Italian Dual Citizenship in Virginia

Italian dual citizenship might seem like an impossible dream to many U.S. citizens, but the reality is it’s closer than you might think. Due to generous citizenship laws and a lot of Italian family background in U.S. citizens, many people qualify for success with the Italian dual citizenship process—they just don’t realize it.

If you’ve been wondering if you might qualify for Italian citizenship and whether it’s worth exploring that option, we’re here to help. Here are the benefits of Italian dual citizenship, as well as the avenues you can explore to make your dream a reality.

The Benefits of Italian Citizenship

Even if you qualify for Italian citizenship, you might wonder if the complexity of the journey is worth it. For those who qualify, it is. Italian citizenship comes with numerous benefits, including:

• The right to live and work in not just Italy, but any country in the EU
• Access to a world-class education at a low cost
• The ability to own property in Italy
• Protection as an Italian citizen
• Voting opportunities in Italy
• Access to better healthcare in Italy

The Italian passport is a strong one, so the benefits it comes with are immeasurable in their worth.

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How to Become an Italian Citizen

There are a few different ways you can become an Italian citizen:

Italian Citizenship by Descent

The most common way to get Italian dual citizenship in Virginia is by Italian descent. You might have a grandparent or great-grandparent who is Italian, and they are able to pass their citizenship onto you. This is also known as jure sanguinis.

Obtaining Italian citizenship by jure sanguinis usually involves gathering records to prove that you have an Italian ancestor. These will involve both Italian and U.S. records and may involve genealogy research to trace family members. Together, this research and vital records will make your case for citizenship when you make an Italian consulate appointment. Since Virginia doesn’t have its own consulate, Italian citizenship applicants in Virginia will have to travel to Philadelphia or Washington, depending on which county they reside in.

Italian Citizenship by Marriage

Through marriage, otherwise known as jure matrimonii, is another way to gain Italian dual citizenship in Virginia. This will involve marrying an Italian citizen and waiting three years (or two, if you live in Italy, though the process is slightly different in this case as you will apply to the Italian court rather than the Italian consulate).

You will have to prove your marriage through a marriage certificate and will need to obtain a professional translation and likely an Italian apostille if you were married in the U.S.

Naturalization

The last way you can obtain citizenship is through naturalization. This involves having lived in Italy for a certain amount of time. For U.S. citizens, it’s ten years, though for citizens of E.U. countries, it’s four.

How ITAMCAP Can Help You

At Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program, we understand that Italian dual citizenship in Virginia can seem like a long and drawn-out process, and it’s easy for a mistake to set you back. We have experts at every step of the way to ensure that the process is as stress-free as possible—from an Italian genealogist to professional translators, and more.

Every case is unique, so we’ll look at your specific situation and determine your eligibility and what you need from us to be successful.

Ready to start your journey into the world of Italian citizenship? Contact us for a free consultation.