The Italian passport is among the most powerful ones, making it a desirable one for people with the dreams to settle abroad. It is also an incredible country for immigrants, with a mix of an easy lifestyle, career opportunities, and quality education and healthcare. Not surprisingly, it figures on top of immigration destination checklists for Americans. Whether you are a young professional, a family person, or a retiree, you can visualize a great life in Italy.
It can be even easier if you have ancestral connections in the country because it allows people to claim Jure Sanguinis. Essentially, it is the right to claim Italian citizenship through descent. You can visit Bersani Law Firm website to understand what Jure Sanguinis is all about. Consider using the law to unlock the gift of Italian citizenship for yourself and the generations to come. Here are some facts you must know about leveraging your Italian roots to get a second passport.
Understand the meaning of Jure Sanguinis
The 555/1912 Law passed in 1992 permits people with Italian ancestral roots to claim Italian Citizenship by descent. They can do it under the Jure Sanguinis principle. It applies to people with an uninterrupted bloodline in Italy. You may claim the right through parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and even more distant ascendants. But you have to validate that your ancestor was an Italian citizen (or possessed the right to claim Italian citizenship) when they were born. If you get blood right citizenship by Jure Sanguinis, you can pass it on to the future generations in your bloodline.
Know the eligibility norms
Although the Jure Sanguinis sounds simple, there is much more to it when you scratch the surface. You must have a clear idea of the eligibility norms and exceptions to ensure you have a valid claim. Here are the requirements to meet for eligibility for citizenship through descent-
- Either or both of your parents are Italians. You may even apply as an adopted individual, provided you were a minor at the time of adoption.
- Your ascendant was alive and an Italian citizen after the unification of Italy in 1861.
- Your ascendant never gave up their citizenship by naturalization in another country. Even if they naturalized, they did it only after the birth of their child next in the direct Italian lineage.
You may come into an exception if your mother or female Italian ascendant gave birth before 1948. The country did not allow women to pass on their ancestral rights to citizenship before the year, but the implementation of the 1948 rule changed things for the better. Although you can claim citizenship through the 1948 court process, Jure Sanguinis does not remain an option for you.
Get a head start with preliminary research
Before applying for Jure Sanguinis Italian citizenship, you must do some preliminary research. It gives you a better understanding of your eligibility, and a head start with documentation. Gather facts on your Italian lineage, with the dates of birth, marriage, and death for every relative between you and the ancestor you want to claim. It reveals your eligibility or exception, as the case may be. At this stage, you may also get relevant paperwork establishing these dates from the comune of your ancestor. It is often the trickiest part of the process, though collaborating with a local citizenship expert can make it easy. You must also collect the naturalization records of your ancestor from the US. Once you have the paperwork in place, you are ready for the application.
Apply for dual citizenship at your local consulate
Besides your ancestral documentation, you will require your personal IDs for the application. The good thing is that you can submit your Jure Sanguinis at your local consulate rather than travel to Italy for it. However, you should be ready for a slow process because immigration queues are often longer than you imagine. You may have to wait for an appointment, and the waiting time can extend up to a year. Traveling to Italy can expedite the process, and you can even consider setting up a legal residence during the waiting period. The wait is worthwhile because it opens the opportunity to get dual citizenship for yourself and your family.
An Italian passport is the best gift you can bequeath to your children and the generations that follow. Do not miss out on the chance if you are eligible for Jure Sanguinis. The best part is that you can be a citizen of the US and Italy simultaneously. It means you can get the best of both worlds with some effort and patience.
