Italian Dual Citizenship

Obtaining Italian Dual Citizenship for British Nationals

Does Italian dual citizenship apply in Italy? Yes, Italy allows dual nationality with UK, so that a British citizen can also be a citizens of other countries.

The good news, despite Brexit, is that British citizens still have the possibility to maintain their European status through their Italian roots.

How to qualify for Italian dual citizenship?

When a British citizen applies for Italian dual citizenship, he can chose among three methods, which are:

• By descent, if the British citizen has an Italian born ancestor
• By marriage, if married with an Italian citizen
• By naturalization, if he lives in Italy for a long term.

If one of the above three path applies, a British citizen might obtain Italian dual citizenship if also other requirements will be fulfilled.

Italian-UK Dual Citizenship by Descent

You may qualify for Italian dual citizenship in UK. Let’s see how!

Italy has something known as “Jure Sanguinis” or “right of blood” under article 1 of Law nr. 91/1992.

This is when an individual may qualify for dual citizenship because of a blood relationship with an Italian descent. The descent may even be a grandparent. Contact Luxury Law to ascertain that you have the right requisites before proceeding with your application.

Generally talking the ancestral tie has to be a close relative such as your parent, grandparent, or great grandparent.

The first requirement will be to prove your blood relationship with the ancestor.

You can send us an email at info@luxury-law.com to receive your first free consultation. We will check if the main requirements to obtain Italian-UK dual citizenship are fulfilled.

Documents needed:

If you are applying form UK – Document List & Starting Process

If applying form the UK your application will be sent through your local Italian Consulate.

You can appoint a first free consultation or appoint a meeting at our London immigration office.

The main documents to produce are:

• Citizenship application form. This form can be filled, but it has to be signed before the officer. He needs to certify that the signatures is yours.
• Birth certificate of both the applicant and the descendant(s).

In particular it is mandatory to provide the birth certificate of the last person in your family who was born in Italy.

It is usually requested a birth certificate with annotations, meaning that the birth certificate has to show the history.

• Death certificates of the descendant(s).
• Marriage certificate for both you and the descendant(s).
• Proof of address (a recent utility bill or bank statement ).
• Current passport.
• Consular fees.

If You Are Applying From Italy – Step by Step Process

Collect all the document

Before planning your trip to Italy, you should collect all documents required.

It is recommended to make sure that all documents are ready and duly apostilled and translated. The Apostille is an official document that validates these documents.

Plan your trip to Italy

Italian law allows you to enter Italy with a Tourist Visa. Once you get your tourist visa you are able to legally enter the country where you can stay for 90 days. During this time you can proceed with all further steps listed here below.

Go to the Questura and submit a Declaration of Presence (Dichiarazione di Presenza).

Within 8 days from your arrival you need to inform the Government that you have entered Italy. The competent office is usually the nearest Questura or Prefettura to where you live in Italy.

Get your fiscal code

One of the document which will be required when applying for Italian citizenship is a fiscal code or Codice Fiscale (this is a tax code similar to a National Security Number). We recommend you to get one as soon as possible, since this needs to be sent together with your Jures Sanguinis application.

Residency application

When applying for Italian Citizenship by descent, you need to establish your residency. You need to prove that you have an accommodation.

Many clients ask us if they can get a B&B or hotel, the answer is very straightforward and is “no”.

In some municipalities being hosted by a friend does not suffice, too.

You need to prove that you have a rental contract or that you are the owner of a property in Italy.

Police check

Once you have applied for your residency, the local police will check if you actually live at the address mentioned in your application.

It usually takes few days for them to visit you, however it might take a bit longer depending on few aspects.

Citizenship application

Once the above step have been successfully made, you can finally apply for your Italian Citizenship.

The application is made at the competent authority of the city/town where you are residing.

In case your citizenship acquisition is talking longer than expected, you need to apply for a Residency Permit whilst waiting for your citizenship. This is the “permesso di soggiorno in attesa di cittadinanza”.

You need to ask for a “kit” at the post office, fill it and attach the documents requested, and pay a small amount at the post office itself. The post officer will release you a receipt which shows the date of your appointment with the immigration office.

Be aware that the permit cannot be released if you do to have obtained a residency yet.

It is strongly recommended to contact an expert before entering Italy. He or she (or us if you wish) will make sure that you will have no obstacles once in Italy.

Citizenship acquisition

If you have provided the municipality with the documentation required, your Italian Citizenship will be release quite soon.

Problems might arise if you forgot a document or if this is not apostilled or duly translated.

Sometimes documents are not translated by a formal translator, this might cause delays too.

If everything goes smoothly and you have acquired your Italian Citizenship, the very last step will be applying for your new passport.

Contact us for your first free consultation about Italian dual citizenship or send us your query at info@luxury-law.com

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