Italy is always a popular destination for tourism, but in recent years there has been a growing interest from those with Italian ancestry looking to reconnect with their familial heritage. In fact, 2024 was designated as the year of Roots Tourism in Italy, in an effort to attract Italian descendants back to their ancestral land.

Italian Citizenship Assistance (ICA) also wants to join in celebrating the Italian emigration story and help those looking to trace their roots. To this end, ICA is hosting an Ancestry Tour throughout Northern Italy to honor Italian heritage and share knowledge about the process of becoming an Italian citizen and purchase property in Italy.

Italian Citizenship by Descent

Between 1880 and 1920, an estimated 4 million Italians emigrated from Italy, many hoping to create a new life for their family in the United States. Now, their descendants are tracing their lineage, learning the history of their family, telling their stories, cooking their recipes, and traveling back to the towns they left over 100 years ago.

Italian descendants grow up with a strong sense of pride in their Italian culture. There has recently been a surge in applications for Italian citizenship by descent, which allows Italian-Americans to feel even more connected to their ancestral roots. This ability for Italian descendants to claim recognition of their Italian citizenship through their Italian-born ancestors is called jure sanguinis, or right of blood. In fact, the criteria for citizenship by descent in Italy is more open than in some other countries. For instance, there is no generational limit, so citizenship can be passed down from great-grandparents, or even great-great-grandparents, who were born in Italy. There are also some other parameters to be aware of when determining if you’re eligible for Italian citizenship by descent. First, your Italian-born ancestor must have been born after March 17, 1861 or still living in Italy after this date, which is when Italy became a unified country. If they acquired a foreign citizenship, such as US citizenship, they must have done so after June 14, 1912 and after the birth of their child, the next descendent in line.

Additionally, according to guidelines issued on October 3, 2024 by the Italian Ministry of the Interior, if they naturalized while their child was still a minor (before March 9, 1975, the age of majority was 21 in Italy), the minor automatically lost his or her Italian citizenship. This interrupted the chain of citizenship and makes you ineligible through this Italian ancestor if applying at an Italian consulate or Italian municipality. However, you may still have the possibility of filing your claim via the Italian courts, as the Italian courts are not bound by the above-mentioned guidelines and are currently approving the majority of cases involving an ancestor who has naturalized when their child was a minor. Another common scenario that would require a judicial proceeding would be if you have a female Italian ancestor who gave birth before January 1, 1948. In fact, women were not allowed to pass citizenship down to their children before the ratification of the Italian constitution on this date. These cases can be filed via Italian courts, arguing this as unlawful and discriminatory.

Pursuing Italian citizenship by descent has sparked a growing interest in tracing one’s Italian roots, often with the use of genealogy sites and at-home DNA testing. Upon learning about their family history, many Italian descendants want to continue their journey and travel back to Italy, where the culture and traditions first started.

Ancestry Tour

Italian Citizenship Assistance (ICA)’s Northern Italian Ancestry Tour is a one-of-a-kind experience for those looking to be transported back to the time and place where their Italian ancestors came from. Citizenship specialists, genealogists, and ICA team members will provide personalized guidance throughout the tour on topics such as dual citizenship, Italian immigration history, and expat life. Italian Real Estate Lawyers will also take part in the tour, informing on the property purchase process in Italy and real estate market trends. Lastly, special guests, Italian lawyer Marco Permunian and podcaster Rafael Di Furia, will join the tour to lead expert seminars.

The trip itinerary is full of historic locales throughout the Veneto and Tuscany regions, traditional meals, and exciting conferences. The tour will start in Verona, stop at Lake Garda, and then continue on to Florence. This heritage tour includes excursions to Lucca and Pisa with stops at museums highlighting the history of Italian unification and emigration. Visit cultural landmarks, dine in local trattorias, and enjoy walking tours of these ancient cities. A tour manager, fluent in English and Italian, will guide you along the entire tour. The group will travel on private transportation through this exclusive experience. Don’t miss out on this inspiring opportunity to visit your ancestral land.

Be sure to visit italianancestrytour.com for full itinerary and to book your spot!