For those of you who may be eligible for Italian citizenship by descent, proving that you actually qualify for citizenship comes with the task of gathering multiple documents to demonstrate that you are in fact already an Italian citizen due to your Italian ancestry.

In your search for this information, sometimes people find themselves becoming quite amazed after seeing some of the old documents in their hands that represent their personal family story. When you are lucky enough to find old handwritten documents from the 1800's, it can truly be a moving experience. The family history comes alive so to say. It is a fascinating way of connecting with your own family's past experiencing history in a very tangible manner that allows you to put that piece of history into your hands and discover details about your ancestors that you may not even know. Many of our clients have mentioned that they discover facts they never knew such as a name of a great grandparent’s name or even where exactly they were from. Some have had tears come to their eyes when they find out these details which some may consider as insignificant, but for them momentous. Not only can this be an emotional experience but it can also be the detail that ends up being the vital piece of information in determining one’s eligibility. 

Italian citizenship by descent, also known as Jure Sanguins, requires that all significant vital records of all major life events of each person in your direct line of ascendants back to Italy starting with you, is presented to the municipality or consulate. For example, if your great grandparent came from Italy, you would need his/her birth certificate from Italy along with naturalization records (or proof that the person never became naturalized), a marriage certificate and a death certificate, if applicable. Next, it is necessary to present the same documents for your grandparents (birth, death and marriage certificates) as well as the records for your parents; birth and marriage certificates and if your parents are deceased a death certificate may be necessary for only the parent you would make your claim through. Lastly, your own birth and if applicable marriage documents. Other documents that may be may be required would be any divorce decrees if there have been divorces anywhere in your direct family line connecting you back to Italy. Or if you yourself have been divorced, your own divorce decree would also be required. 

At times finding documents for your ancestors can entail some extensive genealogical research which may seem to be quite an undertaking. However, some of this information that you are trying to locate may in fact be found in documents you already possess. These documents may contain hints that will lead you to where you could search for other documents. There are often clues in documents such as ship manifests, draft cards, old city registries and baptismal records. Sometimes birth, marriage, and even death certificates may help you find the missing pieces of the puzzle.  
 
For more about the documents required for Italian  citizenship, click here to watch our video podcast on the subject. 

If you are interested in Italian citizenship by descent and you feel you may need help to get through the process, feel free to contact us through ItalianCitizenshipAssistance.com/Contact and ask us about our free eligibility assessment for more information on genealogy and documents required by descent.