FAQ

Q. What is the EU?
A. The EU (European Union), was developed to unite European countries together economically, and to insure peace in the region.

Q. What benefits are there to being an Italian citizen?
A. According to Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union, "any person holding the nationality of a member state is a citizen of the Union." Thus an Italian citizen is also a European citizen. Article 18 grants citizens the right to move freely and to reside on the territory of the member states" . Therefore an Italian citizen can live and work in any of countries in the European Union. In addition to living and working freely,  Italian citizens enjoy access to free public health care and public education at all academic levels. Additional taxes may apply for those enrolled at universities.

Q. What is the Euro?
A. The euro is the common currency of the EU

Q. Is it relatively safe to travel as a dual citizen?.
A. You may feel safer using an Italian passport when you travel to places where citizens of your native country are unpopular. Citizens of other countries, Americans in particular, are often the target of terrorist attacks. Also, if your government restricts travel to certain countries that you may want (or need) to visit, such as Cuba, you can use your Italian passport to enter and move around more freely.

Q. What is “jure sanguinis”?
A. It is a latin term for “right of blood”. This essentially means a right to Italian citizenship through ancestry or bloodline.

Q. Will my current citizenship be affected once I obtain Italian citizenship?.
A. If you are a citizen of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom, your citizenship WILL NOT be affected. If you are a citizen of any other country, ICDTS advises you to check with your consulate, as there are some countries who do not allow dual citizenship, and may ask you to renounce your current citizenship.

Q. If I live in Italy, will I have to pay taxes in both countries?
A. There are tax treaties between Italy and many countries. Normally, you can earn up to a certain amount, without paying taxes in both countries. In the case of the US, the amount you can earn may be as high as 70,000 or more. Generally speaking, the US is one of a few countries which taxes its citizens, regardless where they live, while most NON US countries do not . However, as laws change, we advise checking with the IRS, or the tax office of your country, or a tax attorney, for the exact amount you are able to earn.

Q. Am I able to vote in Italian elections?.
A. YES!! Regardless where you live, it is one of your rights as an Italian citizen

Q. How will I know when my citizenship has been granted?
A.
Many  consulates will send you a “letter”, while others may send you a letter, along with a certificate of citizenship. You may also receive an application for your Italian passport.
Q. What is A.I.R.E?
A. The A.I.R.E is an “anagrafe” office abroad (such as in the US). By law, all Italian citizens, whether living in Italy or abroad, must notify their anagrafe concerning any change in their civil status, such as marriage, divorce, death, etc. Italians do this by notifying the consulate in the jurisdiction where they reside.

Q.Is my spouse entitled to Italian citizenship?
A. Yes,  Italian law states that spouses of Italian citizens can apply for citizenship after six months of marriage if a couple is living in Italy and after three years of marriage if they are living abroad

Q. Are my children eligible also?
A. Yes,  all children under the age of 18 will automatically become Italian citizens along with you. For those over 18, they will have to apply separately

Q. Are there any generational limits for Italian citizenship?
A. No, as long as your ancestor immigrated after 1861, and as long as there is a continuous lineage between you and your ancestor from Italy.  If your ancestor immigrated before 1861, ask the consulate, as to whether you qualify, as there has been conflicting answers to this subject.

Q. What is an Apostile?
A. An apostille  is an international legalization recognized by Hague Convention countries. It is a legal document stapled to your certificate and issued by the Secretary of state of the state where the document originated. Apostiles are not available in Canada.  For more information, visit http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/c1267.htm.

Q. Which certificates require an Apostile?
A. All Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce certrificates require an Apostile. You do not need an Apostile for naturalization and immigration records, or any documents from Italy

Q. What if I have some discrepancies on some of my certificates, such as names, ages, etc?
A. Check with the consulate, as many MINOR discrepancies are accepted. The Consulates recognize such differences such as an American version of a name, like Joseph instead of Giuseppe. However, it is advisable to check with your consulate, as the consulates are not always consistent.

Q. Will the consulate accept old copies of certificates?
A. No”. This is very important!, as a short certified version is not accepted in Italy, due to a lack of information, such as city of birth. All certificates must be in LONG FORM

Q. Does the consulate keep my documents, or do they return them to me after the citizenship process is complete?
A. Unfortunately, the consulate keeps all your documents. Should you desire, you may wish to either make photo copies of everything, OR, order an additional certified copy for yourself.