Do you have to live in Italy to get dual citizenship?

Yes. Italy passed a law in 1992 allowing those of Italian descent to lawfully obtain dual citizenship. Italy requires you to prove your Italian ancestry and apply for citizenship through your local Italian consulate. Italy does not require you to renounce your current citizenship(s) when claiming dual citizenship.

Do you have to be born in Italy to be Italian?

Italian citizenship: who is eligible Those born in Italy are not automatically Italian citizens, unless a parent is an Italian citizen; those who are born in Italy to foreign parents can become Italian at 18 (age of majority).

Can I live in Italy as a US citizen?

Resident. Americans staying in Italy for more than three (3) months are considered residents. Americans must have an entrance visa which should be obtained at an Italian consulate before coming to Italy, in order to remain in Italy more than three months and gain resident status.

Can I get Italian citizenship through my great great grandfather?

You can apply for Italian citizenship through great grandparents if this relation was born in Italy and had Italian citizenship or the right to claim Italian citizenship when your respective grandparent was born.

How do I know if I qualify for Italian citizenship?

Criteria for eligibility

• You are of Italian descent or were adopted by at least one person of Italian descent as a minor (21 if born before 1975; 18 if born after 1975)
• At least one of your Italian-born ancestors was alive and an Italian citizen after the year of 1861 (the Italian unification)

Does Italy give citizenship to foreigners?

Citizenship by marriage can be obtained after two years of residence in Italy or after three years of residence outside the country. Foreigners can get an Italian passport after working for the Italian government for five years, even outside the country.

Can you live in Italy without speaking Italian?

If you’re asking yourself if you can move to Italy without speaking Italian, well, the answer is yes, of course, that you can. And you’ll definitely need to learn Italian at some point. Learning Italian in Italy is the best way to learn the language. This is called total immersion.

Can US citizens retire in Italy?

UK, US and Australian citizens don’t need a visa to enter Italy and can stay in country without one for up to three months. But foreigners who retire to Italy and draw their income from social security or a pension should apply for an elective residency visa.

How do I become a resident of Italy?

Non-EU citizens must first apply for a temporary residence permit which is issued for a period of 5 years, followed by the application for the Italian permanent residence permit. In other words, a non-EU citizen must live in Italy for 5 years prior to applying for permanent residence.

How many years does it take to become a citizen of Italy?

The naturalization process usually takes over 10 years. Citizenship by marriage can be obtained after two years of residence in Italy or after three years of residence outside the country. Foreigners can get an Italian passport after working for the Italian government for five years, even outside the country.

Can a US citizen become an Italian citizen through marriage?

Yes. You can become an Italian citizen if you can prove that you have legitimate ties to Italian ancestry. On the other hand, you may be entitled to apply for dual citizenship through marriage and this process does not require that you renounce your right to citizenship in the United States.

How long does it take to become a citizen of Italy?

For those registering their marriage with an Italian citizen abroad, the waiting period to apply for Italian citizenship is 3 years. Our immigration lawyers can explain the documents you need to provide when applying for citizenship in Italy. How long does it take to obtain citizenship by investment in Italy?

Is it mandatory to live in Italy as an EU citizen?

However, some of the mandatory living requirements apply to EU citizens just as in the case of those moving here from non-EU countries. EU citizens have the right to apply for citizenship in Italy after living here for 4 years based on a permanent residence permit.

Is it possible to claim Italian citizenship by descent?

Italy has favorable laws regarding citizenship and considers those of Italian descent “family”. In many cases Italy allows those with Italian ancestors to claim Italian citizenship by descent (Jure Sanguinis).