New here and have questions

[DaisySunshine]

I've recently started collecting paperwork to apply for dual citizenship through my grandfather. My grandfather was born in Italy in 1902, immigrated to the US, married my grand mother, had my mother in 1936 and was than naturalized in the 40's.

I'm working on sending out requests for copies of various documents and as I understand it need the following:

Birth Certificates

Mine, mother, father, grand mother, grand father

Marriage Certificates

parents and grandparents (I've never been married)

Death Certificates
grand mother, grand father and father (mother is still alive)

Because I need Aposilles for all of the documents, I'm working on getting new copies of all of the above documents.

I already have a copy of my grand fathers naturalization certificate that my mom got from the National Archives several years ago when doing genealogy research. It looks like a photocopy on cardstock type paper. Do I still need to request another copy from USCIS?

Also, can someone point me in the right direction regarding which documents need translation? I'll be applying through the Miami Consulate if that matters.

Thanks so much,

[ForzaItaliaPgh]

Hi Daisy,

Two things jump to mind:

1) I believe Italian citizenship was transferred ONLY through the male line prior to 1948, which would make you ineligible as you are claiming through a female born in the 1930's. You'll want to double check this before moving forward, I could be wrong, but you don't want to spend all that time and $$$ if you can't get citizenship.

2) If you are eligible, your best bet would be to contact the Miami Consulate and get a list of what they want you to have as there are slight differences between consulates. Also, you may want to schedule your appointment now as, again depending on the consulate, there can be quite a wait. For example, I just scheduled my appt and got one set for Jan 3, 2012. I'm in the Philly jurisdiction, Miami may be less of a wait, but you'd be wise to touch base with the consulate now, instead of later.


Good Luck!

[ForzaItaliaPgh]

Hi again Daisy,

I want to stress again that you should check into point one above. I'm claiming through all males so it isn't an issue that I am intimately acquainted with, so I am not sure if your female ancestor had to be BORN after '48 or just had to still be ALIVE after '48. Someone else on these forums, "JohnnyontheSpot" pops into mind, will be able to more definitively answer this point.

Thanks.

[johnnyonthespot]

Actually, the mother's birthdate is not the issue in this case.

Daisy's mother inherited citizenship from her father, regardless of when she was born. The issue would be in regards to the mother's children - any of her children born prior to January 1, 1948 (unlikely since she herself was born in 1936) would not be able to inherit citizenship from her. However, since it seems reasonable to assume that all of the mother's children were born after that date, they would indeed inherit citizenship.

Daisy, generally speaking, although the consulate websites say otherwise, you almost never need birth or death certificates for persons not in the direct line of ancestry - in your case, your grandmother's and father's would almost certainly not be required.

Do you have an actual copy of the fancy-suitable-for-framing naturalization certificate? If so, I don't think your mother got it from the National Archives because the certificate itself is available only from USCIS to the best of my knowledge. Tell us more about the document you have, please.

Regarding translation: consulates seem to vary on this point but the previous rule in New York has been that only the applicant's own birth and marriage certificates required translation, along with those of your spouse and/or children. If you are divorced, your final divorce decree would need to be presented along with a certified translation and, often, other documentation related to the divorce.

[sforza]

ForzaItaliaPgh,
In her case, she's OK because SHE was born after 1948. When going through the mother, it only matters if the next in line after the mother was born in 1948 or after. In this case, it is Daisy. In other cases, like someone using a grandmother, it would have to be the next in line (ie, either their mother or father) who was born in or after 1948.

[sforza]

oops - didn't see that you already answered that one, Carmine.

[ForzaItaliaPgh]

Carmine and sforza,

Thanks guys! I was hoping someone with a firmer grasp of the female descent law would clear this up for Daisy.

So her grandma gained citizenship via her father (a male) and was able to pass it on to her children even though she is female b/c her kids her born after they changed the law in '48. Thanks for clearing it up

[DaisySunshine]

randmother's and father's would almost certainly not be required.

Do you have an actual copy of the fancy-suitable-for-framing naturalization certificate? If so, I don't think your mother got it from the National Archives because the certificate itself is available only from USCIS to the best of my knowledge. Tell us more about the document you have, please.

Regarding translation: consulates seem to vary on this point but the previous rule in New York has been that only the applicant's own birth and marriage certificates required translation, along with those of your spouse and/or children. If you are divorced, your final divorce decree would need to be presented along with a certified translation and, often, other documentation related to the divorce.

This is great info, thanks so much. I've attached a jpg of the document that I have (whited out identifying info). She's kept the letters and documentation she received when requesting the information and I thought it said was from the national archives but maybe she did get it from USCIS.

So if my mom also wants to apply, besides my birth certificate (I've never been married), we'd just need to get her birth certificate and marriage certificate translated? That's better than I was expecting.

I went ahead an made an appointment with the Miami consulate, it's not until May 2012 so I have PLENTY of time to collect all of the documentation.

Thanks again for all of the help.