I HAVE BECOME AN ITALIAN CITIZEN: WHAT NOW?
Unlike many of our previous articles which have focused on the eligibility requirements to apply for Italian citizenship, the documents needed, and the process of applying for citizenship per se, this article will focus on what happens when you are officially recognized as an Italian citizen.
Just as a recap, you can apply for Italian citizenship if your ancestor (who was born in Italy) was alive at the time Italy was unified as a nation on March 17, 1861 or if he/she was born after that date, if he/she was never naturalized (or if he/she became a U.S. citizen after the birth of the child who was born in the U.S. and after June 14, 1912), and finally, if none of your ancestors in your direct line of descent ever renounced their Italian citizenship. On the other hand, if there is a woman in your Italian lineage who was born in the U.S. prior to January 1, 1948, you might be able to apply for citizenship through an application via the court and file a 1948 case, as opposed to applying via a consulate or via a municipality in Italy.
Having said this, what happens when you have filed your application for citizenship and the Italian consulate, municipality or the Court in Italy (depending on the path you have pursued to apply for citizenship) have officially granted you Italian citizenship?
If you have filed an application via the court system, the final judgment which states that you have been officially recognized as an Italian citizen will need to be registered through the Italian consulate that covers the jurisdiction where you reside. The consulate will then send the certified copy of the judgment, together with a certified copy of your birth certificate (which the court generally gives back to you) to the municipality in Italy where your ancestor was born. Technically speaking, when your birth certificate and your other vital records such as your marriage certificate are registered with the municipality you can formally be considered an Italian citizen, and if you reside abroad you will able to register with the AIRE (Registry of Italian Citizens Residing Abroad) and apply for a passport to the Italian consulate which covers the jurisdiction where you reside. Therefore, you will not need to travel to Italy. It is worth mentioning that if you have minor children, you will need to register their birth certificates through the AIRE for them to be granted Italian citizenship as well.
If you have applied for citizenship via a municipality in Italy, when your application has been approved you will be able to apply for a passport at the local police headquarters (“Questura”). If you plan on residing in Italy you can apply for an Italian ID card (“Carta d’Identità”) which is an electronic identity card issued to any Italian citizen. On the other hand, if you return to your home country, you will need to register with the AIRE. The AIRE is a tool to keep the Italian government updated with regards to vital records such as your children’s births, your marriages and divorces (if applicable). With regards to children, the reason why we stress the importance of registering minor children’s births is because if you do so they will automatically become Italian citizens without the need of formally applying for Italian citizenship when they turn 18. Registering with the AIRE also means that you will receive documents from the Italian government which will allow you to vote in local elections in Italy. The AIRE also serves as an instrument for you to be able to use your local consulate’s services. As a matter of fact, when you register with the AIRE you will also need to register your address which serves as proof for the consulate to determine that you are eligible to apply to them for any service you might need (e.g. notarial services, passport renewal, etc.). Therefore, when you change address or move to another country, you need to update your details in order to be able to use the services of the consulate which covers the jurisdiction where you reside.
Finally, if you apply for Italian citizenship via an Italian consulate, when the consulate sends you an official communication stating that you have been recognized as an Italian citizen, you will need to register with the AIRE as explained above, and apply for a passport or simply renew it when it expires. There are many people who apply for Italian citizenship but never apply for a passport. In other words, it is not necessary to apply for a passport unless you want to travel to Italy or the EU and be able to spend more than 90 days there, which is the maximum period of time allowed if you hold a tourist visa and you are not an EU citizen. Unlike a passport which expires after ten years from the date of issuance, your citizenship status is not subject to any expiration date. It is worth pointing out that holding Italian citizenship does not mean that you will need to serve in the military as in 2001 the Italian government passed a law which made military service completely voluntary. As for taxes, if you are an Italian citizen you do not necessarily need to pay taxes, rather, taxes are paid by virtue of residing in Italy, not by virtue of merely being an Italian citizen. Nevertheless, if you plan on relocating to Italy, we suggest you contact an attorney who is an expert in taxation law and is particularly familiar with tax law for U.S. citizens residing abroad and in Italy more specifically.
Lastly, if you relocate to Italy we suggest you apply for a “Codice Fiscale” (Tax Code) – an alphanumerical code which is similar to a Social Security Number in the United States. While this tax code is assigned by birth to Italian citizens, it is assigned upon request to non-Italian residents. Foreign citizens can apply for an Italian Codice Fiscale without incurring any costs at any Italian diplomatic or consular office or at any Italian Revenue Agency office (“Agenzie delle Entrate”).
In conclusion, once you have been officially granted Italian citizenship you will be able to travel to Italy without any restrictions as well as to travel to any other member state of the European Union without the need to apply for any visa as having Italian citizenship allows you to travel, study, work and reside in any EU member state without any time restrictions or limitations. You will also be able to vote in national elections in Italy provided that you register with the AIRE, which will also enable you to keep the Italian government up to date with regards to major life events, and to use the consular services (such as renewing your passport, for instance) of the consulate that covers the jurisdiction where you reside.
If you are planning on residing in Italy, it is advisable that you register as a resident in the municipality where you will relocate. The registration process is carried out by the clerks in the town hall who work in the residency office. Being listed in the registry of the population of an Italian municipality is important because your official address will be used for all official purposes and it will allow you to access all the services that are available to you locally or on a national level. These services include applying for or renewing your Italian ID-card or passport, registering with the national health service and being able to benefit from it, and voting in local and national elections. An official residency address is also useful if you want to enter into a lease agreement, obtain a tax code in Italy, or sign up for a mobile phone plan. Upon request, the residency office can release a document indicating your official residency address and the names of any family members residing at that address.
Note: if you were previously registered with the AIRE you will be de-registered as soon as you register as a resident in Italy.
Tip: as an Italian citizen you can move freely within the EU as well as formally establish residency in any European country. Your non-Italian spouse can obtain a residency permit for spouses in the country where you have formally established your residency. For more information about the residency permit for spouses of EU citizens click here.
We hope that this article has provided you with the necessary information regarding the last steps of your application process, and what being granted Italian citizenship actually entails. If you need further information, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We will be happy to help you.
