The moment you get your Italian citizenship by descent recognized, the door to living and working in Italy opens for you. However, the joy of having that Italian passport in hand might come with a question: “What about my family? Can I bring them along?”

When one person in a family gets their Italian citizenship recognized, it doesn’t necessarily mean the whole family can get an Italian passport right away, though having one in the bag can certainly help. Sharing the legwork of gathering documents is one of the benefits of a parent and child applying for Italian citizenship together. Still, there are age and location limits to be aware of. Spouses have their hurdles, too, when applying for Italian citizenship by marriage. If your dream of having Italian citizenship by descent includes spending extended time in Italy with your family, these insights from Italian Citizenship Assistance can help make the dream a reality.

Register your child’s birth in Italy to secure their path to Italian citizenship

Once a child is born to an Italian citizen, it’s best to have their Italian citizenship by descent recognized as soon as possible. Likewise, if a parent applies for Italian citizenship while their child is under the age of 18, their child will automatically be eligible too once the parent is granted Italian citizenship. Even if the child is born outside of Italy, their birth certificate can be registered at an Italian consulate abroad, while their parents’ marriage certificate, birth certificates and written consent will also be part of the child’s citizenship by descent request.

Though the steps to citizenship by descent get more complicated if a child’s birth isn’t recorded in Italy before they turn 18, they are still eligible to claim their citizenship. That’s because Italian citizenship is passed down automatically from one generation to the next, without limits. The adult child will need to formally apply for recognition of Italian citizenship jure sanguinis (by descent), including certified vital records of all the family members in their Italian lineage starting from the first ancestor born in Italy. 

Share records and research with adult children

Though the process may be more complicated when applying for Italian citizenship by descent as an adult, working on the project as a family — and living in the same jurisdiction — can make it easier for everyone to get their Italian passports. When a parent and their adult child apply for Italian citizenship by descent, they file two separate applications with two separate consulate appointments. But if that parent and child live in the same jurisdiction, they can share the vital records gathered for their applications. However, children and parents who live in different consulate jurisdictions will need to submit separate sets of documents. Therefore, the path for a family to acquire Italian citizenship by descent as adults can be streamlined if they can apply in the same jurisdiction.

Plan ahead for a spouse’s residency and Italian citizenship 

While children have the benefit of automatic citizenship with no waiting period if they are under the age of 18 (and can apply those rights as adults, too), spouses don’t immediately benefit from Italian citizenship by marriage. 

Spouses of Italian citizens do have the right to an Italian residence permit as soon as they’re married, but there’s a waiting period from one and a half to three years for citizenship, depending on whether the couple is living in Italy or abroad, and whether or not they have children. However, there are a number of requirements to fulfill, such as passing an intermediate-level Italian language test, receiving criminal record checks issued by the FBI (if the spouse is a U.S. citizen) and by the U.S. states and foreign countries where the spouse has lived since the age of 14. The citizenship by marriage process could take a couple of years after all of the paperwork has been filed. 

Though there are extra steps needed to bring your family with you on your path to Italian citizenship and spending extended time in Italy, knowing the process and planning effectively will make it possible. Working with experts who can advise on the rules and steps involved can also simplify the journey.

If you are interested in determining your eligibility to apply for Italian citizenship by descent or by marriage, the team at ICA will offer a completely free preliminary assessment of your case, with no obligation attached. For more information about ICA, visit the organization’s website or contact info@italiancitizenshipassistance.com.