What if grandma naturalized through marriage?

[wrensy]

Hello! Having lived in Italy for brief periods as a child and visited relatives there on my honeymoon, I've been gripped recently with a desire to move to Italy with my family. Dual citizenship would be great. My paternal grandfather, before he married and had kids, became an American citizen, and we have a priceless studio photo of him waving an American flag to celebrate the event. A few years later he married my very young grandmother, who was born at the turn of the century. She was an Italian citizen but automatically became an American citizen through marriage. Was she still technically Italian? Do I qualify?? She was born well before 1948; forgive me if I'm asking something very elementary.

Thanks,
Jennifer

[wldspirit]

Great FAQ on citizenship.......

http://www.italiamerica.org/id71.htm

wldspirit

[mler]

I believe your grandmother lost her Italian citizenship when she married your grandfather. I know my grandmother lost her American citizenship when she married my Italian grandfather, and she had to naturalize with him to regain it. This was in the late 1920s, which given your grandmother's birth date, seems to be about the same time.

There is another significant problem, however. Even if your grandmother was still Italian, she could not have passed on this citizenship before 1948, and it's likely that her children were born before that date. Sorry.

Just wanted to add that even if you don't qualify jure sanguinis, you can still obtain citizenship by residing in Italy for three years.

[wrensy]

Thanks so much to both of you for your prompt replies. You spared me a second night of sleepless excitement! Though the three year residency requirement is definitely heartening. If we enough money in the bank I would start packing now, while my kids are just 4 and 6 and could most easily acculturate...

Jennifer

[mler]

Any possibility on your maternal side or through your husband?

[wrensy]

Alas, no. No Italian in sight. Though my Armenian mom would jump on the plane with us if we left. I wish that instead of lineage they used some physiological measure of enthusiasm for Italy. I can imagine being shown photos of Piazza Bra in Verona and my heartbeat quickening and my pupils dilating until the examiners concluded: "Yep, she's Italian; give her citizenship."
I'm curious why your grandmother and grandfather re-naturalized. Did they return to Italy to live?

[mler]

I like your proposal, and I sure hope you and your family get to go. BTW, I don't know if Armenia is now part of the EU, but, if not, it may soon be. If so, Armenian citizenship will get you residency in any EU nation (including Italy). Something to think about.

Re my grandmother. She was born in NY, an American citizen, and in 1916 married my grandfather, an Italian. I was amazed to discover when doing my research that she naturalized six months after my grandfather in 1928. Then I discovered that before 1930 (I'm not sure if this is the exact date), American women lost their American citizenship when they married an alien. So she had to naturalize along with him. They weren't very nice to women in those days. I think it took us a while to get the vote, too.

[nuccia]

The same thing happened to my grandmother who was born in the US, moved back to Italy and married an Italian in 1930. She had to renaturalize with her husband in 1954 when she went back to the US.

Somehow though she was able to pass her citizenship to her youngest daughter when she turned fourteen...not sure of all the details but it did happen and my aunt left for the US not long afterwards. Shes been living there ever since.

nuccia

[superflush]

So, if these events occurred, would the descendent's of this potential family be eligible for citizenship.
In 1920's
1. Italian man immigrates to US.
2. Italian man naturalizes in US.
3. Italian (no longer "Italian") man marries Italian woman.
4. Couple gives birth to child.

Could this potentially mean that the man lost his American citizenship when he married an alien. If so, would he technically have his Italian citizenship back, and therefore pass it to the child?

Any discussion is encourage .. thanks

[mler]

I like the way you think, but it didn't work that way. Women assumed their husbands' citizenships, not the other way around (and they didn't have much choice in the matter either).

The 1948 rule is another example of how women's rights were severely restricted in the early part of the 20th century. Before that date, they could not even pass citizenship to their children.