Italian Dual Citizenship in Washington
Italian dual citizenship in Washington may be something most U.S. citizens haven’t even thought about, but, due to Italy’s generous citizenship laws, it’s something to look into. Many Washington residents aren’t even aware that they might qualify for Italian citizenship, but their family history could prove otherwise.
The road to getting started and the journey to citizenship can be a difficult one if you aren’t sure where to begin. Fortunately, the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program (ITAMCAP) is here to help with how to become a dual citizen of Italy, from the beginnings of research to the Italian consulate appointment.
The Italian Dual Citizenship Benefits
Having an Italian passport can open you up to a wealth of opportunities. If you’re wondering if contacting ITAMCAP to start the process of becoming an Italian citizen is worth it, consider the:
- Right to live and work in any E.U. country, not just Italy
- Reduced cost to Italy’s education system
- Ability to vote in Italian elections as an Italian citizen
- Access to Italian healthcare
- Right to own property in Italy
- Italian law protection as a citizen
- Access to the Italian embassy in the US for legal advice and help
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How to Become an Italian Citizen
There are three main ways you can gain Italian dual citizenship:
Italian Citizenship by Descent
Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) is the most common way that residents of Washington gain Italian dual citizenship. There might be Italian family members further back in your line that can pass their citizenship down to you, as Italy, surprisingly, allows citizenship to be passed fairly far down the line.
To prove your eligibility for jure sanguinis, you’ll be required to gather records to prove that you have an Italian ancestor. This might involve vital records from a grandparent or another Italian family member such as a birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, naturalization records, and genealogy research. ITAMCAP can help correct these records, as well as with document translations.
Italian Citizenship by Marriage
Italian citizenship by marriage (jure matrimonii) is another common way that U.S. citizens secure an Italian passport. If you’ve married an Italian citizen, after three years you become eligible for Italian dual citizenship.
This Italian citizenship application process via jure matrimonii is only different if you live in Italy, as you’ll apply to the Italian Questura rather than make an Italian consulate appointment, and the timeline for the whole application process is shortened to two years.
The Italian citizenship by marriage process involves less paperwork, as your marriage certificate is one of the necessary documents you will need for citizenship. Depending on if you were married after 1983, you may need to gather other documents we can help translate).
Naturalization
If you’re an American citizen who is fortunate enough to have lived in Italy for ten consecutive years and still reside in Italy, you can also proceed with citizenship through naturalization. This involves the Ministero dell’Interno rather than the Italian consulate, and it is a much less common route simply because fewer people are eligible to become a naturalized citizen.
Ready to Apply for Italian Citizenship? Contact ITAMCAP
Everyone has their own journey to achieving Italian citizenship, and no two people’s roads are the same. ITAMCAP has helped so many people that we’re confident we can assess your situation and decide if you’re eligible for Italian citizenship, as well as helping with the process if you are, all the way to the Italian consulate of Washington.
With experts at every step of the way, contact ITAMCAP today. We provide a free phone consultation to see if you qualify.