Below is a list of the most common categories through which most people are eligible for Dual Citizenship but there may be other ways you can apply as well. There is no limit to the number of generations back you can go to apply, as long as your ancestor was born in Italy and emigrated after March 17, 1861, which is the date Italy became unified as a country.
Each category below mentions the fact that the immigrant ancestor was still an Italian citizen at the time their child was born in the US. You should understand this to mean that eligibility depends on if and when your Italian immigrant ancestor became a US citizen. If your Italian immigrant ancestor never became a US citizen, that’s great, you just have to prove that with documentation (or actually the lack thereof). If your Italian immigrant ancestor DID become a US citizen, it has to be AFTER July 1, 1912 and AFTER their child (the one you are descended from) was born in the US. If your immigrant ancestor became a US citizen before the birth of their child, then that child did not receive citizenship upon birth and therefore could not pass it on to any descendants.
For more information on the categories and ways in which you might be eligible, refer to the Citizenship page for the Consulate in whose district you live. To find your Consulate, follow this link, click through to your Consulate’s web page, click Passports and Services, then Citizenship (usually on the left). Be sure to also click Citizenship By Descent (Jure Sanguinis) to see all available information.
Category 1
IF YOUR FATHER WAS BORN IN ITALY, and he was still an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, and you were born in the United States or in a Country other than Italy, and you never renounced your Italian citizenship.
Category 2
IF YOUR MOTHER WAS BORN IN ITALY, and she was still an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, and you were born in the United States or in a Country other than Italy after January 1, 1948 (Italian women didn’t pass citizenship to their children prior to such date), and you never renounced your Italian citizenship.
Category 3
IF YOUR PATERNAL GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN ITALY, and your father was born in the United States or in a Country other than Italy, and your grandfather was still an Italian citizen at the time of your father’s birth, and your father never became citizen of a Country other than the one where he was born before your birth, and neither you nor your father have ever renounced your Italian citizenship.
Category 4
IF YOUR PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER WAS BORN IN ITALY, and your father was born in the United States or in a Country other than Italy after January 01,1948, and your grandmother was still an Italian citizen at the time of your father’s birth, and your father never became citizen of a Country other than the one where he was born before your birth, and neither you nor your father have ever renounced your Italian citizenship.
Category 5
IF YOUR MATERNAL GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN ITALY, and your mother was born in the United States or in a Country other than Italy, and your maternal grandfather was still an Italian citizen at the time of your mother’s birth, and your mother never became citizen of a Country other than the one where she was born before your birth, and you were born after January 1, 1948, and neither you nor your mother have ever renounced your Italian citizenship.
Category 6
IF YOUR MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER WAS BORN IN ITALY, and your mother was born in the United States or in a Country other than Italy after January 01,1948, and your grandmother was still an Italian citizen at the time of your mother’s birth, and your mother never became citizen of a Country other than the one where she was born before your birth and neither you nor your mother have ever renounced your Italian citizenship.
Category 7
IF YOUR PATERNAL GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN ITALY, and your grandfather/grandmother was born in the United States or in a Country other than Italy, and your great-grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of his child’s birth, and your grandfather/grandmother never became citizen of a Country other than the one where he/ she was born before your father’s birth, and your father was born after January 1, 1948 (only if you follow the lineage through your grandmother), and your father never became citizen of a Country other than the one where he was born before your birth, and neither you nor your grandfather/grandmother or your father have ever renounced your/their Italian citizenship.
Category 8
IF YOUR MATERNAL GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN ITALY, and your grandfather/grandmother was born in the United States or in a Country other than Italy, and your great-grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of his child’s birth, and your grandfather/grandmother never became citizen of a Country other than the one where he/she was born before your mother’s birth, and your mother was born after January 1, 1948 (only if you follow the lineage through your grandmother), and your mother never became citizen of a Country other than the one where she was born before your birth, and neither you nor your grandfather/grandmother or your mother have ever renounced your Italian citizenship.
1912 Rule
If your Italian immigrant ancestor became a naturalized US Citizen before July 1, 1912, they and all of their children under the age of 21 (regardless of where born) lost their Italian citizenship and you would not be eligible to apply through this line.
1948 Rule
Women could only pass citizenship to children born after January 1, 1948. There is potentially a way around this rule….see the bottom section of blog post entitled Steps to Citizenship.
