Question about dual citizenship

[gmatassa]

I have a kind of convoluted situation that I'm hoping someone can help me figure out. My grandmother was born in the US in 1920 while her parents were visiting from Sicily and they all returned to Sicily soon after her birth. My grandmother moved back to the US in the late 1930s with my grandfather and, as far as I know, she never had to be naturalized. I believe she had some kind of dual citizenship but I am not certain if that was even possible in the 20s and 30s. I do know her father (my great-grandfather) was never a US citizen. Would it be possible for me to acquire citizenship jure sanguinis through this family lineage?

My father was born in 1950, so I believe I'm cleared of the 1948 rule.

Thanks for your help.

[mler]

I believe this works. You should have a U.S. birth certificate for your grandmother, and this is important because it means she never naturalized in the U.S. but obtained automatic citizenship. If Italy also considered her a citizen, it's not a problem as far as you are concerned. In fact, it's probably best if you ignore this totally.

Instead, begin with your greatgrandfather. He, as an Italian who never naturalized, passed his Italian citizenship to his U.S.-born (and U.S. citizen daughter).

You will need all your greatgrandfather's documents--birth, marriage, death--as well as a letter of "no record" to prove he never naturalized in the U.S.

Then the line becomes simple. You will need your grandmother's birth, marriage, and death records; your father's birth and marriage records; and your records.

You do indeed qualify, but since you are going all the way back to a greatgrandparent, you have a lot of documents to obtain. Depending on your consulate, you may or may not need documents from the non-Italian line.

[gmatassa]

Thanks mler for your thorough response! I really appreciate your help.

I live in San Francisco, so I'm going to have to deal with the hellish consulate office here. (wish me luck). Is it possible to go through the main consulate office in DC from here, or must I use the local one?

[mler]

Unless you can document residency elsewhere, you're stuck with SF.