Earlier this month, I had my long-awaited visit to the Italian Consulate in New York as part of my process for applying for Italian Dual Citizenship. It was a trip that I'd waited almost three years for and came more than a year after I completed my last piece of research on my great-grandfather, Calogero (in the picture below). 

Although it was a nerve-wracking experience, I was approved and am now eagerly waiting for the opportunity to apply for my Italian passport. There are a couple of things to be aware of when you're preparing for your visit to the Italian Consulate.