Eight Essential Steps to Applying for Italian Citizenship by Descent

We will work with you on every part of the citizenship process to help you secure the original records, naturalization paperwork, and apostille documents required to apply for Italian citizenship. Also keep in mind that many of these documents must be translated into Italian.

What are the Italian dual citizenship requirements, and what are the steps for applying? To help get you started, we have outlined the citizenship step-by-step process in this guide.

Step 1: Conduct Ancestor Research

To become an Italian dual citizen, you must be able to trace your ancestry back to an Italian citizen. At a minimum, you will need to know:

• You Italian ancestor’s full name
• The town in Italy where they were born
• Their date of birth
• The names of their parents
• If/when the person naturalized in the U.S.

The more information you can find, the better. During your research you may end up uncovering more than one ancestor you can use to claim citizenship. Go with the ancestor who has the most available information.

Step 2: Obtain Naturalization Records

The next step is to obtain naturalization and citizenship records for your ancestor. Knowing your ancestor’s date of naturalization will help establish your eligibility for dual citizenship status. You can request these records yourself, or ITAMCAP can help you with the request. We can also review your documents to determine if you are eligible.

Step 3: Obtain Italian Records for Your Ancestor

The third step is to request a copy of your ancestor’s original Italian birth certificate and marriage record. You must obtain the records required by your consulate jurisdiction. Depending on the jurisdiction, you may also need to secure marriage certificates and death records for your ancestor.

Step 4: Obtain U.S. Vital Records

Your Italian consulate will provide a list of required vital records you must obtain to complete your application for Italian citizenship by descent.

You may need to obtain documents not only for your ancestor but also for others in your family line. These may include birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates, as well as name change documents, all of which help prove the family line of your Italian-born ancestor down to you.

ITAMCAP can assist you with the necessary record requests to complete your application. Each one must be a certified copy in long form.

Step 5: Authenticate U.S. Vital Records with an Apostille

Once you have received all the required vital records, you must have them authenticated by an apostille, as required by Italian law. An apostille makes non-Italian documents legal for use in Italy. It’s similar to getting a document notarized in the U.S. An apostille certifies that a document is legitimate.

ITAMCAP can help you obtain this legal authentication. We can also send the original documents to the appropriate government office, if needed.

Step 6: Have U.S. Vital Records Translated into Italian

Each Italian consulate jurisdiction has its own rules about which records must be translated into Italian. To avoid problems with your application for Italian citizenship by descent, you should use a professional translation service, like ours. You must attach translations to the original, certified vital records, as required by the consulate.

Step 7: Apply for Dual Citizenship Status

When your application packet is complete you can officially apply for dual citizenship status at an Italian consulate. Every adult applicant must submit their own application in person. If there are any issues, you will be informed immediately. If there are no issues, your application will be submitted for processing.

It can take anywhere from one to six years to get a consulate appointment, so we recommend making an appointment before you even start to gather documents.

Step 8: Confirm Citizenship and Apply for Italian Passport

Waiting for confirmation of dual citizenship status is often the hardest part of the process. It can take 6 months to a year for you to receive a response. But with a well-documented and properly prepared application, your wait time may be as little as 1-6 months.

The consulate will contact you once you have been approved for Italian citizenship. Your final step is to schedule an appointment to apply for your Italian passport. Once you have your passport, you can work, live, study, and travel in Italy!

Get Help Applying for Dual Citizenship

This is just a general overview of the steps required to become a dual citizen. The records gathering process is challenging, and many people need assistance.

The Italian citizenship experts at ITAMCAP can help you understand Italian citizenship law by descent or marriage and the current requirements for applying. We can also assist you in locating your ancestor’s records and getting documents translated and apostilled.

Don’t wait, contact us today at (877) 456-1660 for help!