If you are confident that you’re eligible for Italian citizenship by descent, there are numerous documents you’ll need to acquire to prove the connection to your Italian ancestor.

Which documents do you need, though, and which forms should you include? How do the forms differ between applying at a consulate and applying at a municipality? We cover these questions and more in the article below so you can be prepared to submit your application.

Basic records

When applying for Italian citizenship by descent, the most important documents you will need to include in your application are vital records pertaining to the Italian line you are applying through. These include primarily birth, death, and marriage certificates, and divorce certificates where applicable. When applying through a consulate, sometimes you will also need the vital records of the non-Italians in the line, such as spouses. Make sure to check your local Italian consulate’s website to confirm.

You will also need to show proof that your Italian ancestor either naturalized or did not naturalize. The date of naturalization is important. The ancestor that you are using to claim citizenship must have naturalized after the next in line was born.

You will also need to have all non-Italian documents translated into Italian and legalized. If the country where the vital records were issued is part of the Hague convention you can legalize the documents with an Apostille.

Forms for submitting at a consulate

If you are applying through an Italian consulate you will need to prepare a specific kit. Along with your vital records, ID, and other requested documents, you will also need to fill out a number of forms. Some of these may change, depending on the consulate, but there are four particular forms common to nearly all.

FORM 1 (Application for Italian citizenship jure sanguinis): On this form, you will provide your basic information, along with the information pertaining to your Italian line. For yourself, this information includes your address, contact information, and names of any minor children. For your ancestors, you will need to provide birth and death dates, any marriages, and information regarding naturalization or non-naturalization.

FORM 2 (Declaration of applicant): This declaration affirms that you never renounced Italian citizenship. You will need to provide a list of all places where you resided since the age of 18.

FORM 3 (Declaration of living Italian ascendant): This form is for all living Italian ascendants and similarly lists all the addresses the person/people have resided since the age of 18. It also declares that they never renounced Italian citizenship. A separate form and a copy of an ID document for each person will be needed.

FORM 4 (Declaration concerning the deceased Italian ascendant): Similar to the previous form, this one is for all deceased Italian ascendants. You will also need to provide all addresses where each ascendant lived since 18, as well as a declaration that no one ever renounced Italian citizenship. A separate form will be needed for each deceased ascendant.

Some consulates might require other forms to accompany these, such as a registration form for A.I.R.E., or the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad. There could also be a Citizenship Recognition Application Form, which requires your date of birth, address, contact information, parents’ names, your spouse’s name and information (if applicable), and the names and dates of birth of any children.

Forms for submitting at a municipality

If you are instead applying for citizenship via an Italian municipality, there are generally fewer documents and forms required. Many municipalities require only birth certificates and marriage records from only the direct Italian line (not their spouses). Translations, however, need to be legally sworn when applying at a municipality, whereas the consulates will usually certify the translations themselves. Always check translation requirements wherever you apply.

Municipalities usually only require one form to accompany your other documents, called an “istanza di cittadinanza.” This is similar to Form 1 for the consulates, in that it asks for the basic information regarding the Italian line you are applying through. These forms differ somewhat from one municipality to another.

Staying in Italy while waiting for citizenship

If you are choosing to apply for citizenship directly in Italy, you might be wondering how you can legally stay in the country while waiting for your application to process. Those who enter Italy with the express and sole intent to apply for Italian citizenship by descent do not have to obtain a special kind of visa. Rather, you can enter as a tourist. As soon as possible after your arrival, however, you should obtain an Italian Tax Code (“codice fiscale”) and declare residency. For the latter, it is important therefore to have accommodation that allows you to obtain residency.

Once you have declared residency and applied for citizenship at your municipality, you can then apply for a special kind of permit of stay, or “permesso di soggiorno in attesa della cittadinanza.” It is important to note that this permit does not allow you to work, but rather to only stay in Italy longer than the 90 days allotted to tourists while you await the decision on your citizenship application.

Applying for the permit is similar to applying for other kinds of permits to stay. You will need to fill out “modulo 1” in the “kit” you can find at your local post office. When you mail the kit, you will need to include a revenue stamp (“marca da bollo”) of 16 euros, a copy of your passport, copies of the documents proving you’re in the process of applying for citizenship, and proof of residence. There is the possibility you might also need to demonstrate proof of funds sufficient for your stay in Italy. In general, fees when mailing the kit are 30.46 euros and 40 euros for the permit itself and another 30 euros for the procedure (prices may vary, depending on the municipality, so please refer to the specific guidance on the municipality website that is relevant to you). Upon mailing these items, the post office will provide you with a receipt confirming you mailed the application, as well as an appointment date for the questura. At this appointment, the officers will take your fingerprints, and you will need to provide them with 4 passport-size photographs along with the originals and copies of all the documents you mailed in, and the receipt from the post office.

If you are able to apply for citizenship in Italy, the process is generally much shorter than applying at a consulate.

Conclusion

If you would like to learn more about applying for Italian citizenship by descent or have your individual case assessed, Italian Citizenship Assistance would be more than happy to help. Contact us at [email protected].