Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
I am trying to figure out the immigration system for Italy through blood and if I qualify.
My Great Grandma and Great Grandpa came over on the ship in 1917, both from Italy. Remained Italian. I assume this as they went back to Italy all the time and my grandpa was a bit of an outlaw. Grandma born in USA, 1917, assume she was USA and did not have a dual citizenship. Dad born in USA 1939. Me, born in USA 1963.
Does that mean grandma did not pass the Italian path to my dad because he was born before 1948? Her other son, born much later, maybe 1953 would be eligible, and his kids too?
I have also been told that I could live in Italy for three years and qualify for a passport? Any idea how many days per year I would have to remain in Italy for this to qualify? I could easily live six month a year in Italy with my current job (writer), and maybe a bit more, but full time would be difficult.
As a US citizen is it easy to get a long term visitors permit in Italy with a Italian lineage?
And is there any other way with my situation to get an Italian passport?
http://www.italiancitizenshipforamericans.com may be able to answer your questions for the lawful process of acquiring Italian citizenship while maintaining USA citizenship. I would read the website, mark off the areas of your heightened interest and then go back for the answers you seek. If there are still unanswered questions then get back to the forum and ask. This forum abounds with knowledge about the subject. Peter
Actually, yes. Assuming your great grandparents never naturalized, your grandmother was born an Italian citizen. That your father was born before 1948 creates a problem, but a problem that has been successfully challenged many times in Italian courts. Several posters here have described their experiences, and there is a specific 1948 thread at www.italiancitizenship.freeforums.org
The lawsuit approach will cost several thousand dollars, but it is not prohibitively expensive. I have not heard of any unsuccessful challenges to the law.
PeterTimber wrote:http://www.italiancitizenshipforamericans.com may be able to answer your questions for the lawful process of acquiring Italian citizenship while maintaining USA citizenship. I would read the website, mark off the areas of your heightened interest and then go back for the answers you seek. If there are still unanswered questions then get back to the forum and ask. This forum abounds with knowledge about the subject. Peter
Thanks for the info, Peter. Good site. My relative needs this information too.
Very nice of you Jennabet...by the way do you know why Abruzzo has so many north European looking people and why Aquila was named capital of Abruzzo? Peter
Abruzzo, particularly Teramo where my family originates, does indeed have many north European looking people, blondes, light eyes, etc. of which I am one myself. I've often wondered about why this is the case and would love to know your theory. My companion who's family originates in Calabria says he's never seen so many blonde Italians.
This was told to me by an instructor at the University of Perugia where I attended around 1950:
IN 70ad when the Jewish war broke out in Roman occupied Israel, the 10th legion stationed in England for some time was recalled by Rome and recruited locals for the rank and file while the Roman Officers led the legion(Irish came over and joined the Roman army as well).On the way South to Italy they stopped off and picked up the Dutch contingent (Dutch were very admired by Rome for their fighting prowess). The 10th legion was to drop off their retirees and recruit fresh troops in Italy. At that time there were two Roman Senatorial twins called the CAFUS brothers who enacted the equivalent of A "GI BILL" for the retirees (who by the way were a pretty gross lot, crude and vulgar)and since Abruzzo was inhabited be few locals they wanted to open the lands to the retirees and their families and caused the capital of the province to be named AQUILA (after the Roman Eagle). The local inhabitants were dismayed at these gross English/Irish/Dutch families and started calling them CAFONI after the Cafus Brothers who dumped all these people in their province. The meaning was obvious and it became an Italian word for stupidity,vulgarity etc....Just thought you might like to know the legend!!! Peter
Interesting and it does make sense. I know there is a Roman connection to one side of my family because the name Di Claudio (of Claudius, the emperor) exists in the line. Abruzzo is older than Rome but there is not much information on where the Abruzzese people came from. One article I read said they might be related to the Etruscans but that the Etruscans just disappeared. So again, the legend you heard in Perugia might be more than just a legend. The fact that you actually heard it in Italy from an Italian scholar makes it seem even more credible to me. My sister's husband will be interested in hearing this too. He's British born and raised in England. Can you guess what color hair and eyes their kids have?
The original inhabitants of Italy are traced back to the 9th Century BC with Italic tribes in "CENTRAL ITALY"...The name Italia was imposed upon the Roman Republic by the conquering Italic tribes of the ABRUZZO REGION centered at CORFINIO. Around 800BC Etruscans emerged.influenced by the Greeks down south. Rome began as an Etruscan town with monogamous society that emphasized pairing (MOM & DAD) and was at the edge of the Etruscan territory (VITERBO). Just to fill you in. Peter
I checked my local history catalogue for Abruzzo and thought you may not know that there are two books written F. SAVINI titled "The Feudal Families of the TERAMANA REGION" and "DIALETTO TERAMANO". There is also another book written by N. Palma titled STORIA DI TERAMO. Since you obviously are genealogy minded just thought the books may be at the library in Teramo...Oh yes there is one more by MUZII, M. Storia di Teramo dalle origini all'Anno 1559. Peter
Grazie tanto, Peter. Excellent information. Having all four grand-parents born and raised in Teramo, I know that my roots have been in Central Italy for a long, long time so I can't help but feel connected and that's why I live in my ancestral homeland. While I'm now in another Abruzzo province south of Teramo, I'm not surprised that a Muzii is writing the Story di Teramo dale origini all'Anno 1559. Muzii is the name of a major corso in Pescara. This means, as I have always known, that many residents of this province (Pescara) are also originally from Teramo.
Nowadays, very few Italian actors are able to emerge on the world cinema scene. Until a few decades ago it was different, but we talk about the age of the young Cinecittà, where it was not unusual to meet world-famous directors who set their stories which became known all over the world in those stu...
