
If you are starting with applying for Italian dual citizenship, it may take 18 months or more for you to receive confirmation and approval. At that point, you can begin the process of receiving your passport, which typically takes about six weeks. If all your documents are up to date and on file, some consulates will offer expedited or same-day processing, while others may not.
What Does an Italian Passport Look Like?
Like most passports, an Italian passport looks like a small booklet with engravings on the front. It has a unique biometric chip that is nearly impossible to duplicate. The first page features the symbol of the European Union and Italian Republic, with the word “passport” printed in the language of the passport holder’s respective country. Your passport identity number is listed below that, as it is at the bottom of every page.
On the second page, your personal details are identified. These include your name, birth date, age, and other characteristics such as hair and eye color. The third page identifies where you live, whether you reside in Italy or another country. A photo of you and additional personal information is below that.
Starting the Process to Get Your Italian Passport
Meeting all the requirements of getting your passport or obtaining Italian dual citizenship can seem daunting. However, the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program provides assistance to help you gather all documents needed and apply for Italian citizenship or get an Italian passport.
ITAMCAP can help you quickly and easily determine if you are eligible, and guide you through each step of the process, including certified translation to Italian, Apostille services, and help in tracking down vital records in Italy or the United States. To get started today, contact us online or call 305-812-5512.