How Americans Can Pass Italian Citizenship to Their Children

For Italian Americans, the allure of dual citizenship goes beyond nostalgia. It’s a gateway to embracing cultural heritage, expanding opportunities, and solidifying ties to Italy. Passing Italian citizenship to your children is a powerful way to ensure that they too can enjoy these benefits.

Here’s what you need to know about Italian citizenship by descent, establishing your own citizenship, and transferring it to the next generation.

Italian Citizenship By Descent

Italian citizenship by descent operates under the principle of jure sanguinis (right of blood), meaning Italian citizenship for Italian Americans can be passed down through generations as long as there has been no renunciation along the way. To qualify for Italian citizenship by jure sanguinis, certain key criteria must be met:

• Uninterrupted Lineage: Your Italian ancestor must not have renounced their Italian citizenship before the birth of their child. For example, if your great-grandfather immigrated to the United States and became a naturalized American citizen, the date of his naturalization is critical. If he became a U.S. citizen before your grandfather’s birth, the Italian descent lineage is broken.
• Proper Documentation: Proof of the Italian ancestor’s citizenship status and family lineage is required. This typically involves obtaining birth, marriage, and death certificates, along with naturalization records, from both Italian and U.S. authorities.

There’s no restriction on how many generations back your Italian ancestor may be as long as the lineage is continuous and documented.

Establishing Your Own Italian Citizenship

If you’re an American of Italian descent, the first step in passing citizenship to your children is to establish your own Italian citizenship. Here’s how:

• Gather Necessary Documents: Collect official records for every generation connecting you to your Italian ancestor. This includes birth, marriage, and death certificates for all relatives in the direct line, as well as the ancestor’s naturalization documents (or proof of non-naturalization).
• Authenticate Documents: Have the U.S. documents authenticated with an apostille and translated into Italian by a certified translator. Italian consulates require precise and professionally prepared translations.
• File Your Application: Submit your application at the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over your U.S. residence. Each consulate has specific requirements and wait times, so check their guidelines carefully.
• Register with an Italian Municipality: Once your application is approved, your information will be registered with an Italian municipality (comune), formalizing your Italian citizenship.

Passing Italian Citizenship to Your Children

Once you’ve established your own Italian citizenship through descent, parents have several options for passing Italian citizenship to their children, including:

• Minors: If your children are minors (under 18) when you apply for your dual citizenship, you can include them on your application. Once you are approved, they automatically become Italian citizens.
• Unborn Children: If you or your spouse obtain Italian citizenship, the unborn child will automatically acquire Italian citizenship upon birth, provided their birth is registered with the Italian authorities.
• Adult Children: If your children are over 18 when you become an Italian citizen, they will need to apply independently. However, their process is simplified as they can apply for Italian citizenship by descent of a direct Italian citizen.

Unlock Your Family’s Italian Legacy

Navigating the process of obtaining Italian citizenship for Italian Americans and transferring it to your children can be complex, but you don’t have to do it alone. Let the expert team at the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program help you uncover your Italian roots, manage the paperwork, and guide you every step of the way.

Contact us today to start your journey to dual citizenship and give your family the gift of a vibrant connection to Italy.