There are advantages and disadvantages to becoming an Italian Dual Citizen and while the good definitely outweighs the bad, for some people, one or more of the disadvantages may actually be deal breakers. For example, those with high level government security clearances need to carefully research the consequences of Dual Citizenship. You should always do your own research and make sure Dual Citizenship is a good fit for you.
Pass Down Citizenship to Descendants
Once you are recognized as an Italian citizen, that citizenship is passed down to all of your descendants who come after you in perpetuity (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and so on), as long as no one renounces their Italian citizenship and breaks the line. My daughter got citizenship automatically when I did because she was a minor at the time. Some day when she has a child of her own, that child will automatically be a dual citizen, and so on down the line. If your children are no longer minors and won’t get it automatically when you do, they can apply themselves at any time and then pass it to their children, etc.
European Union Citizenship
Once you are recognized as an Italian Citizen, it means you are also a citizen of the European Union. That gives you the ability to travel, work and/or live in ANY of the 27 EU countries. You do not need a work visa and you can remain as long as you like without time limitations. EU countries include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Learn more here: https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/countries_en
International Job Opportunities
International employers look favorably upon job applicants and/or employees who are EU citizens. Say, for instance, you are applying for a job at a company that also has offices somewhere in the EU. The fact that you have EU citizenship makes you a more desirable employee because if they decide to send you overseas, they do not have to pay for a work visa and there are no limits on how long you can be there for work. You may win that job over someone without EU citizenship. And remember, while this may not apply to your own employment needs, your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in perpetuity may benefit from the dual citizenship status. Do it for them!
Higher Education Opportunities
You and your descendants would have access to affordable higher education. As an Italian/EU citizen, you can attend any EU university and pay the EU tuition rates, which are typically far more affordable than in the US. Some universities have no fees at all! And being a Dual Citizen can also look good on your college resume, even for US colleges. Some info about colleges throughout Italy and lots of additional info on this website: Colleges in Italy for Study Abroad
Potentially Safer Travel
When you are traveling, you can feel more secure knowing you have two embassies (Italy and the US) from which to seek help, should you need it. Further, if you are traveling somewhere that doesn’t have a US or Italian embassy, your EU passport allows you access to the embassies of any EU country. For some countries, you may also feel safer to travel with your EU passport instead of your US passport. And remember, as an Italian citizen, you don’t need a visa to stay longer in EU countries than a regular tourist and because of the Schengen Agreement, you can freely travel in any of the EU countries.
Affordable Health Care
If you decide to move to Italy as many Dual Citizens wish to do, you can enroll in national health insurance and apply for your “Tessere Sanitaria” to receive Italian healthcare and a European Health Insurance Card to receive healthcare in any EU country. Italy has an excellent health care system and it’s one of the most affordable in the world. Note: This is only for residents of Italy. You cannot get national health indusrance if you are just an Italian citizen going to Europe on vacation for a few weeks.
Purchase Property
It is easier to purchase property in Italy once you are a dual citizen (less red tape!). You can also purchase foreign securities without any restrictions (real estate, Eurobonds, investment funds, etc.). Here is a great video about the $1 home craze in Italy—It does end up costing more than a $1 but still way less than buying a house in most places in the US. And most places in the US don’t come with the architecture, food, culture, heritage and views that these do! True Cost of Italy’s $1 homes
Vote!
You get to vote in Italian elections! You can vote for the Senate of the Republic and Chamber of Deputies, plus referendums and possibly other elections depending on where you live. I just recently had the opportunity to vote on a referendum about reducing the number of members of the Italian parliament. It required a little research on my part so I could understand what I was voting on, but I was glad to exercise my right to vote!
Tax Implications
The most common concern about Italian Dual Citizenship revolves around taxes. First, unlike the US, Italy does not tax its citizens who are living abroad, so you will not automatically have to pay Italian income taxes on income earned in the US (or wherever you live) just because you became a Dual Citizen. If you are a dual citizen who spends LESS THAN 183 days a year living in Italy, you DO NOT own any property there and you DON’T EARN any income in Italy, in general, you should not be required to pay taxes in Italy.If you DO own property or DO earn income in Italy, or you spend MORE THAN 183 days per year living in Italy, there may be tax implications. BUT there are also tax treaties between Italy and the US that should help keep you from being double-taxed. However, because (just like the US!) the tax laws are complex and frequently change, it is highly recommended that you speak with a qualified tax professional to ensure you know what the tax implications are for your particular situation. More information can be found here: https://cocoruggerilawassociated.com/Taxation-Dual…Military Service
Italy used to have a mandatory draft that required all eligible Italian young men to serve at least one year in some branch of the military (just after Unification, it was 3 years!). This ended in 2005 and now all of the armed forces of Italy are volunteer troops. However, if in the future should there be a national emergency, the Italian government COULD order eligible Italian citizens to report for military duty. However, since WW2, Italians living abroad have never been recalled to Italy for military service.Applying for Dual Citizenship is a LOOONNGGGG Process!
This part should really be called “Disadvantages of BECOMING an Italian Dual Citizen. That’s because actually obtaining Italian dual citizenship can be expensive, frustrating and it definitely requires patience and perseverance! This process requires a lot of document searching and collecting, getting corrections made where there are errors in spelling or dates (sometimes requiring court orders), getting every document translated into Italian, getting all documents authenticated for international use, and then paying the 300 Euro fee to apply. When you turn all your documents in, after reviewing them they may ask for additional documentation as well, if they want to clarify anything on your documents.And if you think American bureaucracy is bad, you haven’t seen anything yet. While there are general guidelines to obtaining citizenship, each Consulate makes their own rules and some Consular officers seem to enjoy making people jump through unnecessary hoops. And they aren’t very good at responding to emails.And then there’s the waiting, and waiting, and waiting—trying to get an appointment through their automated appointment system, then waiting for the appointment (some consulates are scheduling appointments 2 years from now), then waiting for recognition after you’ve submitted everything for another 18 months-2 years or longer. Start to finish you can be looking at anywhere from 2-6 years, depending on which Consulate you are using and how complex your particular application is.Ok, I know all of that sounds really bad, so why would anyone even bother!? Well, we already went through the advantages of being a dual citizen and that explains a lot right there. Plus, the joy of actually receiving Italian citizenship is tremendous! It’s like giving birth…once you have that baby in your arms, you don’t really remember how much it hurt to get him/her there! And the best part is, while getting your Dual Citizenship can definitely be a DIY project, there are also reputable companies out there to help you get everything you need so they do all the hard, frustrating stuff for you.Security Clearance?
If you have a government or military job in your home country, or you plan to pursue such a job, you may not want to obtain Italian Dual Citizenship as it could jeopardize your security clearances. Those in this situation should research this carefully to determine whether or not it is a good idea for your particular situation. This ClearanceJobs website has helpful information. Note the link is to a 2017 article so it is highly recommended that you use the search box on the upper right to look for updated directives. And of course, never rely on any website! Always check with the appropriate agency for accurate information on this subject.
Use the Correct Passport!
I don’t know if this really counts as a disadvantage, but when I was researching this topic it was often listed. You must remember to use the correct passport when entering or leaving the country. When entering or exiting Italy, you would use your Italian passport, but when leaving or entering the US, you would use your US passport. In other words, when boarding the plane in Italy for your flight home, use your Italian passport. When you get to the US and you go to customs, use your US passport.
