Italy is attractive and well known for its culture and lifestyle, making many foreigners move here to live and work.
How can you get Italian citizenship? Here’s a brief guide to get it!
– What’s the difference between permanent citizenship and permanent residence?
First of all it’s important to know that citizens of Italy have different rights (and responsibilities) to migrants holding permanent residence.
– What are the requirements to become an Italian citizen?
You can apply for Italian citizenship:
– If you have Italian parents, or in some cases grandparents
– If you’re born in Italy, or if you marry an Italian
– Otherwise you might be eligible for citizenship through residency if you live in Italy for long enough
The waiting time in the last case depends on your circumstance: from 4 years for people with some Italian heritage, to 10 years, for those coming to Italy from outside of the EU.
– Can I have dual citizenship?
It’s possible to be a citizen of Italy, as well as of another country and get a dual citizenship. There are some countries, however, which don’t allow this.
Although Italian law won’t make you renounce your former citizenship, the country of your first citizenship might not allow you to hold a dual citizenship. So, if it’s in your plan to get a dual citizenship, you’d better ask for detailed information in your Country.
– Ways to obtain Italian citizenship
Depending on your personal circumstances there are several different ways you can claim Italian citizenship. There are a few routes outlined below. If none of them suit your circumstance, then you might be able to claim citizenship based on your residency.
In this case, you must have lived in Italy for 4 years if you’re an EU citizen, or 10 years if you’re from outside the EU.
– Can I obtain citizenship through investment?
Unfortunately, there’s no specific route to citizenship through investment.
Although being an investor or working in Italy might help you get your visa in the first place, you’ll still have to live in Italy for long enough to meet the residency requirements before your application will be considered.
– Can I obtain citizenship through marriage?
Yes, if you’re married to an Italian and live in Italy, you can claim Italian citizenship through marriage two years after your wedding.
If you live outside of Italy, you have to wait for three years, although the relevant waiting period is reduced by 50% if you have children with your spouse.
– How can I apply for a passport?
Once your citizenship is arranged, you can easily apply for an Italian passport.
Getting a passport is a completely separate process from getting your citizenship. To get it there are further fees to pay, for a total of a bit more than € 100,00.
If you’ve found this summary interesting and useful and you’d like to get more details about requirements and to apply for Italian citizenship, you can visit the official site of the Italian Government (Ministero degli Affari Esteri) here http://www.esteri.it/mae/en/italiani_nel_mondo/serviziconsolari/cittadinanza.html
