Consulate General of Italy, Chicago

Citizenship

Information on Italian Citizenship by Right of Blood for People of Italian Descent, born in the United States.

You may Submit the required documents to the Consulate General of Italy, 500 North Michigan Ave. - Suite 1850, Chicago IL. 60611, only if you are a resident of the territorial jurisdiction of this Consulate General.

If you reside outside our jurisdiction, you must present your documents to the Consulate under whose jurisdiction you reside . (See attached)

Once you gather and translate, into Italian, all the required documents (including the certificate and "Apostille"), you may mail or bring the documents in person, by appointment, to our Office. This Office is open to the public between the hours of: 9:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Central Standard time, Monday through Friday. We will notify you, in writing, after your documentation has been processed.

Please Note :

THE ITALIAN ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL SYSTEMS DO NOT FORBID A PERSON FROM HOLDING DUAL CITIZENSHIP. AT THE SAME TIME, ALL REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THIS SUBJECT MATTER MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE MERE FACT THAT ONE HOLDS ANOTHER CITIZENSHIP DOES NOT EXEMPT THE INDIVIDUAL FROM ABIDING BY THE ITALIAN LAWS.

PURSUANT TO ITALIAN LAW, A CITIZEN OF ITALY, EVEN IF HOLDER OF ANOTHER CITIZENSHIP, IS ONLY ITALIAN, BECAUSE IN VIEW OF THE LAW IT IS THE ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP THAT PREVAILS OVER ANY OTHER.

FURTHERMORE, THE LAW DOES NOT PROHIBIT THE INDIVIDUAL FROM HOLDING ANOTHER PASSPORT ISSUED BY A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT/STATE. SUCH PASSPORT HOWEVER IS AT ANY RATE IRRELEVANT IN FRONT OF THE ITALIAN AUTHORITIES, AS A SITUATION OF DOUBLE OR MULTIPLE STATUS CANNOT BE INVOKED BY A PERSON TO SUBTRACT HIMSELF FROM RESPECTING FULLY ITALIAN LAWS, WHICH INTER ALIA, PUNISHES THE ITALIAN CITIZEN WHO TRAVELS ACROSS ITALIAN BORDERS WITHOUT THE ITALIAN PASSPORT , UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN TO RESIDE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY.

Please note: this is just a model not an application form to fill out and sign.
You have to retype this letter indicating your own data and those relative to your ancestors.

FACSIMILE OF APPLICATION TO APPLY FOR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY RIGHT OF BLOOD RECOGNIZED.

CONSULATE GENERAL OF ITALY
500 North Michigan Ave. Suite 1850
Chicago IL, 60611

Subject: Recognition of the Italian citizenship "jure sanguinis".

The undersigned (first and last name), born (date and place of birth), resident in (full address).
REQUESTS
that his (or her) right to the Italian citizenship "jure sanguinis" be recognized and therefore
DECLARES
that he/she is a descendant of:
- full name, date and place of birth of the ancestor that was born in Italy
- full name, date and place of birth of father/mother (if he/she was born abroad),but not in Italy. (*) (**)
- full name, date and place of birth of declarant. (**)
- that neither he/she nor his/her mother or father (*) has ever renounced the Italian citizenship neither before any Italian Consulate or Embassy nor before any Italian Authority.

Attached to this request are the following documents in support of the above:

(List of all documents enclosed as per information packet.)

(date) (signature)

(*) depending on which person you are deriving your citizenship from.
(**) please list cities of residence starting from the age of 18.

Information on Italian Citizenship for People of Italian Descent, born in the United States.

If you were born in the United States and any one of the situations listed below pertains to you, you may be considered an Italian citizen.

(For each category all conditions must be met.)

your father was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth and you never renounced your right to Italian citizenship;
your mother was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, you were born after January 1, 1948 and you never renounced your right to Italian citizenship;
your father was born in the United States, your paternal grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of his birth, neither you nor your father ever renounced the right to Italian citizenship;
your mother was born in the United States, your maternal grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of her birth, you were born after January 1, 1948 and neither you nor your mother ever renounced the right to Italian citizenship.

If #1 applies to you, you must obtain the following documents:

- your father’s birth certificate and your father’s certificate of Italian citizenship (write to the "Comune" where your father was born and request his birth certificate as well as his certificate of citizenship). When writing to the "Comune" address to:

Comune di (name of the place, Italy)

- your parents’ marriage certificate (if the marriage took place in Italy follow the procedure described above for the birth certificate; if it took place in the United States you must obtain a "certified copy" of the marriage certificate and marriage application and an "apostille" from the Secretary of State of the State in which they were issued.

- your birth certificate (certificate of live birth or standard certificate of live birth or original certificate of live birth) (certified copy with "apostille");

- your father’s naturalization certificate, or a statement from the U.S. Immigration Services in Washington, D.C. (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE - 421 I Street North West - WASHINGTON D.C. 20536) and from the Court of the County in which he resided, stating that he was never naturalized. This serves to prove that your father became a naturalized U.S. citizen after your birth (if it occurred before your birth than you are not entitled to Italian citizenship) unless, of course, you fit into another category.

- any pertinent death certificates (medical certificate of death) (certified copies with "apostille".)

If #2 applies to you, you must do all of the above, but from a maternal descent point of view.

If #3 applies to you, you must obtain your paternal grandfather’s birth certificate and certificate of Italian citizenship from Italy, his marriage certificate (certified copy with "apostille", and all of the documents listed for #1, except for your father’s naturalization certificate because in this case you will need your paternal grandfather’s naturalization papers, showing that he was naturalized after your father’s birth. Otherwise you need a statement from the U.S. Immigration in Washington D.C. and from the Court of the County in which he resided, stating that according to their records he was never naturalized (if in fact he was naturalized before your father’s birth, then neither you nor your father qualify for the Italian citizenship under category #3).

If #4 applies to you, you must obtain your maternal grandfather’s birth certificate and his certificate of Italian citizenship, his marriage certificate (certified copy with "Apostille" if it was issued in U.S.), And all the documents listed for # 2, except for your mother’s naturalization certificate, because in this case you will need your maternal grandfather’s naturalization papers, or a statement from U.S. Immigration in WASHINGTON D.C. And from the COURT of the County in which he resided stating that he was never naturalized (if in fact he was naturalized before your mother’s birth, than neither you nor your mother qualify for Italian citizenship under category # 4).

Additional Requirements for ALL Categories:

If you, your parent and/or your grandparent resided outside of the territorial jurisdiction of this Consulate General (see below), you must clearly indicate in your application when and where you and your relatives resided.
All birth, marriage, and death certificates issued in the United States must be "certified copies" and bear the "Apostille" of the secretary of State , in which the document was issued. (see attached form)
If you are married you must also submit your marriage certificate (marriage license and marriage application) . Both the marriage application and marriage certificate must be "certified copies" and also bear the appropriate apostille.
If you are divorced you must submit your FINAL DIVORCE DECREE, in certified copy with "apostille" and translation into Italian.
If you have any children under the age of 18 you must also submit their birth certificates in long form (certified copy with "Apostille").
Any pertinent death certificates must also be submitted.

PLEASE NOTE: All birth, marriage , death certificate and divorce decree issued in the United States must be "certified copy" bearing the "Apostille" of the Office of the Secretary of State of the State in which the document was issued.

If you are a male under the age of forty-five, you have military obligations to Italy. (This can generally be fulfilled by completing the necessary paperwork).

However, if you are under the age of twenty-seven, you may not permanently reside in Italy for reason other than study unless you wish to serve in the Italian Armed Forces.

The same rules apply to any Italian citizen male.

Please Note:

PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR DOCUMENTATION MAKE SURE THAT ALL BIRTH, MARRIAGE AND DEATH CERTIFICATES ISSUED IN THE UNITED STATES ARE CERTIFIED COPIES, WITH "APOSTILLE" AND TRANSLATED INTO ITALIAN.

BEFORE TRANSLATING THE DOCUMENTS CHECK ALL DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY AND WORD FOR WORD TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO DISCREPANCIES OR CHANGES (ALSO MISSPELLING) IN THE NAMES, LAST NAMES, DATES AND PLACES OF BIRTH

Documents with errors or discrepancies cannot be sent to Italy

ALL VARIATIONS, DISPELLING OR ERRORS MUST BE CORRECTED WITH AN OFFICIAL "AFFIDAVIT TO AMEND A RECORD" REQUESTED TO THE OFFICE THAT ISSUED THE DOCUMENT ITSELF OR APPROVED FROM THE COMPETENT COURT, OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION.

NOTE: if a woman is widowed or divorced from her first husband, upon remarrying, should she decide to use her name from the first marriage, she must also provide her first marriage application, certificate and first husband’s death certificate or divorce decree, (along with all other required documentation) to apply for Italian citizenship. This is to prove that she is one and the same person.

IF YOUR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP IS RECOGNIZED, YOU MUST REALIZE THAT YOU ACQUIRE RIGHTS AS WELL AS RESPONSIBILITIES IN TERMS OF THE ITALIAN CONSTITUTION AND REGULATIONS. ONE OF THESE RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO REGISTER YOURSELF AT THE ITALIAN CONSULAR OFFICE THAT HAS JURISDICTION OVER THE PLACE YOU RESIDE. PLEASE NOTE THAT , NOT ONLY YOU BUT ALSO ALL YOUR ASCENDANTS AS WELL AS YOUR DESCENDANTS ARE RECOGNIZED AS ITALIAN CITIZENS WITH THE ABOVE MENTIONED RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

PLEASE NOTE: YOUR DESCENDANTS , SINCE THEY WILL HOLD DUAL CITIZENSHIP, UNITED STATES AND ITALIAN, MAY DECIDE TO RENOUNCE THEIR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP.

RENUNCIATIONS OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP IS ACCOMPLISHED BY:: APPOINTMENT, IN PERSON TO THE ITALIAN CONSULATE WITH A SWORN DECLARATION SIGNED BY TWO WITNESSES, BEFORE THE CONSUL GENERAL OF ITALY OF THEIR TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.