Are you planning to shift to Italy from America soon but don’t know the process? Well, then this article is just for you. If you are planning to reside permanently in any other country, the first aim should be to secure citizenship of the concerned country so as to lawfully reside and settle without any hassle. Italy, just like America offers the benefit of dual citizenship which you can avail if you fit the eligibility criteria correctly. There are different ways to avail this which might be time consuming but not necessarily difficult. Read on further to understand the different ways and the process to apply for dual citizenship in Italy.
Read also all fiscal benefits of having an Italian Dual Citizenship.
The Different Ways to Apply for Italian Dual Citizenship
If you have been concerned about the ways to approach for availing citizenship in Italy, you need not worry anymore. It is no longer difficult to get dual citizenship as American since the Italian laws have become quite flexible for civil unions as well.
The most common way to apply for Italian dual citizenship is something that we all have heard and seen in movies- marrying an Italian. This union allows easy way to avail Italian citizenship for you and your American spouse.
Another way to apply for Italian Dual Citizenship is based on the relation between you and an Italian citizen. If you are an American and related by blood to an Italian or born on Italian territory, then it becomes easier to get citizenship. However, it depends on the citizenship laws to determine what type of a citizen you are.
The Process for Applying Italian Dual Citizenship
The first step in applying for Italian citizenship is to go through an Italian consulate in your jurisdiction to know about the further process. Make sure to carry all the important documents such as the birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates relating to you and your family members. Once you match all the requirements, the next step is to translate all the documents to Italian and produce them to the Department of State in order to receive an official seal of your particular state which determines the validity of your documents. You need to make sure to do all this before you apply for the process to begin. Doing so will save a lot of time and make it less difficult to get dual citizenship as American.
Cost of Applying for The Citizenship
Another major aspect which makes it seem difficult to get dual citizenship as American is the cost you will need to bear to apply for the process. The application fee itself ranges somewhere about $340 and is non-refundable. The different certificates cost around $25-30 each as well. However, the major expense is on the translation of the documents which is around $60-100 per document. You may opt for translating it yourself if you are fluent in Italian language but in most cases, the consulate prefers professionally completed documents only.
Benefits of Having A Dual Citizenship
While many worries whether dual citizenship is beneficial or not since it seems difficult to get dual citizenship as American but the fact remains the same that dual citizenship has its own perks. Firstly, it grants you the freedom of residing and settling in Italian or any other European country. Second, as citizens of Italy you will be allowed to avail the numerous health and education facilities which are quite affordable and have minimal cost. With all these perks in mind it is definitely a good choice to opt for Italian Dual Citizenship.
To Conclude
The process is certainly lengthy and involves a lot of paperwork, but if you follow the steps correctly it won’t take long before you have your Italian passport, Italian Dual Citizenship and the permission to reside in Italy permanently. And not to forget, all the benefits and perks you get as an Italian citizen is certainly worth all the struggle.