Expert Info
on 3 Nov 2014
I am a citizen of the USA, born here. I heard that one can gain dual citizenship in Italy if their roots are not too far removed from Italy. My mother's father came from Sicily as a boy with his parents, and my mother's maternal grandparents also came from Sicily to the US and raised their family here. So, I am second-generation American on my grandfather's side and third-generation on my grandmother's side.
Anybody out there who knows about this?? Or at least whom to contact??
Thanks,
Rebecca P.
If you have a chance at qualifying for dual citizenship, it would be from your father's side, since eligibility (as far as I can tell) only goes as far back as your grandparents.
The most common form of ancestral citizenship is, however, achieved through a person's parents.
You might be able apply on the basis of your grandfather or grandmother's citizenship, but it is a complicated process that requires a lot of paperwork.
Check out a site that specialises in this; however, these sites do have corporate interests so your best bet would be to contact your local Italian consulate for more information.
To get an idea of how visas and residence operate, have a look at our Visas for Italy and Work Permits for Italy pages.
Otherwise, here is a list of Embassy contacts for Italy.
Best of luck,
Xavier