Today, the consulate in Detroit called to set up our appointments to receive our Italian passports. Never thought this day would come.
Oct 222012
Oct 162012
My brother wishes to apply for Italian dual citizenship. He lives out west, so he would apply through the San Francisco consulate. Their web site says this:
As of 10 October 2012, in accordance with memoranda issued by the Ministero degli Affari Esteri (MAE), this Consulate will no longer refer to the files of other Consulates or Comuni (municipalities) in Italy. Therefore, if you are applying after a family member has already received recognition of citizenship by descent from the same ancestor, you will be required to present all family documents from scratch, either in original from the relevant U.S. agencies, or as copie conforme (authenticated photocopies) issued by the Consulate or Comune which recognized your family member’s citizenship. The latter method is generally recommended and faster, but incurs a fee.
Today I emailed the Detroit consulate to ask what the procedure would be for me to obtain a cope confirme of my application materials for him to use in San Francisco. The birth certificates for my grandfather and mother were the only ones our family had. To get new copies would require a court order because NY State will not release a birth certificate to anyone but the person named or their parents.
17 Oct 2012
Response from the consulate: Your brother must contact our Consulate in San Francisco, we have new regulations.
Sep 182012
Today, I contacted the Detroit consulate about the procedure for obtaining our Italian passports. Here is the information I received:
For now you must forward:
– application form for you and children
– two pictures
– acquisition of consent ( atto di assenso) from wife for you and children
– copy of the US passports
– please do not send money at this time.
Application and "atto di assenso' can be print from our web page www.consdetroit.esteri.it
Sep 172012
Two letters arrived from Serradifalco, Sicily today. One had birth certificates for me and my two sons and the marriage certificate for me and my wife. The other had AIRE documents for me and my two sons; the AIRE is the registry for Italian citizens living abroad. It's now officially official. We are Italian citizens.
my Italian birth certificate (redacted of course)
our marriage certificate (redacted)
my AIRE registration as an Italian citizen living abroad
Jun 052012
Once we get our birth certificates from Italy, we can get passports for me and my sons.
Here a link to information on the Detroit consulate's web site.
This is copied from the web site:
PASSPORTS
A passport is both a travel document as well as a form of identification. It's issuance/extension is of the responsibility of the Passport Office in the jurisdiction in which an Italian national resides.
The passport is renewed/issued to Italian citizens who are legally resident (see Registry information) in this Consulate's area of jurisdiction.
As of the 26th of October, the Consular offices and the Italian Police Headquarters (Questura) are issuing a new type of passport; an electronic one.
Since regular passports issued as of the 21st of January 2003, have a validity of ten years, those who have a passport issued under these conditions (optical passport) will be able to request that the validity – even after the electronic passports have started to be issued – be valid for the ten years from the date it was released. After ten years, the passport must be replaced by a new one.
It is important to underline the fact that the old type of passport (optical passport), even having been renewed, does not guarantee entry into the United States if one does not possess the required documentation of entry.
Therefore, those who would like to enter the United States without needing any further immigration documentation will have to present an electronic passport.
Please be advised that for those who wish to take advantage of the "Visa Waver Program", it is granted by the United States authorities only to those who possess:
– an electronic passport (issued as of the 26th of October 2006);
– an optical passport issued or renewed before the 25th of October 2005;
– an optical passport with a digital photograph released by the Italian City Hall between the dates of October 26, 2005 – October 25, 2006 (Consulates have not issued optical passports with digital photographs).
A passport is issued/renewed to Italian nationals who are legally resident (see Registry information) in the jurisdiction of this Consulate.
Issuance/Renewal to residents and non-residents is dependent on this Office receiving the necessary authorization(s) from the competent Consulate and/or Police Headquarters (Questura) in Italy.
In order to issue/renew your passport this Consulate is also required to perform the necessary procedures prescribed by current laws: identification of the applicant; verification of Italian citizenship and military draft status; acquisition of parental consent from both parents for passports issued to minors; Acquisition of Consent, from the other parent, for the issuance/renewal of passports to parents with minor children (except in cases where the applicant already has the consent of the other legitimate parent who resides in Italy and from whom he/she is not legally separated).
"Cohabiting" parents enjoy status comparable to legitimate parents, if they reside in Italy. In all other cases, the authorization of the Probate Court Judge is required.
You are required to pay a tax of $ 51.00 (dollars) for the renewal/issuance of your passport as well as a $ 54.00 (dollars) for the new booklet.
This Consulate has the authority to withhold your passport, or deny its issuance/renewal, under certain cases prescribed by law. Examples include when the person: is subject to a sentence restricting his personal liberty; is required to pay a fine; is subject to detention or preventive security measures; being 19 years of age, has not regularized his military draft status.
In instances where your passport has been withheld, or issuance/renewal denied, you may appeal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 30 days or to the competent "Regional Administrative Tribunal".
New rules for minors under 18 years of age
As of November 25, 2009, minors will no longer be added onto the passports of the parent (or guardian or person otherwise authorized to accompany them).
New European regulations provide protection of the minor’s identity and security by stipulating:
a) that all minors are required to have their own personal passport; and
b) that their pictures be routinely updated: the validity of the passport for minors differs depending on the age (three years for children from 0 to three years; five years for minors between three and 18 years of age).
In the case of minors who are already registered on currently valid passports, these will remain valid until the expiration of the passport itself.
PASSPORTS WITH DIGITAL FINGERPRINTS :
Nationals who request a new passport will have to present their photos and all required documentation by mail. An appointment (click here for appointment request form)will be made with nationals to take their fingerprints once the necessary authorization is received from the competent police headquarters (Questura) in Italy.
All nationals are also required by law to sign a form at the Consulate containing information regarding the security of personal data maintained in this office and the Ministero dell'Interno.A copy of this form will be given to the national when their new passport is issued.
I. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PASSPORT RENEWAL:
Documents to be submitted:
– Application form, duly completed and signed by the applicant.
– Acquisition of Consent (Atto di Assenso) and a copy of a valid ID from the other parent, for the issuance/renewal of passports to parents with minor children (except in cases where the applicant already has the consent of the other legitimate parent who resides in Italy and from whom he/she is not legally separated).
– Passport;
– One passport photo 1.5"x1.5" (full-face, white background)
– Copy of Alien Registration Card; (has to be VALID)
– Cashier check or money order in the amount of $ 51.00 (dollars) renewal fee, made payable to the Consulate of Italy;
II. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PASSPORT ISSUANCE:
Documents to be submitted IN ADDITION to those requested above:
– 1 (one) photograph, 1.5"x1.5" (full-face, white background);
– the amount of $ 54.00 (dollars) cost of new booklet + $ 51.00 (dollars) issuance fee.
In the event of a stolen or lost passport, a divorce, or for any additional information, you are kindly requested to contact this Consulate by telephone at (313) 963-8560 ext. 16-17 or by e-mail.
Submit the following Documents if NOT Supplied Before:
* Marriage certificate, if married after issuance of last passport;
* Death certificate of spouse, if a window after issuance of last passport;
* Birth certificate of minor if requesting issuance/renewal/registration on parent's passport;
* "Estratto di nascita" if the person who has come of age applies for the first passport;
* Duly completed A.I.R.E. form (Registry of Italian Residing Abroad) for new applicants and if address/composition of family/other have changed since last time.
The above Certificates must be submitted in certified copies legalized with "APOSTILLE".
Jun 052012
Our family leaves on our trip to Italy this afternoon. I am attending a conference in Sardinia for six days, then we visit Sicily for eight days, and then Rome for five days. While in Sicily, we will be visiting the home commune of the Palmeri side of the family, Serradifalco, and the MIllonzi side, Montemaggiore Belsito. We hope to pick up copies of our birth certificates and marriage certificate in Serradifalco. If we can, then we can get passports and start the jure matrimoni process for my wife.
May 292012
It's official.
My boys and I are now Italian dual citizens. After 10 months of hard work, we received our letter today, dated May 24, 2012.
"It is with pleasure that we inform you that your application for Italian citizenship has been positively finalized for you and your children."
May 052012
I mailed my certified/legalized certificates back to the Detroit Consulate a few weeks ago. Yesterday I emailed just to ask what the next step might be and whether there was anything I need to do and whether and when I would learn about my dual citizenship.
Response was characteristically terse: "You will receive a letter in the mail".
Apr 272012
While I (hopefully) won't need a court order. I'm posting this here in case someone finds my blog. I was originally posted here:
http://italiancitizenship.freeforums.org/petition-new-york-state-supreme-court-vital-record-amend-t2520-10.html
In regard to the petition Order that will be signed by the Judge and the format posted here previously, the law clerk said that they plan to add a section that I need to complete application forms and pay any fees (which was what the NYS Attorney General asked be inserted into the order).
Following is the format I use for my Declaratory Judgment (One and the Same)and final Order. I have seen other One and Same formats online that are different, but this one seemed to work in my case.
order.pdf [170.79 KiB]
declaratory.pdf [297.45 KiB]
Apr 242012
We received authentications from the NY consulate for my birth certificate and our marriage certificate for my jure sanguinis application and for my wife's birth certificate for her jure matrimoni application.
Basically, they stamped and dated the translations and attached them to the apostilled documents.
Now waiting for my applications for citizenship to be approved. Then we will apply for my wife's citizenship.
Apr 182012
The authentications/legalizations for my birth certificate and marriage certificate arrive today from the NY Consulate.
Mailing them off to the Detroit Consulate. Hopefully this will make everything official.
Apr 072012
I wanted to share some details of the story of how I finally found my grandparents’ marriage certificate.
When I started my document gathering in September, I first focused on what I thought would be the “harder” documents to get, like my great-grandparents’ Italian birth certificates and their marriage certificate, my great-grandfather’s naturalization records, and the like. I left the “easy” documents to later, in part to spread out the cost.
Well, my grandparents’s marriage certificate was not easy. I’ve mentioned many of these details in other posts, but I thought I’d collect it all into a single story.
First, my grandmother is 96 years old, in a nursing home. My aunt was unable to find a copy of her marriage certificate in my grandmother’s records. Requesting the document was a challenge. In NY State, and probably many states, you cannot order a certified marriage certificate unless you’re a spouse, unless both spouses are deceased. That’s a challenge if one of the spouses is very elderly, in a nursing home. Fortunately, my aunt has power of attorney. But the state requires a copy of my grandmother’s photo ID. Well, my grandmother never drove and never had a driver’s license, and hasn’t had a passport since the 1960s (which has long since disappeared). (So despite what George Will says, there are lots of legal US citizens, many poor or elderly, who have no photo ID.) Without an ID, you can mail a utility bill, in the person’s name, and a letter from a government agency, in the person’s name. That’s a challenge if someone’s in a nursing home – they have no utility bills. The best my aunt could do was a bill from the nursing home addressed to my aunt with a RE: my grandmother and my grandmother’s retirement check addressed to my grandmother at my aunt’s address. Fortunately, this was enough for the state to release the marriage certificate.
Second, no one was certain about the date of their marriage. Sadly, my grandmother could not help. We were able to narrow it down based on when my aunt and father were born, and based on a comment I remembered that my parents could have been married in the 25 year of my grandparent’s marriage. What this means is that the request only included a 3-year search range, not an exact marriage date. i suppose that’s an invitation for a “no record found” since searching over years requires some diligence.
My aunt sends the request off to the City of Buffalo. And we get “no record found”.
That’s odd since we knew that both my grandmother and grandfather lived in Buffalo. And it’s almost inconceivable that they would have gotten married anywhere but one of the Italian Roman Catholic churches on the West Side of Buffalo.
So we try three tacks.
First, my aunt mails off a request to NY State. We originally requested through Buffalo because it’s $10 rather than $30, and a lot quicker.
Second, I send letters and emails off to just about every city and town clerk around Buffalo, on the off chance that they might have gotten married elsewhere.
Third, I send letters and emails off to just about every Roman Catholic Church in Buffalo and the neighboring communities. We knew the church that my father was baptized in and that my grandfather was baptized in. And my grandmother’s cousin knew the church that my grandmother was active in as a young adult.
None of the towns and none of the churches had any record of my grandparent’s marriage.
So now I broaden the search even further. I try Niagara Falls. Who knows, maybe they wanted to have a reception in the Falls and got marriage in a church in the Falls – at that time, there was a large Italian community there as well as Buffalo. Nothing from them.
I’m stumped. I ask my dad, my aunt, and cousins again. Everyone mentions the churches we already tried. One of the churches suggests that we try to contact the church that my grandmother was baptized in since that church’s records might note where and when my grandmother was married, even if it wasn’t in that church. Well, my grandmother was born and baptized in Sicily, so that does not seem like an easy option. I do email my grandfather’s baptismal church, but they have no record.
I email one of my cousins who was a bit of a family historian before I took over doing genealogy. He said, you know, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was your great-grandparent’s church – my GM’s church. Well, that church closed down years and years ago. I ask my dad. He says, sure, that was my mom’s church; didn’t I tell you that. He didn’t. But I’m happy to have a new lead.
So I email a few churches and ask if they know if any church might have a record for NBVM. One does. I email that church. They email me that they found the record – I receive that email two hours after my visit to the Detroit consulate. They mail me my grandparent’s marriage record.
Now I send a copy of that back to the City of Buffalo, along with a copy of their certified “no record found” they had sent my aunt. A couple weeks later, I get a certified copy of their marriage certificate. And a few days after that, my aunt gets their marriage record from New York.
I guess one irony is that if I had just mailed NY months ago, and waited, and waited, and waited, I would have gotten their marriage certificate anyway (since we did). But of course, when we’re going through this process, you get a heightened level of impatience. And especially when I knew I had my March consulate meeting, I was working hard to try to find their marriage certificate, my only missing piece.
Another irony is that Detroit ended up not requiring my grandparent’s marriage certificate – accepting the “no record found” (along with my grandfather’s death certificate) as sufficient.
Apr 062012
After lots of effort over the past several months, my grandparent's marriage certificate finally arrives from NY State.
Apr 052012
After I received the marriage certificate from the church, I sent back the "no record found" to the City of Buffalo (along with a copy of the church's certificate).
Today they sent me the certificate. I guess now they actually searched a bit harder.
Mar 302012
The death certificate for my great-grandmother, Maria (Giambrone) Palmeri, arrives today. This lists her mother's last name as Amico/a (some other things listed it as D'amico).
death certificate, Maria (Giambrone) Palmeri
Mar 242012
A useful post on Italian passports by BBCWatcher on the Italian Citizenship Message Board (copied here): http://italiancitizenship.freeforums.org/your-italian-passport-an-operator-s-guide-t2209.html
This guide explains the legal and practical requirements for using your Italian passport, especially with respect to dual nationals. If you have comments or corrections, please send me a private message. Include any legal citation(s), if possible.
As with all information posted to this forum, this information should not be treated as formal legal advice. Contact a professional attorney specializing in immigration-related matters if you need legal assistance.
1. What is the purpose of an Italian passport? When do I need one?
The primary purpose of a passport is to facilitate international travel. If you are an Italian citizen, you must present an Italian passport to Italian passport control when entering or exiting Italy (per Law no. 1185 of November 21, 1967). However, for travel to/from many countries within and near Europe, a carta d'identità (Italian national ID card) suffices if you have one.
Moreover, if you are physically in Italy, and your Italian passport is your only form of Italian government-issued identification, you should carry your Italian passport with you or at least have it readily available. The reason is that if the police cannot identify you they are permitted to detain you pending identification.
2. I just received my citizenship recognition letter from my local Italian consulate. Must I apply for an Italian passport?
It is "advisable" to obtain an Italian passport, and many newly recognized and naturalized citizens wish to hold a tangible document that only citizens may obtain. Also, an Italian passport serves as a convenient, recognized form of identification when visiting Italian embassies and consulates. But no, you are not required to obtain an Italian passport unless you need it for the purposes described above.
3. Is there any way an Italian citizen may travel to Italy without an Italian passport?
As mentioned above, a carta d'identità is sufficient to travel between Italy and many countries within the region.
If you hold another passport valid for entry into the Schengen Area, you may travel to another Schengen Area country (e.g. France), clear immigration in that country, then continue on to Italy via the open Schengen border. Likewise, you may exit Italy via another Schengen Area country. There is no passport control for intra-Schengen travel except in extraordinary circumstances.
Please note that while in Italy you must still represent yourself to Italian government authorities (including the police) as an Italian citizen. For example, "Io sono un cittadino italiano" or "Io sono una cittadina italiana."
4. Where can I obtain a carta d'identità?
You must be resident in Europe to obtain a carta d'identità. You can obtain one from your local Italian embassy, consulate, or Italian commune where you reside.
5. If I travel to Italy via another Schengen country, and I stay for more than 90 days (or otherwise appear as if I overstayed), will I have trouble exiting?
Legally, no. Practically speaking, maybe. There are several possible solutions:
If possible, obtain an Italian passport in Italy before you leave. Show the same passport you used to enter the Schengen Area when exiting the Schengen Area, and then, if requested, show your Italian passport. (Exception: Italian citizens must always show an Italian passport to Italian passport control.)
If possible, obtain a carta d'identità in Italy before you leave. Show the carta if requested.
Bring an official copy of your Italian birth certificate or certificate of citizenship. You can obtain a copy quickly from the anagrafe in your home commune. Show that certificate if requested.
Bring an official copy of your letter of citizenship recognition. Show that letter if requested.
6. How do I apply for an Italian passport?
If you are applying at a consulate, check that consulate's Web site for details on the procedure, including application forms. If you are applying at a questura in Italy, check the Polizia di Stato's Web site (in Italian).
The procedure is practically identical everywhere. Every applicant now needs a nulla osta (police check) from Italy, so you should request a nulla osta as the first step. The consulate or questura should then advise you when the police check is complete, usually after about a week (or perhaps two), and thus when you can appear in person to complete your application.
7. What does it cost to apply for an Italian passport?
The current price as of this writing (February, 2012) is 82.79 euro. If you are applying at a consulate you can pay in local foreign (non-euro) currency. The amount varies every three months, depending on the euro exchange rate at the beginning of each quarter. Some consulates post the exact local currency amount on their Web sites, and a few consulates (such as New York) accept major credit and debit cards. However, if you bring enough local currency such that you can pay any exact amount equivalent to 70 to 95 euro at that day's exchange rate, you should have no problem making exact payment.
8. What are the photo requirements for an Italian passport?
The recommended passport photo size is 35 x 40 mm, although there is some tolerance for variation. The Polizia di Stato publishes this helpful illustrated guide with much more information on passport photo requirements.
9. May I apply for an Italian passport by mail?
If you have never previously been fingerprinted to obtain a biometric Italian passport, no, you must appear in person at an Italian embassy, consulate, or questura to apply for an Italian passport.
If travel to your embassy or consulate is a particular hardship, ask if there is any upcoming special passport fingerprinting session available at an honorary vice consulate. Some embassies and consulates with particularly large geographic jurisdictions offer this special service.
If for some reason your passport is not finished during your fingerprinting visit, you can typically make arrangements with the embassy or consulate to mail the new passport to you. A trackable postal service is recommended, such as U.S. Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation.
10. Should my children get their own passports? Are there any special considerations when I apply for passports for my children?
All Italian passports are now issued separately, one per individual. All Italian citizens, including minors, have the same requirements for when they must use Italian passports.
Both parents (or guardians) must give permission to issue passports to minors. Minors' passports expire within either three or five years, depending on their ages.
11. What is the "marca da bollo" inside my Italian passport?
That's a tax stamp. When you receive your Italian passport, it includes a one year stamp. There's only one occasion when you must have an unexpired marca da bollo sul passaporto in your passport: when you are exiting Italy, you have the intention to leave the European Union, and you are presenting your Italian passport to Italian passport control.
You can obtain a new marca da bollo sul passaporto at most tobacco shops in Italy before you depart. The current cost is 40.29 euro per marca. To make sure you get the correct type of marca show your passport (and tax stamp page) to the shopkeeper.
Note that each marca da bollo sul passaporto always expires on the anniversary of your passport's date of issue, even if that's the very next day after your first use of that particular marca. For example, if your passport was issued on June 24, 2009, then your first marca (included with the passport) is valid through June 23, 2010 (inclusive). The second marca (if you purchase it) would be valid through June 23, 2011, and so on. You can skip buying a marca for any passport year when you don't need one.
Note also that if you are exiting Italy, presenting your passport to Italian passport control, and you have a roundtrip ticket to a destination outside the European Union, the passport control officer may look at your return date. If the return date is sometime in the next marca year, then you should also purchase that next marca ahead of time. That means you might even have to purchase two tax stamps if you don't yet have a current marca, your departure date is within the current passport year, and your return date is within the next passport year (after your passport's next anniversary). In the example above, if your departure date is June 21, 2011, and your roundtrip ticket has a return date of June 28, 2011, then you would need to have a marca in your passport for the June 24, 2010, to June 23, 2011, period plus another marca for the next period (June 24, 2011, to June 23, 2012).
You do not need a valid marca da bollo in any of the following situations:
You are arriving in Italy rather than departing.
You are presenting your carta d'identità, which is permitted for regional international travel, instead of your Italian passport.
You do not face an Italian (Polizia di Stato) border control officer. In particular, there is no border control for intra-Schengen Area travel (except in extraordinary circumstances).
You have no intention to leave the European Union, and your planned itinerary does not take you outside the EU.
12. I'm flying from New York to Mumbai, connecting in Milan. Do I need a valid marca da bollo sul passaporto in my Italian passport when I connect to my second flight in Milan?
Possibly. It both your flights use the same international (non-Schengen) terminal in Italy, and thus you never "enter" Italy (pass through Italian passport control), you wouldn't need a valid marca da bollo. Otherwise you would. In you do need a tax stamp, be prepared to find an airport shop where you can buy one before entering the passport control queue for your second flight.
13. I am a dual national. Can I use my Italian passport to enter or exit my other country of citizenship?
No. As with Italy, nearly all countries legally require their citizens to use only that country's passport to enter/exit. It may be inconvenient, but you must obtain a passport in advance of travel involving any of your countries of citizenship, with the Schengen and carta d'identità exceptions noted above for Italy.
14. I am having difficulty obtaining a passport in time. Can I travel to that country, one of my countries of citizenship?
Legally, no. You must postpone or cancel your travel if you cannot obtain the necessary passport(s).
15. But I have an emergency. What can I do?
Italian consulates and embassies abroad can issue an "Emergency Travel Document" to Italian citizens which is good for entry (only) into Italy.
An embassy, consulate, or questura may be able to issue a limited term (12 month) passport in an urgent situation.
The best option is to plan ahead. If there's the possibility of an emergency — for example, if you have family or friends living in your country of citizenship — then you would be advised to obtain that country's passport and keep it current.
16. What happens if my passport is lost or stolen?
Keep color copies of your passports' identity pages in a separate, secure location. Also, you can scan your passports and keep the scans in a secure Internet-based account, accessible from anywhere there's an Internet connection.
If your passport is stolen, report that theft to your country's embassy or consulate and to the police. Obtain a police report. Bring the police report, a copy of your travel itinerary, and (if available) a copy of your passport to the embassy or consulate. You should then be able to obtain an "Emergency Travel Document" or temporary passport.
17. Do I have to carry both my passports when I travel internationally?
You do not have to carry both passports unless your travel involves both your countries of citizenship, or unless different passports contain different visas required for your particular travel itinerary. However, as a matter of convenience you may prefer to carry both passports on all trips.
18. Should I show my second passport to immigration officials when entering/exiting a particular country?
No, that's not advisable and could cause confusion or worse. That's particularly true when you are entering/exiting one of your countries of citizenship. In fact, some countries do not tolerate dual citizenship and could react quite negatively to your presenting two passports.
Keep in mind that each country enforces its own immigration laws, not the immigration laws of other countries. If the country you are entering is curious how you managed to stay in another country for a "long" period of time, you may either refuse to answer (if legally permitted, as for U.S. citizens entering the U.S.) or state the truth, that you were legally permitted to stay, and/or that the other country did not stamp your passport.
19. Should I lie?
No. Lying is a serious offense in most countries. Don't do it, either verbally or in writing.
20. What about airline check-in? Which passport(s) should I present?
When checking in with the airline, present the passport most relevant to enter your destination country. For example, if you are flying to Beijing, and you require a visa to travel to China, present the passport containing your Chinese visa.
If you can use an airline check-in kiosk, that's recommended. If the kiosk is uncooperative, you can always get a second (human) opinion from the regular check-in desk.
Sometimes the airline will be concerned about your ability to exit the particular country from which you are departing. For example, they may be looking for a tax stamp, entry stamp, or some other evidence. If that evidence is in your other passport, you may then show your other passport upon request.
Sometimes the airline will be concerned about transit in a particular country if you are making a flight connection. If so, and if requested, you may show the other passport if it is more relevant to transit within that other country. Please note that some countries, including the U.S., require clearing immigration before connecting to any flight, including another international flight. Therefore, if you are connecting in the U.S., and if you are a U.S. citizen, you should present your U.S. passport at airline check-in. You may still need to present your other passport as well, depending on your itinerary and visa requirements.
21. I booked my ticket using my married name, which is the name in one of my passports. But I need to use my Italian passport, and my Italian passport has my maiden name. What should I do at check-in?
The airline has an obvious financial interest in making sure that you are the individual corresponding to the ticket. You may need to show both passports in that case, one for verifying your identity as the correct passenger, and the other for immigration purposes for your particular itinerary. Alternatively, the airline may accept another form of identification with a matching name, such as a driver's license.
Note that women can add their married name to their Italian passports on a separate page from the laminated data page. When you apply for your Italian passport, ask to add your married name if you are at least sometimes known by that name in other countries.
22. I received my Italian passport, but there's an error on the data page. What should I do?
Immediately contact the embassy, consulate, or questura that issued your passport if there's any incorrect information. Ask them to correct the information and to reissue your passport. Do not use the passport containing the error.
23. I am an American-Italian dual citizen. I need a visa to travel to China, but the visa is less expensive for Italian citizens than it is for U.S. citizens. May I apply for a Chinese visa for my Italian passport?
Many countries with visa requirements, including China, will only fulfill visa applications if you have proof of residence where you are applying or if you have citizenship with the country where you are applying. For example, if you live in the U.S., and you are a U.S. citizen, you won't be able to show a "green card" or other proof of legal residence that would apply to your Italian citizenship, and therefore you must apply for a Chinese visa as a U.S. citizen, at the higher price. (Conceivably you could apply in Italy, but that would be inconvenient at best if you live in the U.S.)
Keep this in mind when you establish residence outside your countries of citizenship. If you have the choice, and absent a compelling reason otherwise, establish residence under the citizenship most favorable to the type of international travel you do.
Please see the unofficial "Foreign Visa Requirements for Italian Passport Holders" guide for some more information.
24. I am opening a bank account, and the form asks whether I am a "U.S. person." I am an American-Italian dual citizen. May I answer "no" and use my Italian passport as identification?
No. All U.S. citizens (and some others, including U.S. permanent residents) are "U.S. persons." You must provide your U.S.-related information for proper tax treatment.
25. I am an American-Italian dual citizen. May I travel to Cuba with my Italian passport?
All U.S. citizens must obey U.S. laws, including laws relating to travel to Cuba, whether or not they possess other citizenships. If you are a U.S. citizen you may enter Cuba using whichever passport you wish, but you must still have a U.S. Department of Treasury license (or other appropriate U.S. legal approval) to travel to Cuba.
26. I entered a country using my Italian passport. May I use my other passport to exit?
Generally you should use the same passport to exit a country that you used to enter that country. Even if you manage to get through passport control when you exit, you could trigger an overstay investigation the next time you try to enter that country.
Here are most of the exceptions:
If you have established residency in a foreign country using a different country's passport than the one you used to enter that country, or you transferred your residence permit from one passport to another, you should use the passport associated with your residency to exit that foreign country.
If you enter a foreign country with a particular passport and then you are recognized as that country's citizen or naturalize as that country's citizen, you should obtain that country's passport and exit using that new passport.
If you enter a foreign country with a particular passport and then join that country's military service, you may exit that country as part of a military deployment. You would typically use that country's military identification for such travel.
Individuals applying or approved for asylum in a particular country may be required to use that country's travel document.
27. Should I use the same country's passport each time I enter a particular country?
That's advisable, yes. Often landing forms ask "Have you ever entered (country name) using a different name?" Sometimes they even ask whether you have ever entered under a different nationality. Answer truthfully. To avoid possible complications it's best to keep using the same passport you used previously, unless there's a compelling reason otherwise, such as more favorable visa treatment.
28. I am flying to a foreign country. The landing form asks whether I have ever previously been denied entry. When I was a student, that country's immigration service wouldn't let me in, and my parents had to pay for my flight back home. But that was with my U.S. passport. May I use my Italian passport to enter that country and answer "no" to that question?
No. You are still the same individual, and you must answer questions truthfully. You could be subject to severe legal penalties if you don't answer truthfully, penalties much worse than the possibility of being denied entry.
29. If I enter a country using my Italian passport, and I run into trouble, may I contact the embassy of my other country of citizenship for help?
Yes, you may. However, according to international treaty the country you entered is only required to allow you to contact the embassy representing the country that issued the passport you used to enter. Consequently only one country's diplomats may have access to you if you get in trouble. Keep that in mind when deciding which passport to use when entering a country, if you have a choice.
Of course, if you're in trouble, you should probably try to get as much help as possible unless your attempt to contact that other country's diplomats may put you in jeopardy. For example, the country holding you in jail may have better diplomatic relations with certain countries than with others.
Italian citizens may contact any embassy or consulate representing any European Union or European Economic Area country (or the Swiss embassy) to obtain limited emergency services if the Italian embassy or consulate is not present or is unreachable.
If you get into trouble in one of your countries of citizenship you do not have any treaty right to contact the embassy of your other country of citizenship.
30. I'm running out of pages in my Italian passport. Can I add pages?
No. You have to renew and get a new 48-page passport.
31. I am an American-Italian dual citizen, and I am flying from Italy to the U.S. via Toronto, Canada. Which passport should I show in Toronto?
When you are flying internationally and connecting via major Canadian airports, you do not clear Canadian immigration unless you exit the international terminal. If you are not a Canadian citizen or resident, and you want to exit the terminal, you may show whichever passport you wish to Canadian passport control.
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has set up U.S. passport control entry points at certain airports in Canada, Ireland, Bermuda, and several Caribbean island nations for immigration preclearance. Although these passport control checkpoints are physically outside the United States, they are part of the U.S. government's operations through agreement with foreign governments. Therefore, if you are a U.S. citizen, you must treat them just like any other U.S. passport control checkpoint, and you must show your U.S. passport.
These U.S. CBP outposts are the best examples of extra-territorial checkpoints, but there are a few other examples elsewhere in the world. Make sure you know whether a government is asking for your passport and which government so that you present the correct passport. You may be tired, jetlagged, and physically in Montreal or Toronto or Shannon, but you may also be passing through U.S. passport control.
32. Which immigration queue should I use?
Italian citizens presenting their Italian passports may use the typically shorter European Union/European Economic Area immigration queues in Europe.
If you are entering or exiting one of your countries of citizenship, you must present that country's passport (or, if applicable, a carta d'identità when entering/exiting Italy), and therefore you would use the immigration queue for that country's citizens. Likewise, if you are entering/exiting a country where you have permanent residence, you should use the immigration queue applicable to permanent residents and present the passport associated with that residence.
If you are traveling with family members who must ordinarily use different immigration queues because they possess different citizenships or for other reasons, there are no universal rules about whether you can use a particular immigration queue together. Here are some suggestions:
Adult family members traveling without children may use separate queues. However, if one adult (such as a spouse) is relying on the other for immigration purposes, you should try to use the same queue if permitted.
Due to understandable international concerns about child abductions, both parents should try to use the same immigration queue together with their children.
To determine which immigration queue to use, or in other situations, refer to signs and, if in doubt, ask immigration officials. That should help you avoid the inconvenience of having to wait again in another immigration queue.
33. What should I do if someone asks to hold my passport?
Your Italian passport is Italian government property. You should at least think carefully about whether you wish to surrender your passport. Raise an objection if you feel uncomfortable, and ask for alternative solutions.
Sometimes the request is reasonable. For example, if you are applying for a visa, you may need to surrender your passport to the authority providing your visa so that the proper documentation may be affixed to your passport. That may take a few days. However, especially if you are applying for a visa outside one of your countries of citizenship, make sure you have alternative acceptable identification, such as a residence card with your photograph, in case you need to satisfy local authorities.
Some countries, including the U.S., will provide their citizens with second passports upon application if there is sufficient justification, such as the need to obtain visas from more than one foreign government at approximately the same time. If you hold multiple passports, whether from the same or from different countries, obviously you would be well advised not to disclose that fact as you surrender one of them. (But don't lie.)
If you do surrender your passport, be sure to get an official receipt.
34. When should I renew my passport?
Most countries require that your passport have at least six months of validity remaining for entry. Thus it's a good idea to add a renewal reminder to your calendar. Set that reminder at ten months before your passport expires. Also, if you have only a couple of empty pages remaining in your passport, you should renew it so that you have room for more visas and stamps.
35. I exited a foreign country, but that country forgot to collect my departure card. The departure card is still in my passport. What should I do?
Contact that country's embassy or consulate as soon as possible. That country may not have recorded your exit correctly. To avoid a possible overstay investigation when you next visit that country, you should make sure you properly return that departure card according to the embassy's/consulate's instructions.
36. I am an American-Italian dual citizen. May I show my Italian passport to U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff who are checking IDs and boarding passes before security screening?
That's at least inadvisable. Show your U.S. passport or alternate form of U.S. identification, such as a U.S. driver's license.
Mar 242012
Thanks to BBCWatcher on the Italian Citizenship Message Board (http://italiancitizenship.freeforums.org/guide-for-new-or-newly-recognized-italian-citizens-t218.html). Copied here:
Congratulations on your acquisition of Italian citizenship or recognition as an Italian citizen! This brief guide provides basic information on your most important rights, responsibilities, and privileges as an Italian citizen. However, this guide is not exhaustive, so please search the forums for additional advice, and please post to the appropriate forum if you have questions not previously answered. Also, please consult a professional expert (a competent attorney, for example) if you need legal assistance.
Your Birth Certificate
It's a good idea to keep an official copy of your Italian birth certificate together with your other important papers. To obtain your birth certificate, send a request via ordinary or registered airmail to your home commune in Italy. You can use one of the sample letters provided in the Templates forum. Your local consulate may require you to provide an official copy of your birth certificate if you are applying for a passport, for example.
As with all Italian public documents it is possible to order your birth certificate with a standard marca da bollo (tax stamp), currently priced at 14.62 euro. However, for most purposes, including passport issuance and renewal, it is not necessary to order a tax stamp with your birth certificate.
You may also wish to obtain official copies of your marriage, divorce, and/or childrens' birth records from Italy for your personal files, as applicable.
Your Name
Other countries may be more lax and forgiving, allowing common variations in how you provide your legal name in different settings. Italy is different!
To avoid complications and potential legal difficulties, always use your full and exact legal name in any interactions with the Italian or other European governments, in business affairs (such as opening a bank account or buying property), in religious affairs (baptisms, weddings, etc.), in educational affairs (such as enrolling in a university), and in all other settings where your name could be recorded officially or semi-officially. If you have a middle name, if it is part of your legal name you must always use it.
It's very simple: your legal name is the one that appears on your birth (or naturalization) record, as recorded in your home comune in Italy. Be consistent with all spaces, punctuation, and capitalization.
For married or divorced women your name is your maiden name, unless you legally changed your name in Italy. (Yes, you may be known legally in one country by your married name and in Italy by your maiden name. If that's true, be extra careful when somebody asks your name.) Unless you are also asked specifically and additionally for your cognome da coniugata (married surname, alternatively cognome da sposata or cognome del marito), you should provide only your full legal name, which is your maiden name.
So, at least for your European affairs, stick to the name on the Italian version of your birth certificate! Check for any errors in any document you receive (such as a passport), and if necessary promptly notify the issuer to get your name corrected to match your birth certificate exactly.
Your Passport and Foreign Travel
Please read "Your Italian Passport: An Operator's Guide" for comprehensive information about Italian passports.
Australia, Canada, and New Zealand offer young Italian citizens special "working holiday" visas which permit extended stays and temporary employment.
Carta d'Identità
Italy offers a national identity card (carta d'identità). Outside Italy, only Italian embassies and consulates in Europe can issue this card. Some citizens find this card more convenient to carry than a passport, and it is valid for travel between nearly all European countries and even a few countries outside Europe. If you live in the European Union and never leave the region, it works well. While you may obtain a carta d'identità if you wish, you do not require one if you have an Italian passport.
Carrying Identification
In Italy you must carry government-issued photo identification on your person (or have readily available beachside or bedside ) at all times. Otherwise the police can hold you pending verification of your identity. Your Italian passport or carta d'identità suffices.
Other countries also generally require you to carry photo identification, particularly if you are not a citizen of that country. If you're visiting a foreign country, be sure to carry the passport that you used to enter that country.
Tessera Sanitaria
The Italian health insurance card (tessera sanitaria) proves that you have Italian national health insurance coverage, plus it includes your codice fiscale (see below). You may obtain the tessera sanitaria if you establish residence in Italy and enroll in national health insurance. (See below.)
Codice Fiscale
The codice fiscale is similar in purpose to a U.S. Social Security number or tax identification number. It is available to both citizens and non-citizens. It is required to accomplish many routine tasks in Italy, such as opening a bank account and enrolling in the national health service.
If you live abroad, you may obtain a codice fiscale free of charge at any Italian embassy or consulate. While there are Internet sites that can provide you with your likely codice fiscale, please note that your number is not official and must not be used unless it is issued by the Italian government. Otherwise, the number is not listed in government records and will not work. In fact, it is illegal to try to use an unauthorized number.
Registering All Life Events with Your Comune
Your home comune in Italy records all your significant life events, and you are required to keep your comune informed about these events. To assist Italians living abroad, there is a special registry called AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero). Your local embassy or consulate manages your information in this special registry on behalf of your home comune and forwards authenticated official documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, etc.) to your comune for recording in their files. Thus, if you are living abroad, you only have to notify your local embassy or consulate of these significant changes. You do not need to contact your comune directly unless you want to obtain official copies of your family's records.
"Significant changes" means changes in your permanent residential address (even if you're just switching apartments or moving across the street; moves within Italy must be reported directly to your comune), changes in your marital status, and changes in your family's composition (i.e. birth or adoption of a child, death of a child, death of a spouse, or your death). If you are aware of significant changes in the past that have not yet been recorded, you should forward them as soon as possible to bring your records up-to-date.
Italy does not currently recognize same-sex marriages, although some other European countries do. (See below regarding European Union citizenship.) However, Italy permits transsexual persons to change their legal gender, so such changes should be reported.
Passing Citizenship to Others
Italy is primarily a jure sanguinis citizenship country. As an Italian citizen you pass on Italian citizenship to your children when they are born (and to any minors when you legally adopt them). As mentioned previously, you are obliged to register all changes in family composition. Birth (and adoption) registration with Italy gives legal effect to your progeny's Italian citizenship.
Technically Italy has certain rules for naming babies. According to Presidential Decree nº 396 (3 novembre 2000), and affirmed by Italy's highest court in 2008, Italian parents may not name their children the same as a living father or sibling, with a surname as their first name, or with a "ridiculous" or "shameful" name. Suffixes, such as "Junior" or "III," are not used in Italy. Prospective parents may wish to consult lists of Italian baby names, such as ItaliaNames.com. However, per Circolare 18 febbraio 2010 (nº 4/2010), these naming rules are at least somewhat relaxed for children born abroad with dual citizenship (the birth country's citizenship and Italian citizenship).
When you legally marry an opposite-sex partner who is not an Italian citizen, your spouse can optionally apply for jure matrimoni naturalization after a waiting period. You must remain married and living together through the entire jure matrimoni process.
Voting and Democratic Representation
If your permanent address abroad is properly registered in AIRE, and if you are old enough to vote (age 18; age 25 for Senate elections), you should automatically receive voting materials for Italian elections. You may vote by mail for your deputy (representative to the lower house, called the Camera, also known as the Chamber of Deputies), for your senator (representative to the upper house, called the Senate), in referenda, and possibly for certain other offices depending on where you live. (Italy is a parliamentary democratic republic, and Italians do not vote directly for the Prime Minister or President.) Or you may vote in person in your comune when the polls are open, as Italians residing in Italy do, as long as you notify your local embassy or consulate a sufficient amount of time before the election. Whether or not you are also eligible to vote in another country's elections is immaterial, at least to Italy. You can still vote in Italian elections.
Deputies and senators each have districts they represent. Italy has a small number of deputies and senators representing Italians living abroad. Districts outside Italy are very large geographically.
Italian citizens may stand for public office in Italy and are also eligible to work in the civil service.
Taxes and Laws
Italy is similar to most other countries in not taxing the income earned abroad of Italians permanently residing abroad. In other words, there is no inherent tax liability derived solely as a result of Italian citizenship.
Many visitors from outside Europe buy goods and then obtain Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds at the airport just before returning home from Europe. Italian citizens living abroad can still obtain VAT refunds on their European shopping trips, but they must also prove residence outside Europe. You may be presenting a passport from a non-European country to help prove residence abroad. However, if you are an Italian citizen you must always represent yourself as an Italian citizen to Italian government officials, including officials processing VAT refund requests at the airport. In that case, present your Italian passport (or at least clearly state that you are an Italian citizen) first, then present whatever evidence you are using to prove residency outside Europe.
AIRE-registered Italian citizens who move to Italy (to establish permanent residence) are eligible for a customs exemption.
You must obey the laws of Italy. Ignorance of the law is not a valid defense. If you are also the citizen of another country (i.e. a dual national), you must also obey the laws of your other country of citizenship. For example, if you are a citizen of both Italy and the United States, you are still subject to U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba. You must also file an annual "1040" tax return with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and report all your non-U.S. financial accounts to the U.S. Treasury every year using form TD F 90-22.1.
If you are arrested in Italy you have no immediate right to see an attorney, but you may provide the name of your attorney to the judge in writing. You may remain silent except that you must provide your full name, date and place of birth, and indicate whether you have been previously arrested in Italy.
Military Service and National Security
Italy abolished all compulsory military service as of January 1, 2005. However, as with most countries, if there is a future national emergency the Italian government may order eligible Italian citizens, particularly young adult males, to report for military duty. That said, at least since World War II Italians residing abroad have never been recalled to Italy for compulsory military service.
Only Italian citizens are eligible to volunteer for Italian military service. There is no Italian equivalent to the French Foreign Legion, for example. The Italian military permits gays and lesbians to serve openly.
Italian citizens who are also citizens of other countries may have certain restrictions in obtaining the highest security clearances. This issue could affect employment in certain sensitive government, military, and defense industry professions in either or both countries. Complications in obtaining or retaining security clearances are particularly prevalent when the second citizenship is sought or acquired as an adult.
If you are also a male U.S. citizen age 18 to 25 (inclusive) you are still required to register with Selective Service no matter where you live in the world. And all young males resident in the U.S., legally or illegally, must register.
Right of Abode (and Other Fundamental Rights)
Perhaps it should be obvious, but as an Italian citizen you have the right to live in Italy permanently, and you are eligible for the same tax benefits as any other Italian when buying property. You may take any legal employment in Italy. Italian citizens are also citizens of the European Union. You have very similar rights of abode and employment in the European Union, in the European Economic Area, and in Switzerland. As of January, 2012, this combined area comprises 31 countries, including Italy.
If your spouse and/or dependents are not EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, they may accompany you if you establish residence within the EU/EEA/Switzerland and if they apply for legal residence as family members of an Italian (EU) national. Your non-citizen spouse may seek employment. If you die while you are all legally resident together within the EU/EEA/Switzerland, they may stay (with some caveats), and your spouse may still seek employment.
Italy does not recognize same-sex spouses or partners, so the rights described above are not presently available within Italy to households headed by same-sex couples. Court cases are pending. However, many other European countries (including Switzerland, with its majority Italian speaking canton Ticino) fully recognize households headed by same-sex couples as long as the relationship is legally established and documented in some jurisdiction, such as a U.S. state.
The European Union Web site provides a great deal of information on your EU citizenship rights and responsibilities.
You also have a special treaty right of abode and employment in Panama.
Social Security, Education, Medical, and Other Social Benefits
Italy has a Social Security system, but its pension benefits are largely reserved for those living and working in Italy for at least five years. Italy has Social Security treaties with certain other countries, including the U.S., that establish various reciprocal rights to benefits based on combined contributions.
Italian citizens may enroll in Italian universities and may qualify for government scholarships, although general tuition rates are already substantially lower than in many other countries. Italian citizens are eligible for the ERASMUS exchange program. Italian citizens who have resided in the EU for a sufficient number of years (typically five years) are eligible for EU tuition rates at all European universities. Some EU countries have no residency requirements to qualify for tuition benefits. For example, Italian citizens may attend public universities in Sweden without owing any tuition. Of course, Italians living in Italy have full access to primary and secondary education.
Italians resident in Italy may enroll in the national health system. Italians with national health insurance temporarily visiting other European countries enjoy reciprocal coverage. Italians permanently residing in another European country may enroll in their national health system. AIRE-registered Italians residing outside Europe are eligible to obtain a maximum of three months per year of free emergency medical assistance when visiting Italy. The Italian national health system is funded through payroll and other taxes, but Italian citizens only need to prove residence in Italy to enroll.
There are many other benefits available to Italian citizens residing in Italy, including the social allowance (which offers some financial security to low income Italians), disability insurance, maternity benefits, and paid parental leave among others. The Italian government also funds long-term care, such as nursing home care, for Italian citizens residing in Italy who have exhausted their savings.
Consular Services for Citizens
Italian embassies and consulates provide a range of services to Italians residing abroad. In addition to the AIRE-related services mentioned above, embassies and consulates also provide emergency services. For example, the embassy or consulate often can help facilitate emergency evacuations from areas of conflict or natural disaster (such as Libya in early 2011). Consular officials are available to visit Italians arrested abroad and help arrange legal representation, although Italians are still responsible for obeying local laws and for legal costs. The embassy or consulate also typically maintains a directory of competent medical professionals in the area, and they may be able to facilitate emergency medical treatment locally or medical repatriation to Italy, although you are still responsible for costs if you are able to pay. It is advised to have the telephone number of the nearest Italian embassy or consulate readily available (stored in your mobile phone, for example) in case you require emergency consular service while abroad, particularly outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland. You are also advised to register details of any upcoming foreign travel through the MFA's Web site DoveSiamoNelMondo.it (in Italian). Please note that if you enter a particular country using your other passport (whether or not you are required to use that other passport), the Italian government may not be able to provide much emergency consular assistance to you in that country.
The Italian embassy or consulate can also help authenticate foreign official documents (issued within their jurisdiction), legalize documents, and/or translate documents into Italian (or recommend competent translators). In some cases the embassy or consulate can help Italians promote their businesses abroad, particularly the export of more Italian-made products and services.
If there is no Italian embassy or consulate in the country you visit, or if the embassy or consulate is unreachable due to an emergency such as civil unrest, you may contact any other EU country's embassy or consulate for emergency services only.
Italians also enjoy full access to the several Italian Cultural Institutes in major cities outside Italy. The Institutes promote Italian culture, commerce, and language. Many embassies, consulates, and ICIs invite area Italians to special events, such as social gatherings, Italian national holiday celebrations, and artistic performances. There are also Italian Chambers of Commerce and other membership organizations in many cities around the world.
Italian Language, History, and Current Events
Most Italian citizens are fluent in the Italian language. There are numerous opportunities to learn the Italian language. U.S. residents may wish to subscribe to the Italian language newspaper America Oggi, published daily. (Sunday-only subscriptions are also available.) ICN Radio broadcasts a 24 hour schedule in Italian in the New York City area on an FM radio subcarrier, and the broadcast is also available on the Internet. Visit the Learning Italian forum to find other recommendations.
Italy has a rich history, but did you know that Italy did not exist as a nation until 1861? Start learning more about your country's history.
Every day more history is being made. You can follow major news events in Italy by visiting ANSA's English site. (Italy's ANSA is analogous to the U.S. Associated Press.) Of course there are many more sources of news about Italy, especially in Italian. If you'd like to discuss Italian politics (in English), try the Expats in Italy forum "Understanding Italian Politics."
There are many Italian associations and clubs outside Italy, including the National Italian American Foundation. Many Italian embassies and consulates maintain lists of local associations and clubs.
Losing (or Giving Up) Your Citizenship
There are only a very few ways you can lose your Italian citizenship. Naturalizing as a citizen of another country does not affect your status as an Italian citizen, for example. Italian law changed effective August 15, 1992, to permit that.
As you might expect, the Italian government can strip citizenship (with retroactive effect) from anyone who represented themselves fraudulently or inaccurately in any citizenship application.
Italy no longer requires you to renounce another country's citizenship if you become an Italian citizen through naturalization. (And there has never been such a requirement if you are recognized as an Italian citizen jure sanguinis or if you acquired citizenship automatically when you legally married an Italian male before April 27, 1983.) However, some other countries may interpret Italian naturalization (i.e. "voluntary" acquisition of citizenship), in particular, as an act of renunciation. That depends on the citizenship laws of the other country. Presumably you already understand these ramifications.
There is generally no problem when Italian citizens choose to serve in foreign militaries or as foreign government officials. However, the Italian government still technically has the legal power to strip citizenship in such cases by following due process (i.e. a best-effort notice, then a waiting period to allow the citizen to reverse course and end foreign military/government service). The Italian government has rarely exercised this power and then only when the foreign power is expressly hostile to Italy. (The Italian government exercised this power during World War II only to retroactively restore citizenship after Italy's fascist government fell.)
As a separate matter, if you are thinking of voluntarily renouncing your citizenship of another country now that you are recognized as an Italian citizen, please review discussion #1 and #2 to understand the potential advantages and disadvantages.
Mar 212012
I sent my birth certificate and marriage certificate to the Italian consulate in NY City. I'm not sure what the cost will be – they asked for my credit card and will return a receipt with my documents – but the postage (2nd day with UPS, there plus a return envelop) was $43.46.
Mar 202012
In reference to your request pertaining to the legalization of Vital Records documents, issued in the States of New York and Connecticut, to be presented to the Italian Consular Office where you reside to claim Italian citizenship through ancestor:
- send the original documents legalized with the Apostille and translated into Italian, plus 1 set of copies; ( if the US certificates are 1 page, the translation should also be 1 page, not 3). Please check our website under the Vital Records Section which indicates the type of certificate required. Note that if they are not in the long form format, they will not be legalized by this office.
- a copy of a valid passport and credit card information (American Express card not accepted), including the expiration date and CCV security code in payment of the fees, which we are not able to quantify, as it depends on the number of documents and the number of pages. A receipt will be mailed to you with the documents;
- a pre-paid self addressed envelope for the return of the documentation to you;
- the document validation form below completed, signed and notarized.
The undersigned…………………………………………………………………………
Born on………………………………………….in…………………………………………..
Residing:………………………………………………………………………………………
Passport no……………………………………….
Issued by……………………………………………….
(Please include copy of your passport)
The undersigned assumes all responsibility for the mailing of the original documents in the pre stamped self addressed envelope and will not hold the Consulate General of Italy in New York liable for the loss or damage of the documents while in transit.
Date
____________________________
Signature (to be notarized)
Sincerely
Ufficio cittadinanza
927947
Mar 202012
Here is my grandparents marriage certificate from Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They were married 10 Jun 1939. Witnesses were John Palmeri, probably one of my grandfather's Palmeri cousins, and Mrs. J. D'Arata, who I don't know.
my grandparents' marriage certificate from NBVM Church in Buffalo
interior of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where my grandparents were married