ON DEMAND • How Italian Are You?

How Italian Are You? 
Discover if you qualify for Italian citizenship and what its benefits can mean for you!
Presented by Carla Megale Di Tommaso 

When someone asks, “Are you Italian?,” you probably answer “Yes!” Whether you are a native citizen of Italy or not, being Italian is part of who you are. And Italy is in your blood – more than you may know. 

Italy’s Jure Sanguinis – a “Blood Law” – gives you the legal right to inherit citizenship from your parents or grandparents, regardless of where you were born. 

What about your children? Does being an Italian citizen, even with a valid passport, mean your children are also Italian? Probably, but only if Italian authorities have a record of their birth. 

And what if you’re married to an Italian citizen? You’ve grown to love Italy, you love to visit, you dream of retiring in Italy. Being married to an Italian gives you a good chance of acquiring Italian citizenship along with all its rights and benefits.  

Some of you may just want to know more about your Italian ancestors, to discover details that will unlock mysteries about their lives. Answers may be found by searching township archives in Italy. They contain centuries of certificates of birth, of marriage and of death; they even record recurring names, changed names and other surprising, little-known facts. 

All these different scenarios require different procedures that can seem dauntingly complicated. In fact, they are not simple. They entail knowing the requisite documents and correct sequence for obtaining them that will lead to certification of Italian citizenship. 

If your life goals include becoming an Italian citizen or having your important life events recorded in Italy, check out this special presentation.