If you are interested in Italian dual citizenship and just starting out with the process, there are a number of things you should know.
The current laws in the country do allow for dual nationality and don’t put any limit on the number of citizenships you can hold. Italian citizenship is allowed to have multiple nationalities.
Italy did not always allow for dual citizenship, particularly between the years 1912 and 1932. During this time, many Italian emigrants actually lost citizenship when they petitioned to also become citizens of their chosen country. This is important to keep in mind when you apply for Italian citizenship by descent.
How Do You Qualify for Italian Dual Citizenship?
There are different ways that you can get Italian citizenship. You can do so by a residence permit, which means living for a few years in the country before you are granted citizenship. You can also get citizenship with employment with different visas after several years. Italy does offer the option to apply for citizenship if you are married to an Italian national. This can be one of the quickest ways to get an Italian passport. Italy is also on the list of different European countries to have a citizenship investment for non-EU citizens that are willing to make some important contributions to the local economy. One of the other ways to apply for Italian dual citizenship is by proving a connection to Italian ancestors.
Applying for Italian Dual Citizenship Cost
There are some costs when it comes to getting Italian dual citizenship. You will need some documents and these will likely come at a cost. You need to have your Italian ancestor’s marriage, birth, and death certificates, a certified copy of the Italian ancestor’s naturalization papers, as well as new and certified copies of divorce, birth, and marriage records of all your ancestors in your lineage from your current country. These will usually be ordered from your state. Any non-Italian documents, with the exception of naturalization documents, also need to be translated to Italian, which can be an additional cost. You will be charged an application fee at the Italian consulate when you actually officially apply for your citizenship. Anyone who is over the age of 18 will need to be pay consulate fees. When you do get your citizenship, you will also have to pay to order an Italian passport. The cost will vary if you do it by yourself or if you have someone else do it for you.
How Long Does It Take to Get Citizenship in Italy?
The process of getting Italian dual citizenship is going to depend on which method you are doing. For those who want to apply for Italian citizenship through the residence, it can take a minimum of 10 years of living in Italy. If you are doing the process through naturalization then as soon as you can prove your ties to your Italian ancestor, you can go through with the application. The waiting period for marriage is two years and during that time you have to live in the country with your Italian spouse.
