ITALYCITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT OR ANCESTRY
MIN INVESTMENT
€0-€250,000
PROCESSING TIME
3-4 YEARS
PERMIT TYPE
CITIZENSHIP
FAMILY
SPOUSE, CHILD
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SUMMARY
Italian citizenship is one of the most valuable in the world. It allows visa-free travel to the US and Australia and enables you to live anywhere in Europe.
Italian citizenship by Descent or Ancestry (Jure Sanguinis) is open to individuals with Italian ancestry if the citizenship by blood was passed down all the way to him or her. The citizenship is passed down as long as the Italian parent has not lost his citizenship before the birth of his/her child. Italian citizenship was lost in the past if another citizenship was taken. Those that lost their Italian connection this way can still be fast-tracked to Italian citizenship. Foreigners normally need to have 10 years of residence in Italy before they can apply for naturalization.
Italy accepts dual citizenship, so you don’t have to forfeit your current citizenship to apply.
POPULATION
60,400,000
CAPITAL
Rome
CURRENCY
Euro
LANGUAGE
Italian
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- TYPE: CITIZENSHIP
- VISA-FREE: EU, US
- PROCESS: 1-4 YEARS
CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT OPTIONS
There are commonly 3 categories under which an applicant can qualify for Italian citizenship by Descent:
- Citizenship by descent: The male ancestor was not a naturalized American before the birth of his child. If the father was a naturalized American before the birth, his Italian connection is broken.
- Citizenship by descent (1948 ruling): Applies to mothers who in the past couldn’t pass They pretty much become the same as males, but the filing is done in court and the process is faster.
- Fast-track naturalization: If you have an Italian grandfather or father but can’t qualify under the first 2 categories, you can opt for fast-track naturalization after 3 years.
The first 2 options require that the “legal” connection is not lost. In the past, an Italian who became a naturalized American would lose his Italian citizenship. Therefore, he/she couldn’t pass it to one of his/her future children. Those born before his or her parents’ American naturalization were Italian by blood; if they were born in the USA, they were also American at birth. After that, it was unlikely that the connection could be broken. The process to obtain Italian citizenship can be started at an Italian consulate near you if your Italian connection comes from a male ancestor. It can take 2 or 3 years. Now you can also petition an Italian court and get a decision in 1 year. The process to obtain Italian citizenship can be petitioned in an Italian court if the connection comes from a female ancestor. It can take 1 year.
Option 3 is for those with an Italian father or grandfather that do not qualify under the first 2 categories. This option requires the applicant to have held a residence permit for at least 3 years before their application for fast-track naturalization. Simply holding the permit for 3 years is enough to qualify for citizenship, and physical presence in Italy is not a requirement. Nevertheless, a 6-month physical presence in Italy requirement is often imposed in most resident permit categories.
Therefore, most applicants choose the Italy Investor Visa (a.k.a. Golden Visa). This permit requires an investment ranging from €250,000 to €1m in exchange for a fragmented 5-year resident permit and no physical presence requirement. You only need to visit Italy once a year to maintain the resident permit. The naturalization process can take 1 or 2 years, making the 5-year Italian investor visa an important tool as compared to other temporary resident permits that must be renewed annually and require 6 months of physical presence in Italy.
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PROCESS
Application Processing Time: 3-4 Years
Stage 1 - Year 1
The process to obtain Italian citizenship by ancestry varies from one category to another. But today, both category 1 and 2 can be filed in court and be faster than the consulate route. The first step is to determine whether your Italian connection has been broken. If it hasn’t been broken, you can book an appointment at your nearest Italian consulate. It might take 2 or 3 years before you’re given an appointment, leaving you ample time to gather the relevant ancestry documents. The consulate will only accept your application if your ancestry comes from a male line. If your ancestry comes from a female line or if you want the process to go faster, you can use the 1948 ruling to petition directly to an Italian court. You can save 1 or 2 years in the process. If you need a resident permit, you can apply for one in Italy. It usually takes 1 month to receive it.
Stage 2 - Year 2
If you petition the court under category 1 or 2, you’re likely to have your case approved by the court after 1 year and become an Italian citizen. If you filed your application at the consulate, you’re likely still in line to be processed, and if you needed a resident permit, you’re now waiting for another 2 years of residency to be eligible for fast-track naturalization.
Stage 3 - Year 4
If you chose the consulate route, your appointment should be coming up. If you have all the required documents, the consulate should approve your request and transmit it to the Ministry of Interior for approval. You will receive your certificate of citizenship and passport shortly. If you needed 3 years of residence, you can now apply for naturalization into Italian citizenship. It takes 1 or 2 years for the Italian authorities to process the application.
CONDITIONS
- A series of requirements must be fulfilled to apply for Italian citizenship by Descent. Check all the requirements to apply for Italian citizenship by descent.
Italian Ancestry: You need to provide relevant documents that prove your Italian ancestry and that the connection was not broken for claiming Italian citizenship by descent.
Fast-track Naturalization:
• Proof of Italian ancestry: You will need to provide relevant documents proving your Italian ancestry
• Income declaration for the last 3 years. You will need to meet the requirements relating to income, accommodation, and lack of pending suits for the purposes of the residence permit for long-term residents.
• Police Record: No convictions for one of the crimes provided for in Book II, Title I, Chapters I, II, and III of the Criminal Code. No convictions for an intentional crime for which the law provides for a statutory penalty of not less than 3 years of imprisonment. An oath of allegiance to the republic.
FAMILY
- The applicant’s children will automatically become Italian citizens upon confirmation. The spouse can also obtain Italian citizenship right away under category 1 and 2 if they have been married to the applicant for at least 3 years. This can be shortened to 2 years if they have lived in Italy during those 2 years. The spouses of those who gain Italian citizenship under category 3 will have to wait 3 more years before applying for naturalization.
PASSPORT MAP
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How do I know if my Italian connection is broken?
When your Italian ancestor was naturalized as a US citizen, he automatically lost his Italian citizenship. If that was your grandfather, the only way he could have passed down his Italian citizenship is if his children were born before the naturalization date. If your parent was born in the US before his father became a US citizen, your parent is a US and Italian citizen. If your parent was born in the US after his father was naturalized as a US citizen, your parent is only a US citizen.
2. Why should I choose the Golden Visa to gain residence?
You most likely won’t be able to choose the Golden Visa if you’re not a HNWI. If you are, the Investor Visa (a.k.a. Golden Visa) is the preferred option if you don’t want to be constrained by having to be physically present in Italy most of the year. Most wealthy people have business activities that do not allow them to commit to living in Italy for 6 months of the year for 3 years. The Golden Visa offers much more flexibility in that regard than other available resident permits such as the Elective Residence or Self-employed.
3. How long does the process take?
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the process at the consulate used to take 1-2 years. During the pandemic, the consulates were closed, so many applications went into backlog. In the aftermath, it’s expected that the processing time will increase for a few years at least.
The court filing is the best and fastest route, and each case can expect to have a decision in under a year.
The fast-track naturalization process requires 3 years of residence before you can apply. Once you apply, the naturalization application is processed in 1 to 2 years.
4. Do I need to be physically present in Italy?
Not for category 1 or 2. But the category 3 rules require you to travel to Italy to obtain your resident permit. Once that’s obtained, you need to hold legal residence for 3 years. It doesn’t specify any physical presence requirements, but to maintain your temporary resident permit in Italy you are usually required to be present 6 months out of the year to be able to renew it. This is unless you opt for the Golden Visa, which does not impose a physical presence requirement. If you chose the Golden Visa, you will need to travel to Italy pretty much only once a year, but not adhere to any minimum day requirements.
5. How are taxes in Italy?
Taxes in Italy are generally high, but Italy recently introduced lump-sum taxation for foreign residents in Italy. They can limit their annual tax contribution to €100,000.