Italian, since it is a member of EU countries, and its citizenship can provide you multiple benefits, including travel to 190 visa-free countries and the right to vote and live and work freely in EU countries. According to the Passport Index, the Italian passport ranked fourth on the Global Passport Power Rank 2024. So, if you are interested and searching for ways to obtain Italian citizenship while already holding US nationality, you are in the right place. For this, the article serves as a brief guide on Italian dual citizenship to help you apply for it better.
Does Italy Allow Dual Citizenship?
Yes, now Italy allows Italians to obtain dual citizenship, whether it is acquired citizenship or born Italian citizenship. That means the citizens of another country can also get Italian citizenship without giving up their current citizenship.
Can Americans hold dual citizenship?
Yes. Although the Oath of Allegiance to the United States says that you need to renounce the allegiance and fidelity to your original country, the U.S. immigration law does not speak about dual citizenship which means no legislation against it. In actual life, the US allows dual citizenship, and the other citizenship can be kept.
Different Ways to Become an Italian Citizen
Not everyone can apply for Italian citizenship instinctively. Only those who qualify can obtain it. If you want to get Italian citizenship, you can apply for it through the following ways.
By Marriage/Civil Partnership
This is one of the most common ways to obtain dual citizenship in Italy. As can be seen from the official data, the number of people who become Italian citizens through marriage is increasing. Regulated by Italian Articles 5, 6, 7 and 8 of Law 91/92 and subsequent amendments, the foreign and stateless spouse obtains Italian citizenship that is awarded by prefectorial decree through marriage or civil partnership (Jure Matrimonii).
Anyone non-Italian-spouse who wants to apply for Italian citizenship must register with the Register of Italians living abroad (A.I.R.E.)or go to the local Italian consulate to register for a foreign marriage record, same-sex marriage, or a civil union relationship., Both husband and wife must go to the town office to have a registration for the marriage or civil union relationship.
By Residence in Italy (including work carried out for the State)
The second way to get Italian citizenship is by residence or we call it naturalization. Pursuant to Article 9, If you, as a foreigner, get a residency permit for Italy and pay the taxes, you can get Italian citizenship after several years of uninterrupted living in Italy.
By Law
According to Article 4 of Law no. 91/1992, there are two cases in which you can apply to apply for citizenship in Italy.
- You are the son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter of an Italian citizen by birth. At the same time, you have already performed military service in Italy and have expressed your wish to become an Italian citizen. Or, you have been an employee of the public service of the Italian government and have expressed the wish to become an Italian citizen. Or, you have resided legally in Italy for at least two years after reaching the age of 18 and have expressed the wish to become an Italian citizen at the age of 18.
- You were born in Italy and have been living legally in Italy until the age of 18. And you expressed the wish to become an Italian citizen when you are 18.
Recognition of Italian Citizenship by Descent
According to Italian law, there is another way to obtain Italian citizenship if you live abroad, that is proving you are a descendant of an Italian. In this case, you need to collect the family tree and gather information about your Italian ancestors, including ancestry information, births of family members, marriages, death certificates, and more.
There is no limit to the number of Italian descendants that can be inherited from the same maternal or paternal line, and there is no generational limit. But be noted, Italian citizenship transmission by maternal lineage can only be acquired for those born after January 1, 1948. This means 1) if your mother was born outside Italy, 2) your maternal grandfather had Italy citizenship when your mother was born, and 3) you were born after January 1, 1948, you can apply for Italian citizenship after 4) claiming from you and your mother never renouncing the right to Italian citizenship. Of course, for all of the above conditions, you must provide solid proof when you apply.
Maternal or Paternal Recognition
Acquisition of Italian citizenship when minors from recognizing paternity/maternity is also possible according to Law No. 91/92, in which there are the following cases.
- Adoption.
- Citizenship by your parent’s naturalization.
- Citizenship by acknowledgment of paternity/maternity or judicial ruling on paternity/maternity.
Citizenship by Minors
Any minor child adopted by an Italian citizen under the rule of Italian judicial authorities or adopted abroad, under the rule of abroad through an order (issued by the Juvenile Court) for registration in the Civil Status Registers, is able to apply for Italian citizenship. Adoptees who have reached the legal age can acquire citizenship by naturalization after five years of legal residence in Italy.
Italian Citizenship Requirements
When you decide to apply for Italian citizenship, the requirements for obtaining Italian citizenship in different ways are distinctive.
Before we go through the separate requirements, let’s see some universal requirements to apply for Italian citizenship that you will need to provide first such as:
- A birth certificate of the original country with apostille and translation in force, along with personal details. If you are in a situation where you lack a birth certificate, it is acceptable that a certificate is issued by diplomatic-consular authorities of the original country.
- Criminal record certificate of the original country with apostille and translation in force.
- Identification certificate including valid passport, ID card, etc.
- Pursuant to Articles 5 and 9 of Law 91/1992, if you want to apply for Italian citizenship, the prerequisite is that you need to get a certificate of knowledge of the Italian language at least a level above B1.
- Marriage certificate with apostille and translation in force.
Apart from providing the above universal documentation proof, here are some specialized requirements.
Requirements of Italian Citizenship by Marriage
If you decide to apply for Italian citizenship by marriage or civil partnership, you need to prove you have been living in Italy for a legal period of time.
- Residence In Italy: If you meet the conditions, after 2 years of marrying, you can get citizenship while living in Italy.
- Residence outside Italy: If you are living abroad, you can wait for 3 years to apply for Italian citizenship.
- If your couple has kids: There is a situation that this period will be halved if your couple has kids, which is relatively 1 year and 1.5 years.
Requirement of Citizenship by Residence (including work carried out for the State)
Article 9 of the Law provides the granting of Italian citizenship to a foreigner by Decree of the President of the Republic. However, you will need to meet the requirements of legal residency and provide proof of that.
- Non-EU country citizen: At least 10 years of uninterrupted legal residence in Italy.
- EU country citizen: At least 4 years of uninterrupted legal residence in Italy.
- Legal adults adopted by Italians or acknowledgment of stateless people or political refugees: 5 years of legal residence in Italy.
- If you are a foreigner who works abroad for Italy state for at least 5 years: The requirement is not envisaged.
Apart from the proof of residency, you will need to provide the language certificate as well, which is not less than B1. What’s more, proof of income is required for at least 8.263,31 euros for the past three years. If you are married, provide proof of annual income for at least 11.362,05 and an extra 516,46 for each child.
Requirement of Citizenship by Descent
If you want to apply for Italian citizenship by descent, you need to provide substantial evidence.
- You will need to provide valid proof that you are of Italian ancestry and that the blood lineage has been uninterrupted up to your generation.
- You need to provide valid proof that your Italian ancestor had Italian citizenship up to your generation. If the ancestor was not naturalized, provide a document certified by a foreign authority.
- A notarized birth certificate and marriage document are needed to prove you are descended from an Italian ancestor.
- A certificate issued by the competent Italian diplomatic and consular authorities attesting to the fact that the applicant and his/her ascendants have never voluntarily renounced their Italian citizenship if the citizenship is interrupted.
How to Get Italian Dual Citizenship in the US
Below are some of the steps for obtaining dual Italian citizenship. Since the requirements of the Italian Consulate in each country will be different, it is recommended that you check with the Consulate in your place of residence in advance to ensure that you will be able to make a successful application.
- First, determine which approach you would like to take to obtain Italian citizenship and gather the relevant documents.
- You should register on the portal of the Ministry of the Interior called ALI and make an online application.
- The regional diplomatic or consular delegation is territorially competent for the applicant’s place of residence and will verify the documentation you uploaded before accepting your application.
- Once the application is accepted, you will be summoned to the office to deposit the original documents and be identified.
- After the application, you will need to wait for the decision and apply for an Italian passport after the approval.
Italian Citizenship Fee & Processing Time
The processing time for an Italian citizenship application is indefinite, ranging from three months to three years once the application is accepted. It depends on your current queue and the specifics of each case.
To apply for Italian citizenship, you will need to pay an initial fee of 300 euros at the beginning, which is non-refundable, regardless of whether you have obtained Italian citizenship or not. Depending on the method you choose, the application fee will vary. At the same time, due to the location of the applicant, the number of documents that need to be translated and notarized will be different. Generally, it takes between US$500 and US$13,000 to apply for dual Italian citizenship. If you hire a professional or agency, there will also be an additional service fee.
Benefits of Italian American Dual Citizenship
Free travel to multiple countries
With Italian citizenship, you can go to some countries that US passport holders cannot access. You can have a free trip to any 27 EU countries with a visa.
Employment benefits
Having both U.S. and Italian citizenship gives you an advantage when looking for a job. In addition, it increases your chances of working in EU countries. There are no additional visa fees for employers for you.
Educational enhancement
The cost of studying in Italy is much lower than in the U.S. If you are an Italian citizen, you can access 1300+ higher education programs with low tuition fees or completely free.
Citizenship hereditary benefits
Italian citizenship can be passed on to children by blood.
Protection Benefits
With both US and Italian citizenship, you will feel more secure. If you are traveling, you can seek help from the embassies of both countries. Most importantly, you can also seek help from EU member states.
Healthcare benefits
It is well known that healthcare insurance in the US is expensive, but as a dual citizen, you have access to Italian national healthcare and EU healthcare. It is much cheaper and sometimes even free of charge.
Political rights benefits
With Italian citizenship, you have complete civil and social rights, including the right to vote for candidates in your city.
Disadvantages of Italian Dual Citizenship
Apparently, there are a few disadvantages when you have dual citizenship. The only need is to take two passports with you before you encounter the check from frontier authorities.
FAQ
👉 Does Italy and the US allow triple citizenship?
Neither the U.S. nor Italy have laws in place to allow TRIPLE citizenship. But the reality is that it’s not explicitly banned either, so it’s feasible. Existing technology generally cannot detect it in this case.
👉 Can I live in Italy as an American citizen?
Yes. Even if you don’t have Italian citizenship you can work and live in Italy as a U.S. citizen, as long as you have the relevant visa.
👉 Can I work in Italy with dual citizenship?
Yes. If you are a dual citizen of Italy and the United States, you are a national of both countries and enjoy the benefits of both. You can work in Italy with either Italian or American citizenship. It’s up to you.
👉 Can I work in Italy while waiting for citizenship?
Yes. However, during the period in which you do not acquire Italian citizenship, you can only work and live in Italy as a U.S. citizen.
👉 Do Italian American dual citizens pay taxes in both countries?
Yes. The U.S. tax laws impose global tax obligations on U.S. citizens. As a U.S. citizen, you are required to file and pay taxes to the U.S. government no matter where you are in the world. Therefore, if you obtain Italian citizenship, you will most likely be liable for the taxes of two countries.
Conclusion
This is all the information about dual Italian citizenship. If you want to apply for Italian citizenship, you can get it by marriage, residence, relative law, recognition of paternity or maternity, etc. Hurry up and take action because applying for Italian citizenship takes a long time to wait, and the sooner you apply for it, the sooner you will get it. We wish you the best of luck with the application!
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