Italian Citizenship

The number of Americans who describe themselves as Italian Americans exceeds 15.7 million. They make up over 6% of the total population of the United States. After the Germans, Irish, and English, Italian Americans make up the fourth largest European ancestry group in the country.

Sometimes the descendants don’t even know they have Italian ancestors.

Obtaining Italian citizenship can be a complex process, depending on your personal and family situation. Italian citizenship is mainly passed down through descent, meaning that if you have Italian ancestors, you may be eligible to obtain it.

Here are some common ways to obtain Italian citizenship:

By descent (ius sanguinis): This is the most common way to obtain Italian citizenship. If you can prove that you have direct Italian ancestors, such as grandparents, great-grandparents, etc., you may be eligible for Italian citizenship. This usually involves gathering documents such as birth, marriage and death certificates of your Italian ancestors;
By marriage to an Italian citizen: If you are married to an Italian citizen, you may be eligible for Italian citizenship after a certain period of marriage and fulfillment of certain legal requirements;
By residence: If you live in Italy for a specific period and meet the residency requirements, you may be eligible to apply for Italian citizenship through this process;
By adoption: In some cases, Italian citizenship can be granted to children adopted by Italian citizens;
By merit: In special circumstances, Italian citizenship can be granted to individuals who have made notable contributions to Italy or have played important roles in areas such as sports, culture, science, etc.

It is important to note that Italian citizenship laws vary according to time, jurisdiction and other factors. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you consult a lawyer specializing in immigration for specific guidance for your situation.

Make sure you gather all the necessary documents and follow the correct procedures when applying for Italian citizenship, as mistakes can delay or prevent the process. In addition, the time needed to complete the process can vary significantly.

To find out if you are eligible for citizenship, we advise you to search for and request the birth certificate of the oldest ancestor you know where you are (e.g. grandfather’s birth certificate) and go up and find out the details of the other ancestors.

The family is the main source of information about our roots.

The main ways of obtaining citizenship are: