FAQs
Index
Generals
There are several paths to obtain Italian citizenship:
- By Descent (Jure Sanguinis): Claiming citizenship through Italian ancestry.
- By Marriage: Spouses of Italian citizens.
- By Residency: Long-term residents of Italy.
- By Reacquisition: For individuals who lost their Italian citizenship and wish to regain it.
- By Birth: Individuals born in Italy under certain conditions.
Our services offer a high level of expertise and accuracy, which, compared to DIY, can significantly expedite the application process. Thanks to our extensive experience and specialized knowledge, we ensure a more streamlined and efficient path to citizenship, ultimately reducing the stress and uncertainty associated with the process.
We offer a wide range of services, designed to meet every need.
At FTIC, we offer multilevel assistance for citizenship through descent, marriage, and residency applications. Additionally, we offer services for obtaining Italian passports, visas, and AIRE registrations.
Our range of services is very wide with tailored quotes on the specificity of each case; from the Golden track (full assistance) to the simpler consultation-package (if you just need to clear up a few doubts or look for some specific professional advice).
No, as an Italian citizen you are subject to Italian tax laws only if you reside, have specific income or own property in Italy. To fall under Italian taxation laws you will need to spend more than 183 days in Italy per year.
You can easily contact us to obtain your tailored quote via email at ciao@fastrackitaliancitizenship.com, via the contact form that you can find at this link or call +1 202 738 4689. You can also use the button at the top of the page to book your free consultation. Our preliminary assessment is completely free of charge!
As an Italian citizen, you automatically become a citizen of the European Union. This grants you the right to live, vote, work, and travel freely across all EU member states without the need for visas or work permits. Additionally, thanks to Italian citizenship you will have access to public healthcare, unemployment insurance and pensions within the EU.
No, most Countries allow their citizens to acquire dual or multiple citizenships. In those cases, you do not need to renounce your current citizenship when applying for the Italian one.
By descent: Italian consulate, local Municipality or Court in Italy.
By marriage and by residency: Italian Ministry of the Interior or local prefecture.
Reacquisition: Consulate and local Municipality in Italy.
Italian citizens residing abroad for more than 12 months are required to register with AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero – Registry of Italians residing abroad). An up-to-date AIRE profile is required to access consular services like passport renewal, registration of vital records in Italy and voting for Italian and European elections.
Regular updates via email will be provided by your dedicated citizenship specialist. You will have access to phone consultations and video calls upon request. If you choose our Golden track assistance our granted turnaround time is 24 working hours.
Yes. Our services can be paid in multiple installments. Your dedicated intake specialist will give you a few options in order to tailor our agreement on your specific needs.
Yes, citizenship grants full rights as an Italian national, including the ability to vote and work without restrictions within the EU. Permanent residency (permesso di soggiorno) allows non-EU citizens to live and work in Italy but does not confer Italian nationality or voting rights.
Italian Citizenship by Descent
According to Italian law n.555 published in 1912, you are eligible to claim Italian citizenship by right of descent if your Italian-born ancestor naturalized after the birth of the next-in-line. However, there are many other aspects that need to be taken into consideration to determine whether you qualify.
At FTIC we offer a free eligibility consultation. Our citizenship experts will evaluate your case from a legal and genealogical point of view and will eventually confirm which path fits you best to claim Italian citizenship by descent.
No, there is no generational limit, you can go back as many generations as needed.
Yes, we offer full assistance packages if you wish us to handle your entire application. You can check our packages above [link alla posizione della tabella nella pagina JS).
Our Premium and Golden track offer start-to-finish assistance including genealogical research, records retrieval, legalization of all the documents and translations. We will also assist you in case the consulate asks for additional documentation during your appointment.
No worries! Our genealogy service can take care of completing your citizenship application documentation.
No, it is not necessary to understand or speak Italian to apply for citizenship by descent. The interview at the consulate will be in English and our citizenship experts will be available to translate all the instructions you will receive during your appointment.
However, learning the language will play a special role in bonding you to your Italian roots.
Most likely not. It was very common for Italian immigrants to change their name to better blend in the new US society and most times the name change was made legal by naturalization. If you wish to have an expert’s opinion on the discrepancies you found in your documents, you can avail of our Discrepancy consultation service at this link.
The maximum waiting time for a feedback after your appointment at the consulate is 24 months.
Italian Citizenship by Marriage or Civil Union
If you are Italian, your spouse can apply for citizenship by marriage after having been married (or in a civil union) for 2 years if residing in Italy or 3 years if residing abroad. The time is reduced by half if you have minor children (adopted or natural) together.
Your spouse is required to have a B1 level Italian language certificate and records showing that she/he does not have relevant criminal records. Birth and marriage records will be required as well.
Citizenship by marriage application will be granted provided your spouse has no relevant criminal records. Minor misdemeanors are usually accepted by authorities upon evaluation.
The application will be submitted online with no need for an appointment.. After the submission, the Consulate will reach out to the applicant asking to bring the original documents in person.
Yes, you can apply through your local Prefettura. The procedure follows the same steps.
Once the application is submitted, Italian authorities can take up to 24 months to grant Italian citizenship. In exceptional cases involving criminal records, the evaluation may take up to 3 years.
If your divorce is finalized before the approval of your citizenship application, you will not be granted Italian citizenship.
No, once you obtain Italian citizenship, it cannot be voided due to divorce. However, if the marriage is annulled, the citizenship might be revoked if obtained fraudulently.
Italian Citizenship via Court Proceeding
You can consider to file a court petition in the following instances:
- Your Italian blood-line involves a woman giving birth to the next-in-line before 1948
- Your citizenship appointment at the consulate is scheduled for over 2 years from today, or you have not been able to book an appointment for the last 2 years
- Your citizenship application was rejected at the consulate
The “1948 Rule” refers to a specific aspect of Italian citizenship law where, before January 1, 1948, citizenship could only be inherited through the paternal line. Children born before this date to an Italian mother and foreign father were not considered Italian citizens. For this reason, when your genealogy involves women whose child was born before that date you will need to apply for citizenship via Italian Courts.
The timeline can vary depending on the court’s caseload and the complexity of your petition. Compared to a standard Jure Sanguinis application via the consulate, you will not need to wait for an appointment nor wait for the 24-months approval waiting time.
Yes, there are administrative costs involved such as court fees and translation fees. These costs can vary depending on the complexity of your case; discounts can be applied if you choose one of our Tracks.
Contact us via email at ciao@fastrackitaliancitizenship.com, via the contact form that you can find at this link or via phone at +1 202 738 4689. You can also schedule a free preliminary consultation clicking on the button at the beginning of the page. Our preliminary assessment is completely free of charge!
Yes, you can apply via court proceeding if your female ancestor’s child was born before January 1, 1948.
Yes, you will need a lawyer to represent you before the Court in Italy. FTIC offers legal representation and tailored quotes to help you reach your citizenship goals. Therefore, your presence won’t be required throughout the process.
Yes, as long as you share the same Italian ancestor. When multiple applicants decide to file their petition at court, filing fees are split among claimants. We offer substantial discounts for groups of applicants: contact us to get your tailored quote.
Italian Citizenship by Residency
Italian citizenship by residency is the process through which a non-Italian individual can acquire Italian citizenship by legally residing in Italy for a defined period of time depending on the specific case.
The entitlement to Italian citizenship by residency comes with:
– 10 years of uninterrupted residency, if you are a citizen of an extra-EU country;
– 4 years if you are a citizen of a EU country;
– 5 years if you are the adult child of an adoptive Italian parent;
– 3 years if you have direct Italian ancestry;
– 3 years if you were born in Italy (both for EU and non-EU citizens).
Yes, the residency needs to be continuative. To apply for Italian citizenship you need to legally reside in Italy for a minimum of 3 years to a maximum of 10 years uninterruptedly, according to your specific case.
The retrieval of the required documents usually takes from 8 to 12 months, depending on the specific documents you’ll need. After the submission of the application, the process can take up to 24 months most times, and in exceptional cases up to 36 months.
You will be asked to provide a suitable proof of financial means as well as an Italian B1 language certificate and a set of your criminal reports showing that you have no criminal records.
Yes, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the Italian language at a B1 level or higher.
If you change your residency address within Italian territory, you must notify the local Prefettura evaluating your application to ensure that all correspondence is handled correctly. They will transfer your file to the new competent Prefettura according to your new residency address. This process will still be within the maximum processing time for your application (24 to 36 months maximum).
Documents in a language other than Italian must be appropriately legalized and translated before submission.
Yes, once you are recognized as an Italian citizen, you can pass your citizenship down to your children as long as they were born after your naturalization. Children born before you acquired Italian citizenship may acquire Italian citizenship by descent through your Italian spouse, if applicable.
Reacquisition of Italian Citizenship
Yes, it is possible. If you move back to Italy and establish legal residency, you can automatically reacquire your Italian citizenship after having provided adequate documentation attesting your foreign naturalization. You will then need to declare your intention to reacquire citizenship to the local municipality (Comune) where you reside.
The re-acquisition process usually takes less than 1 year from start to finish.
As a first step you will need to gather your certificate of foreign naturalization and submit it to your local Italian consulate. After the submission of the document, you will have 1 year to temporarily move your residency in Italy and complete the process in any town of your choice.
There is no language requirement explicitly stated for reacquisition of citizenship. However, basic knowledge of Italian may be beneficial, especially for daily interactions if you are residing in Italy.
As a reacquired Italian citizen, you will enjoy:
- living and working in Italy and any other EU country without a visa.
- access to Italian healthcare and social services.
- the right to vote in Italian and European elections.
Application in Italy
The main advantage of applying in Italy is the waiting time. Compared to a regular application at your local Italian consulate, applying in Italy will ensure an expedite processing of your application. This is because the consulates are currently dealing with a high number of requests for citizenship and cannot guarantee a quick turnover.
Thanks to our extended knowledge of the application-in-Italy process and our experience as local citizenship experts, we can guide you step-by-step to file your application in Italy. We can do it either remotely or in-person, depending on the municipality of your choice.
We work in partnership with local landlords and real estate agencies in order to provide you with the best recommendation for your accommodation. If you decide to apply in a municipality which is outside our network, you will take care of lodging autonomously.
It is recommended but not strictly required. In fact, you will avail of our help during the whole process, either in person if you apply in our network, or remotely via phone call if you apply outside of our municipality network.
We successfully worked with a number of Italian municipalities throughout the years, and we know their specific requirements. However, please note that the law is the same for all municipalities so whichever you choose, we will do our best to have it work for your needs.
Contact us to discuss your wish list!
If you come from an extra-EU country, it is not mandatory but it’s highly recommended.
Consultation
Our professional citizenship consultation service will focus on any specific or general topic you wish to discuss. For better time management during our scheduled call, it is highly recommended to anticipate the topics you wish to discuss so that our expert will be fully equipped to assist you on the scheduled day and time. You can send us an email with all the details at ciao@fastrackitaliancitizenship.com
We will provide you with detailed information on how to organize and manage the retrieval of the documents you’ll need for your application. We will talk you through all the details during our call and after the call we will wrap everything up for you so that you’ll have a bone structure of our consultation to keep for the future.
Discrepancy
We are happy to use Google Drive and also regular emails according to our privacy policy.
A discrepancy chart is a PDF document displaying every single inconsistency we can find in your documents. The chart is extremely helpful as it provides an accurate overview on what records might need to be amended before or after your appointment. During our discrepancy consultation we will thoroughly talk you through the discrepancies and provide you with useful tips and tricks on the amendments. We will also send you a discrepancy chart after the consultation for your personal records.
Review
The main advantage is your peace of mind before your appointment. We will assess the accuracy and compliance of your documents and let you know if anything needs to be adjusted or changed before your interview. We will also provide you with a handy checklist to prepare your citizenship kit.
Our review service is very thorough and it usually takes from 5 to 10 business days for our specialist to complete a full report of your application. The time frame depends on the complexity of your case.
Integration
The consulate usually allows extensions to their deadlines. It is important to acknowledge their request for integration and let them promptly know when you figure out you need more time.
We will start with a detailed analysis of your appointment and a thorough check of your application. Subsequently, we will determine which specific documents you will need for your integration and we will support you in obtaining those documents within the consulate’s deadline.
Digital Nomad Visa
A digital nomad is someone whose work activities fall within a very specific category. They perform highly skilled work activities remotely, they need to have technology at their disposal that allows them to carry out such work activities remotely.
Yes, if you are a highly-skilled employee, you will be allowed to work remotely for your company abroad.
Typically, digital nomad visas are intended for remote work with foreign companies or clients. Working for a local company usually requires a different type of work visa or permit.
The application process for a digital nomad visa involves submitting an application form, providing required documentation (such as proof of employment, accommodation and income and health insurance), paying the application fee, and sometimes attending an interview at a consulate or embassy. Each consulate may have additional requirements.
Benefits of a digital nomad visa include the ability to legally reside and work in Italy, access to local services, and the opportunity to embrace the Italian culture while maintaining your remote employment.
The tax treaty between Italy and the US aims to prevent double taxation and provides mechanisms to avoid or mitigate it. If you live in Italy, you are subject to Italian taxes on your worldwide income. This includes income earned from remote work for a US employer.
This visa has a validity of 12 months, and it can be renewed every year.
Elective Residency Visa
The Elective Residence Visa is intended for retired individuals or people with substantial self-sustaining passive incomes and financial assets, able to support themselves independently (such as through pensions, annuities, property income, or income from stock or company shareholdings) with no need for employment while in Italy.
No, one of the main requirements of the ERV is that elective residence visa holders are not allowed to work in Italy. This visa is intended for individuals who have sufficient passive income to support themselves without the need to work.
Yes, comprehensive health insurance that covers medical expenses in Italy is mandatory for an elective residence visa. The coverage should be valid for at least one year.
Yes, elective residence visa holders can typically bring their spouse and minor children. Each family member must meet the financial support requirements, and additional proof of income may be necessary.
Yes, in some cases, holding an elective residence visa can eventually lead to permanent residency and even citizenship, provided certain conditions are met, such as continuous residence for a minimum of 3 years.
The financial proof required can vary, but applicants typically need to show a stable annual income of at least €31,000. For a couple, the amount increases to around €38,000. This can come from pensions, investments, savings, or other passive income sources.
This visa has a validity of 12 months, and it can be renewed every year upon expiration.
Spousal Permit
A spousal permit of stay (permesso di soggiorno per motivi familiari) is a residence permit that allows the spouse of an Italian citizen to live and work in Italy. This permit is a valuable option for spouses of Italian citizens wishing to live together. It can also be a first step to move to Italy if you are not ready to apply for citizenship by marriage yet.
Yes, the holder of a spousal permit of stay in Italy is allowed to work. This includes both employment and self-employment.
Processing times can vary but typically range from a few weeks to a few months. It is advisable to apply well in advance of any travel plans.
An interview is not always required but may be requested by the immigration authorities to verify the authenticity of the marriage and the documentation provided.
Yes, the permit can be revoked if the marriage is found to be fraudulent, if the relationship ends (e.g., through divorce), or if the permit holder violates the conditions of the permit or local laws.
This permit of stay has a 5-year validity and can subsequently be renewed permanently.
AIRE Registration
AIRE, which stands for Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero (Registry of Italians Residing Abroad), is a registry jointly held by the local Italian Consulate and the Italian Municipality of last residency. If you obtained Italian citizenship via Jure Sanguinis, your Municipality of reference is the one where your Italian ancestor was born.
Italian citizens who reside abroad for more than 12 months are required by law to register with AIRE. If not correctly registered, fines can apply.
Registering with AIRE is important as it allows Italian citizens living abroad to maintain their ties with Italy. It grants access to many consular services and benefits, such as voting, passport renewal and vital records registration.
Yes, it is extremely important to keep your information updated with AIRE. If you change your address or any other relevant information while residing abroad, you should inform the Italian consulate or embassy where you are registered. If not correctly updated, fines may apply.
Benefits of being registered with AIRE include:
- Maintaining Italian citizenship rights and ties with Italy
- Access to consular services and assistance
- Voting in Italian and European elections
You should update your AIRE whenever there is a change in your personal information, such as a change of address, marital or citizenship status. It is advisable to keep your information current to ensure smooth access to consular services and other benefits.
Vital Records Registration
Vital records are official documents that attest significant life events such as births, marriages, divorces, and deaths that have occurred outside Italy. These records are issued by the authorities of the respective foreign countries and need to be registered by Italian authorities when pertaining to Italian citizens.
Registering foreign vital records in Italy is necessary for legal recognition of life events in Italy, establishing dual citizenship and other administrative purposes.
Yes, foreign vital records must be translated into Italian for registration in Italy. The translation could be certified by a professional translator or legalized by the consulate, depending on the specific requirements.
Processing times can vary depending on the workload of the consulate or Comune and the accuracy of your documentation. It is advisable to start the process well in advance of any deadlines or planned travel to Italy.
Yes, once foreign vital records are registered in Italy, you can request certified copies (copie di atti) for personal use. These copies are official documents and can be requested through Italian authorities.
Sometimes reaching out to Italian authorities can be stressful and time consuming. Our team of experts is at your disposal; we offer dedicated services and quotes to register vital records in Italy and / or obtain certified copies of them. You can easily contact us via email at ciao@fastrackitaliancitizenship.com, via the contact form that you can find at this link or call +1 202 738 4689. You can also use the button at the top of the page to book your free consultation. Our preliminary assessment is completely free of charge!
Passport Renewal
You should renew your Italian passport if it is expired or will soon expire, especially if you plan to travel internationally. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay.
You can renew your Italian passport at your local Italian consulate or embassy (you need to be registered with AIRE) or at the local police station (Questura) if you live in Italy.
Processing times vary depending on the consulate or embassy workload. It can range from a few weeks to a few months. Expedited processing options may be available for urgent travel needs.
Yes, parents or legal guardians can renew a child’s Italian passport on their behalf. Additional documents may be required, such as proof of parental authority and the child’s presence during the appointment, according to your local consulate’s provisions.
Yes, you must provide recent pictures measuring 35 x 45 mm meeting the Italian passport photos guidelines.
Contact us to learn more!
