I have just finished the first step in determining my eligibility for Italian citizenship via jure sanguinis-the family tree research
. I have not begun to procure documents yet. Before I do, I am hoping someone else can confirm that I am looking at everything correctly. Gathering documents and translations would be an enormous waste of time if I am not really eligible.-My great great grandfather Bernardo Calafati (Bernard Calaman) was born Nov 1876 in San Constantino, Cantanzaro, Calabria, Italy to Italian parents. In May 1900 he married Mariantonia Columbo (Italian w/Italian parents).
-Records show he arrived in New York Jun 1901 at age 25 with his wife Mari
-1910 Census shows "AL" alien status for Bernard Calaman and Mari
-May 1914 my great grandfather Roy Calaman was born
-1920 Census shows "NA" naturalized status for Bernard and Mariantonia with date of naturalization as 1916. This field in the census is blank for all their children.
-Roy Calaman married and had my grandmother Rosalie in 1942.
-Rosalie married and had my mother Bonnie in 1966 (Born after 1948 so meets rule).
-My mother married and I was born in 1989.
So, can I conclude that I am eligible through this line since Bernard was born to italian parents after 1861, was still an Italian citizen in 1912, Roy was not born until 1914, and Bernard did not naturalize until 1916 and there is no record of naturalization on the census for Roy (he would have been a US citizen by soil so it wouldn't have been necessary)? I have found mixed information on this. Some information implies that because Roy was 2 at the time Bernard naturalized, that he would have been also and lost his citizenship. Other information implies that because Bernard was an Italian citizen after 1912, Roy born after 1912 in 1914 and Bernard naturalized after that, that Roy would have maintained the Italian citizenship.
Also, how difficult will this process be since they changed their name after landing in New York. The records in Italy and at Ellis Isle have "Bernardo Calafati", some records have Bernardo Calaman, and some Bernard Calaman. I am not sure how I would go about proving that they are in fact the same person.
Thanks!
