Nancy
Disappointed
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GrowlyGirl
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- Joined: 29 Jun 2016, 18:45
Disappointed
I am so disappointed to have figured out that I do not qualify for Italian citizenship even though three grand-parents were born in Italy. My maternal grand-parents emmigrated to Tunisia and became French citizens before my mom was born. My paternal grand-father became a US citizen before my dad was born. Rats.
Nancy
Nancy
Re: Disappointed
Did your paternal grandfather marry your grandmother before he naturalized?
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GrowlyGirl
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- Posts: 20
- Joined: 29 Jun 2016, 18:45
Re: Disappointed
I don't know. After re-reading the copy of the paperwork, it does not have to do with naturalization. Would that make a difference?
Re: Disappointed
Most definitely.
First, you need to determine definitively if your gf naturalized before your father was born. If he did not, you're good to go.
If he did naturalize before your father was born, you do not have a path through his line UNLESS he married your gm before he naturalized. If that happened, your gm automatically became an Italian citizen when they married, and you have a 1948 case.
So you need to determine the exact date he naturalized and the date he married.
First, you need to determine definitively if your gf naturalized before your father was born. If he did not, you're good to go.
If he did naturalize before your father was born, you do not have a path through his line UNLESS he married your gm before he naturalized. If that happened, your gm automatically became an Italian citizen when they married, and you have a 1948 case.
So you need to determine the exact date he naturalized and the date he married.
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GrowlyGirl
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- Joined: 29 Jun 2016, 18:45
Re: Disappointed
Mler, thank you for that information. So, I have been researching the answer, and it seems it is not so simple. He did naturalize before my father was born. The naturalization date is January 8th, 1919. He married my grandmother in June of 1915 in Pennsylvania, and then they got married in Italy in 1920. So he married my grandmother before and after he was naturalized.
Re: Disappointed
Lol. That's sweet. He probably wanted a wedding surrounded by relatives.
For your citizenship quest, however, not a problem. When your grandmother married your grandfather in 1915, she immediately became an Italian citizen. The second "marriage" was not technically a new marriage since you cannot marry the same person twice without an intervening divorce. The second "marriage," recorded or not, was simply a reaffirmation of the wedding vows.
This will have to be explained carefully in the courts, which will be the responsibility of your lawyer, so you should bring it to his attention. Since yours is a 1948 case anyway, this is simply another issue for your lawyer to handle. It's a minor one though, since the proof of a marriage between your grandparents in 1915 really means the second "marriage" was strictly ceremonial.
For your citizenship quest, however, not a problem. When your grandmother married your grandfather in 1915, she immediately became an Italian citizen. The second "marriage" was not technically a new marriage since you cannot marry the same person twice without an intervening divorce. The second "marriage," recorded or not, was simply a reaffirmation of the wedding vows.
This will have to be explained carefully in the courts, which will be the responsibility of your lawyer, so you should bring it to his attention. Since yours is a 1948 case anyway, this is simply another issue for your lawyer to handle. It's a minor one though, since the proof of a marriage between your grandparents in 1915 really means the second "marriage" was strictly ceremonial.
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GrowlyGirl
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- Joined: 29 Jun 2016, 18:45
Re: Disappointed
That is very encouraging news! I think I will try to gather as much of the paperwork as I can myself first and then try to find a lawyer. Thanks very much!