Obtaining Italian Citizenship by Descent in UK

Applying for Italian Citizenship in UK

There are three paths you can take when looking to apply for Italian dual citizenship from UK. These three different methods are applying by descent (if you have an Italian born ancestor), by marriage (if you are married to an Italian citizen), or by naturalization (by living in Italy for a designated period of time). At IDC, we offer three types of citizenship services that can can remove obstacles and help simplify and expedite this process even further.

But is this Italian citizenship application process really that easy?

Well, every circumstance is different so depending on your method of applying there will be different required documentation and different step to go through.

In this article, we take a look at how you can go about applying for Italian dual citizenship from UK:

Why You Might Consider Applying for Italian Citizenship in UK

Italian authorities have made the application process for dual citizenship by descent fairly straightforward with a law called ”jure sanguinis”. In short, this ruling refers to the “right of blood’ and states that any individual with legitimate ancestral ties to Italy may qualify for dual citizenship. This ancestral tie will likely be a close relative such as your parent, grandparent, or great grandparent.

For this reason, with recent ancestral ties to Italy, you might already qualify for Italian citizenship jure sanguinis in UK and not be aware of it. In fact, Italy is possibly the most lenient country in Europe when it comes to dual citizenship which is arguably why so many submit applications ever year in the UK.

Now, that’s not to say you are one hundred per percent entitled to this citizenship as certain rules and restrictions do exist within the application process. These stipulations can be very complex to navigate which is why we offer a free consultation in which we will do all the necessary background research for you and your family to determine if you are in fact eligible for Italian citizenship both free of charge and obligation.

On the other hand, you can potentially qualify for Italian citizenship through marriage in UK. For example, you can apply for dual citizenship if you have been married for three years and your spouse is an Italian citizen. However, you can only submit an application after 18 months of the inception of this marriage.

As for why this application process is so popular, dual citizenship enables individuals to work and live in Italy as well as any other of the 28 countries that are part of the European Union. Further, Italian citizens have full access to healthcare and educational benefits, while this also entitles holders to travel freely within the European Union without any time limits or restrictions.

Qualifying for Italian Citizenship by Descent in UK

The path to dual citizenship by descent can be straightforward but you must be able to prove legitimate ancestral ties to Italy that fall within the Italian governments guidelines. You will be required to provide birth certificates and other documentation to support your claim to this particular ancestor. Meanwhile, you must provide a marriage certificate and similar details for your spouse in the case of apply for Italian citizenship by marriage in UK. You must apply and be granted Italian citizenship for yourself before applying for citizenship by marriage for your spouse. Both applications cannot be processed simultaneously.

Italian law also states that this ancestor must not have voluntarily renounced their Italian citizenship or right to Italian citizenship and did not become naturalized before your date of birth in the UK. Also, females born before January 1st 1948 are unable to pass citizenship to their children and similar laws apply to grandmothers and great-grandmothers. This second stipulation can be successfully challenge in Italian court and is typically referred to as a ‘1948 case’. This should in no way dissuade you from applying for Italian citizenship.

If you find this confusing, we can help you navigate the process. With many years of experience and knowledge of dual citizenship, our assistance can help streamline your route to dual citizenship. You can contact us here.

Here are some of the basics steps involved for obtaining Italian dual citizenship in UK:

5 Steps to Obtaining Italian Dual Citizenship from UK

1. Identify Your Ancestral Ties

Unless the ancestor is your mother or father, asking around the family is often the fastest way to identify your most recent ancestral ties to Italy. If you are unsure, you can begin researching your ancestry online or contact us to do it for you for free. If you choose to do this on your own, all responsibility is on you to locate this information and source all documentation to be provided to the Italian consulate. Needless to say, this process will be different if you are applying for dual citizenship through marriage.

2. Make an Appointment with Your Local Italian Consulate

It’s important to make an appointment at your local consulate as soon as possible. While this process can be reasonably quick, there is often a lengthy waiting list for appointments which can stretch out to more than one year depending on the schedule of your local Italian consulate. It can sometimes makes sense to make this appointment first and then focus on gathering the documentation.

3. Gather Documents for Your Ancestor

Assuming you already know which ancestor through which you will be applying for dual citizenship, you should start collecting documents to support this claim. Here are some of the items you might need:

Italian Dual Citizenship Application Form

• Declaration of Applicant Form
• Declaration of Living Italian Descendant or Declaration of Deceased Italian Descendant
• Birth certificate of your ancestor
• Marriage certificate for your ancestor
• Death certificates of any ancestors

4. Translating the Documents and Apostilles

You will need to employ a translator approved by your local consulate to translate these documents. In other words, you cannot do this yourself or use computer software for the process. Moreover, it’s necessary to have certain documents apostilled which is essentially a UK government seal of approval.

*Note: If you are in the process of obtaining Apostilles in London you can contact the Legalisation Office or send them an email at legalisationoffice@fco.gov.uk.

5. Attend Your Appointment and Apply for Italian Passport

You should have everything ready for the appointment with the consulate and it’s best to double-check every document for accuracy to ensure there is no delay with your application. When the consulate has investigated the matter, they will then either approve or deny your citizenship documents. Once approved you can then apply for an Italian passport at this same time.

We Assist People in the UK Looking to Apply for Italian Citizenship

For many people, the legal side of applying for Italian citizenship can be very detailed and complex.

If you have any concerns about the application, we also provide assistance in the UK for those who wish to apply for dual citizenship in Italy.