Hello everyone! I tried posting before, but I guess it never saved. I am a US citizen born and raised. I enjoy researching my ancestry and I found some great information last week regarding my Italian ancestry. I've known about Italy's jure sanguinis law since talking to a Brazilian friend of mine who owns an Italian passport. I never knew if I was eligible since there are many legal requirements, but now I believe I may be eligible after a recent discovery.
My direct line follows:
Great-great grandfather: Born in 1887 as an Italian citizen in Italy. He came to the US around 1910 and died in a mining accident in 1922.
Great grandfather: Born in 1911 in USA. The interesting part that I mentioned earlier is that, last week, I found a US census from 1920 that clearly states that my great great grandfather was still an alien (not naturalized) meaning that he never renounced his Italian citizenship and that my great grandfather was 8 years old at this time. I actually believe it is possible that my great great grandfather never obtained his US citizenship because he suddenly died only 2 years after this census.
Grandmother: Born in early 1950s in USA.
Mother: Born in 1977 in USA.
Me: Born in 1997 in USA.
What do you guys think? I believe I am eligible, but I want to check here first.
If I am eligible, how long does it typically take and how much does it cost? I am currently in college and don't have a lot of money so I may wait until after I graduate to do this, but I would like to start planning now.
Obviously, if I decide to obtain Italian citizenship I will work very very hard to learn the Italian language and become immersed in the culture. I visited Europe last summer (not Italy, unfortunately) and I am very attracted by the idea of EU citizenship.
Thank you all so much in advance!
Am I eligible for Italian citizenship via jure sanguinis?
Re: Am I eligible for Italian citizenship via jure sanguinis?
You need more than a census to verify Naturalization. You need to Get official letters from USCIS and NARA stating there are no records of Naturalization found. I believe NARA is free (not positive) but USCIS charges $65 for the search. Then because in the early 1900's you could Naturalize at the local courthouse, you would need to have them search also. You might want to check with the local records placed before paying for the USCIS and other searches.
The best thing to do is check out your appropriate Italian Consulate. They tell you on their website what is needed.
The best thing to do is check out your appropriate Italian Consulate. They tell you on their website what is needed.
