Italian Citizenship vs Golden Visa

Last week Fortune.com wrote about the increasing demand for Golden Visas in countries such as Portugal, Greece, or Malta where if you purchase a home, you may be entitled to a second passport or a path to citizenship. But if the overall cost ranges between a quarter to a half-a million-dollars (or more) depending on the program and the country, who can really afford it? Yes, the super wealthy.

The good news is that you can apply for Italian Citizenship by birth right and ultimately receive an Italian passport for much less and gain even more benefits than a Golden Visa would grant you. While the pandemic has changed our lifestyle with remote working becoming the norm, having a “Plan B” is certainly becoming more enticing for people who want the option to live, work and study in one of the 27 countries that are part of the European Union. Don’t forget that once Italian citizenship is granted to you, it will be passed on to your future generations.

So, who is eligible for Italian Citizenship? If you have an Italian Ancestor(s), now is the time to learn more about your family history and determine if you qualify by answering the following questions:

Was your Italian Ancestor still alive on (or born after) March 17, 1861, the day Italy became a “nation”?
Do you know if your Italian Ancestor ever became a U.S. citizen? If the answer is yes, you will have to prove that the naturalization, (the process of becoming an American citizen), took place AFTER the birth of the next child that is in direct line with you and AFTER July 1, 1912. If your Italian Ancestor never became a U.S. citizen, you may also have a path to Italian Citizenship by right of blood. NOTE: If your Italy-born Ancestor came over as a “minor," he or she might have become a U.S. citizen through his/her parent (called “Derivative Citizenship”).
Are you the descendant of a Female Ancestor? If yes, there is an additional requirement, the so-called 1948 Rule. The child of a female Ancestor must be born AFTER January 1, 1948. Before this date, women could hold but not pass Italian citizenship on to their children; when Italy became a Republic and a Constitution was written and enacted on January 1, 1948, women were given more rights including the right to pass Italian citizenship on to their children, but only to children born AFTER January 1, 1948. If you don’t fulfill this requirement, there is the possibility of applying through the Courts in Italy on the basis that this law is discriminatory against the equality between men and women.

Exercising the birth right you might have inherited from your nonni or bisnonni will open new doors for a fraction of the cost of these exclusive Golden Visas. So why not take advantage of this opportunity and contact us?

We can determine if you qualify AND provide you with a free personalized estimate; simply fill out this form

As always, our phone lines are open and you can easily book your free call with us!

If you already know that you qualify for Italian dual citizenship and you are ready to get started, sign up for our Full Assistance Start-to-Finish Program: we will acquire all the needed vital records from both Italy and the U.S., process all the required amendments, and complete your portfolio with apostilles and translations to Italian. We’ll prepare you for your appointment at the Italian Consulate, instruct and coach you if applying in Italy, or introducing you to our affiliate Italian law firm for handling the 1948 Challenge Lawsuits.