The company’s foundation, its offices and professionals
Since its foundation in 2013, Italian Citizenship Assistance (ICA) led by Attorney Marco Permunian has grown into one of the most well-known international companies that specializes in applications for Italian citizenship by descent.
The story behind ICA’s foundation has its roots in Attorney Permunian’s personal and professional experience. In particular, after graduating in Law from the University of Ferrara (Italy), he moved to the U.S to work for a law firm in New York that specialized in cross-border relations. While he was living there, he met dozens of U.S. citizens with Italian descent, many of whom still had strong ties to Italy, and he realized how complex the process was perceived by those who were interested in applying and thus sought professional advice to navigate Italy’s legal and bureaucratic systems. After helping a couple of friends to apply for citizenship, many people reached out to him for help and, as a result, he decided to start the company.
Today, ICA has expanded internationally and it is one of the leading firms helping U.S. citizens to obtain Italian citizenship. The company has offices in Rovigo (Italy), Los Angeles, Memphis and New York, and it mostly helps people to apply for Italian citizenship by descent via Italian consulates abroad, Italian municipalities or courts; however, it also helps people to apply for Italian citizenship by marriage and by residency.
ICA prides itself to treat every single client as if they are family.
ICA comprises a group of professional genealogists, translators, attorneys and dual citizenship experts both in Italy and in the United States. It also has a team of highly experienced vital records procurement specialists who take care of carrying out genealogical research to locate clients’ ancestors’ vital records both in the U.S. and Italy. The offices in Italy and in the U.S. largely carry out the same duties; in particular, the offices in the U.S are able to address clients’ enquiries when the offices in Italy are closed due to the time difference. ICA’s offices are open to the public, both in Italy and in the United States, and its staff communicates routinely with clients who reside across the U.S. and abroad via Zoom or via phone calls.
ICA’s team members have a background in the field of professional legal translation, Italian history, immigration law and genealogical research. All staff are fluent in English and Italian; in fact, being able to communicate effectively in both languages is vital due to the nature of the duties and responsibilities involved in helping clients prepare their applications. Most of the employees also speak a third language fluently.
[Attorney Marco Permunian and ICA’s Administration Team at We the Italians Gala Dinner 2022. Marco and Umberto Mucci, the founder of We The Italians magazine, are good friends]
ICA’s preliminary assessment process
When an individual contacts ICA, the client intake team takes care of assessing their case; this is completely free of charge and obligation. The assessment entails carrying out in-depth genealogical research to determine the individual’s eligibility to apply for Italian citizenship. The assessment is normally carried out in one to two weeks and it entails a preliminary analysis of a case based on a family chart that the individual is asked to submit. The genealogist who is responsible for assessing the case will then provide the individual with scans of the records that were found on online genealogy websites, databases and registries, as well as with information regarding the best path toward pursuing Italian citizenship, ICA’s services and costs. The outcome of the assessment is usually communicated to clients by email; however, potential clients are also welcome to schedule phone consultations or Zoom meetings with Attorney Permunian or with the client intake team member who carried out the assessment. These initial meetings are also free of charge.
The dual citizenship application process
If the potential client is eligible to apply and would like to proceed with ICA, then he or she is assigned to a case specialist, who will guide the individual throughout the entire application process, from retrieving the necessary records from Italy, the U.S. and other countries around the world, to checking the records for discrepancies, translating the records and submitting them to the Italian consulate abroad. The case specialist also takes care of booking appointments at the Italian consulate that covers the jurisdiction where the applicant resides, and provides specific information regarding the application process, waiting times, potential amendments, AIRE registration and the process to obtain a passport. In this sense, ICA takes care of the entire application process from A-to-Z, ensuring that all the phases run smoothly thus not troubling the client at any point in time. All of the updates regarding an individual’s case are provided regularly by email, however, the client is also free to call his or her citizenship specialist via telephone or via a Zoom call. Responsiveness is at the core of ICA’s philosophy, together with delivering excellent customer service skills and a top-notch service.
During the process clients can also book an appointment with Attorney Marco Permunian, who oversees all of ICA’s operations, to discuss the details of their citizenship case.
In addition to the full assistance package, ICA also offers a step-by-step package, which is intended for people who wish to be more involved in all the phases of the application process. If you would like to learn more about ICA’s services click here.
[Marco Permunian and his team in Italy]
The application process in Italy
If clients decide to file an application in Italy, their citizenship specialist will prepare their citizenship application and be their point of reference in Italy. ICA will offer a complete A-to-Z service. More specifically, the case worker will help the client to find suitable accommodation in Italy and to settle into the country. The citizenship specialist will also take care of scheduling appointments with the offices that are involved in processing the citizenship application and the client will be assisted throughout the process.
Clients who decide to apply for citizenship in Italy can apply in Rovigo, where ICA’s main office is located, and they will receive full assistance throughout their application process. If a client decides to apply via a different municipality, ICA will be able to provide assistance remotely.
Finally, if clients have a 1948 case they will need to apply for citizenship via a judicial proceeding. The citizenship specialist assigned to the client’s case will collect and amend (if needed) all the necessary vital records, authenticate them with Apostilles, translate them into Italian, and prepare the petition to be filed in court. The trial will take place in Italy; however, clients do not need to travel to Italy to attend the hearings. In fact, one of ICA’s lawyers will represent the client in court and file his or her petition via a Power of Attorney. The client will also be assisted in the post-trial phase, which entails registering the final judgment, registering with the AIRE and applying for a passport. All 1948 cases are filed by attorneys Marco and Andrea Permunian.
[Content creator and YouTuber Rafael Di Furia during ICA’s podcast recording]
If you would like to learn more about ICA and you are interested in determining whether you are eligible to apply, do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
