In 1992, the Italian government introduced a law that allows foreigners of Italian descent to apply and obtain Italian citizenship no matter where they are located.

Everyone who has local ancestry is seen as a citizen of Italy. This allows you to obtain a local passport, ID card and even contest and vote in elections. We made this article to help people like you understand how to claim their rights as Italian citizens by descent or marriage and enjoy the benefits of being a dual citizen of Italy and their birth country.

The Italian government has a law called “Jus Sanguinis”. Jus Sanguinis is a law that determines nationality by the right of blood instead of the place of birth. What this means is that if your parents or ancestors were from Italy but later migrated to another place to live before you were born, you are an Italian citizen. All that is required for you to do is to claim your Italian citizenship and secure your rights.

This means you can be a citizen of Italy and the country of your birth without any sweat at all. You only need to prove your Italian ancestry using proper documentation and you are all set for Italian citizenship.

Who qualifies for Italian dual citizenship? 

Anyone of Italian descent qualifies for it. The law does not limit the number of nationalities you can possess. The Italian laws allow a foreigner to possess both double, triple, or multiple citizenship. You don’t need to renounce your previous nationalities to become an Italian citizen.

Benefits and Advantages

There are so many benefits of possessing dual citizenship rights in Italy. Some of them include:

• You automatically become eligible to live, work and study in Italy and other EU countries without possessing a work or student visa.
• You can travel in and out of Italy anytime you want
• Buying and selling property in Italy becomes easier, with fewer requirements. 
• Your children become citizens of Italy and your birth country.
• Access to public health care, education and other social amenities available to all EU citizens for free or cheaper rates.
• It gives you the right to vote and be voted for in Italy
• Finding jobs becomes easy in the European Union.

Do I Qualify for Italian Dual Citizenship?

Dual nationals in Italy do not need to renounce their current citizenship. This allows you to possess multiple passports and rights. You automatically qualify for Italian citizenship by descent if you can prove that your ancestors came from Italy.

When applying, you need to attach all official documents that prove your Italian descent to support your application. For example, if anyone of your parent were Italian nationals, you must come with a long-form birth or marriage certificate to complete your application. 

The outcome of your application depends on the evidence you bring to support your claim. Depending on the circumstances, a marriage certificate may be required. The documents you bring to process your application matters a lot when applying for dual citizenship in Italy.

Requirements and Eligibility

To apply for Italian citizenship by descent, the following documents need to be included in your application:

• Your parents’ birth certificates;
• Your permanent resident card;
• Birthplaces (if available/known);
• Death certificates or marriage certificates [If available] for members of your family;
• Your parents, grandparent or ancestor’s Italian passport or certificate of naturalization;
• Names and birth dates of your family members [Italian ancestors included].

All the documents listed above must be authenticated and be translated before they are taken to an Italian consulate or embassy. 

Cost to Get Dual Italian Citizenship

The application fee costs €300. This fee is non-refundable. The dual citizenship application is a lengthy process. It can take up to 15 months to process. 

But once the Italian consulate/embassy registers and approves your information, you can start your application for a local passport. Both processes could take up to 3 years to complete.

How to apply for Italian Dual Citizenship

If you want to apply for Italian citizenship by descent, you need to confirm your eligibility by presenting valid required records and documents of your Italian ancestors. 

All of these documents must be presented with apostille and translations before your appointment in the embassy or consulate if you don’t reside in Italy or your town hall if you reside in Italy with proof that your ancestors or grandparents were Italians. 

If you are obtaining Italian dual nationality by marriage, you must also come with your marriage record. Each consulate, embassy or town hall has different requirements and required documents. So make sure you check to see whether you qualify.

The most difficult part of attaining your dual citizenship right in Italy is identifying your ancestor or parent that were Italian citizen, depending on how far back your ancestor ties dates.

The best way to get your application approved fast is by contacting your Citizenship lawyer in Italy, so he can help you ask and obtain all the required documents you need to finish your dual citizenship application.