Proof of Naturalisation

[jamesws]

Hello all,

I had my first appointment to apply for citizenship by jure sanguinis at the Italian consulate in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday. I was told that the document I provided to prove that my great grandfather naturalised after my grandfather was born was not sufficient. The document is a certified copy of a 'certificate of naturalisation' from 1944 with a unique certification number on it that came from the Australian National Archive.

The consulate staff told me they instead need an official, original document from the current department of immigration, stating the date my great grandfather became a citizen with a certificate number.

I've called the Department of Immigration today and they have advised they do not deal with records older than 30 years, and that for those records I need to deal with the National Archive.

So my issue is that the DOI refer me to the National Archive, but the National Archive cannot supply a document that will satisfy the Italian Consulate.

Has anyone else encountered this issue before? I spoke to the consulate again today to explain the situation and they have told me flat out that if I don't supply a document from the DOI then they will not let me apply for citizenship.

Thank you for your help

[arturo.c]

The issue stems from the fact that, until Jan 26th 1949, there was no "Australian citizenship". Immigrants naturalized before that date were given the status of "British subjects".

Therefore you should obtain a written declaration from the Department of Home Affairs stating that they have no record of naturalization for your great-grandfather, and submit it to the Consulate again with the previous documentation.

Kind regards.

[acat05]

Jamesws how did you go with this? Does this mean that according to the consulate that your Great Grandfather was still technically an Italian Citizen?