10555 Italian Citizenship

I have put this question to the Italian Embassy in London and Sydney, Australia via email but unfortunately, their answer still does not answer my question.

I am an Italian citizen, born in Sydney, Australia and have lived in the UK for the past two and a half years. I have never lived in Italy. I'm planning to get married to a Colombian national in the near future.

My question is: As an Italian citizen, what do I need to do for my wife to be to get an Italian Passport? what are the regulations and time frames involved?

Appreciate any advice! :smile:

Thanks,

John

Category
Legal

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/02/2008 - 09:33

I'm curious. How can you have Italian Citizenship if you have never lived in Italy??? What's your link then???

By the way welcome to the Forum.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/02/2008 - 09:39

My Father is Italian. He went to Australia in the 70's from Argentina, where he grew up from the age of 10. So I was born and grew up in Sydney, Australia!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/02/2008 - 09:41

This old thread might help - [url]http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/legal/4041-status-obtaining-italian-passport.html[/url]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/02/2008 - 11:27

[url=http://www.interno.it/mininterno/export/sites/default/it/temi/cittadinanza/Sottotema_007_English_version.html]Ministero Dell'Interno - Scheda Editoriale[/url]

Hopefully this link will clarify your situation - under the 'Granting Citizenship' paragraph
As I understand it, once a non-Italian spouse has been married for a minimum of six months and as such has held legal residency in an Italian comune for a minimum of six months following marriage to an Italian citizen they may apply for citizenship. However, if the non-Italian spouse lives overseas they can only apply for Italian citizenship three years after marriage to an Italian citizen. So, if I have understood correctly, assuming you continue to live in the UK after your marriage, your wife will have to wait three years before she can apply for citizenship and then a passport.
Good Luck!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/02/2008 - 12:10

Anne, Thanks, that sheds some light on the subject! :smile:

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/14/2008 - 21:21

John, make sure you keep a copy of your marriage certificate, get it translated by a consulate approved translator into italian, and lodge it with the consulate asap. This will make your life so much easier in the future when you apply for your wife's passport. Also, as an italian citizen, it's your responsibility to register any children you may have with the consulate.
I'm australian and have been married for 16 years to my italian husband, and have been trying for the past year to lodge my marriage certificate. It seems the italians had not 'recognised' my husband's divorce of over 25 years ago, and now keep 'losing' our marriage certificate.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/15/2008 - 03:48

Cossagirl,

Thanks for the advice!.... I can see this process will not be easy and very long winded! :no:

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/15/2008 - 18:18

John,

I wonder whether you and your wife could spend some time in Rome (on holiday perhaps) and while there your wife could go to the Columbian Embassy in Rome to find out her situation (you should accompany her, of course). Several years ago I had a great deal of trouble trying to establish my Italian citizenship from London. However, the Italian Embassy in London did tell me that if I asked my Comune in Italy whether I was Italian or not they would be able to tell me in a matter of minutes; and they did! E-mailing is not a good idea when it comes to any admin/ legal matter with Italians. It is always best to do things in person.