In Alistair’s own words…
“Various family members had previously looked into acquiring Italian citizenship, but we were always told that it would not be possible. After a first trip to Italy in 2018, and being completely taken by its beauty, history, culture and people, I started doing some research on the internet. I was determined to explore every possible angle and then found the webpage of Italian Citizenship Assistance. I read that there may be a possibility of acquiring citizenship and I immediately reached out to Marco. Our application was a 1948 case.”
*A 1948 case is relevant to individuals who can apply for Italian citizenship through a female Italian-born ancestor who gave birth to her child before January 1, 1948, which was the the Italian Constitution came into effect. Before this date, under 1912 law, women were not permitted to transmit citizenship to their children. With this considered, if you have a female ancestor who falls under the 1948 rule you can apply for Italian citizenship retrospectively by filing a lawsuit on the grounds that 1912 law goes against the principles of equality as outlined in the Italian Constitution. In such cases, you can apply to have your citizenship recognized via a court in Italy, and the outcomes of such cases tend to be very successful.”
“I had initially only intended for my immediate family to apply for citizenship, but my brother suggested that we include all eligible family members i.e., sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Marco informed us that as my grandmother was married in 1947, and had automatically lost Italian citizenship because she married a non-Italian citizen before the Italian Constitution came into existence, we would need to lodge a judicial proceeding in the court of Rome”.
“We signed with ICA in 2019. The next two years, taking into account the global pandemic and worldwide shutdown, were spent sourcing birth, marriage and death certificates that were free from spelling errors and incorrect dates, signing POAs (power of attorney) and having documentation certified for translation in Italy. Of particular importance was a document that we needed to obtain locally stating that my grandmother had automatically received South African citizenship by virtue of marriage. Additional concerns at the time for us was that South Africa was still a British colony during that time and that the process may have been somewhat different to what ICA was used to working with American clients. Our matter was filed in 2021, and we received confirmation in November 2021 that our matter would be heard in January 2023. On the 30th January 2023, ICA informed us that our application had been successful and we were now Italian citizens, all that remained to be done was registration of records in Genova and registering with A.I.R.E. (Register of Italian Citizens Residing Abroad). I obtained my Italian passport in October 2023, and the rest of the family shortly thereafter”.
“The entire journey has been exciting, but mine is one of gratitude, love and appreciation for family members that sadly are no longer with us. My grandmother left Italy in 1947 and never had the privilege of returning to her country and people. She lost my grandfather a few years after being married and single handedly raised and provided for five boys in a foreign country. She could never have imagined the gift that she has given us all. My mother spent many hours at local government offices following up on and requesting records necessary for our application as well as assisting family members with the process. She was determined to assist in making my dream a reality. She sadly passed away during the pandemic in January 2021 and never got to see us obtain citizenship. I travelled extensively in Italy after losing my parents and I found great comfort and refuge in the country and its people who all took the utmost care of me, and for which I am eternally grateful. My grandmother and my mother shared a special bond, and I believe that by obtaining Italian citizenship, we have come full circle and that this process pays tribute to, and honors, the lives of two very special women. The experience has been incredible and filled with a range of emotions – excitement, frustration, but then pride, relief and joy. It truly is a labour of love as patience is required, but holding the Italian passport in your hand at the end of the process is worth all the effort and time that needs to be invested. I would highly recommend that any person who is entitled to citizenship, and has a love for Italy, pursues the process”.
“It is my intention to take up residency in Italy towards the latter part of the year and to commute between South Africa and Italy for business purposes. My next priorities are to gain a better grasp of the language and to attend to administrative matters such as arranging tax affairs and studying towards redoing my driver’s license etc. I am still undecided as to where I would like to settle as I have always believed that it would be Tuscany, but having recently visited Genova, I feel a strong pull towards Liguria”.
“ICA is the most professional company that I have had the honor of working with. From beginning to end Marco, Claudia and Chiara provided clear instruction and guidance and kept us informed of all progress. I believe the team went above and beyond what anyone could expect. Honestly there was never any question or email that went unattended and we were always answered promptly and with absolute professionalism and care. My family would like to convey our heartfelt gratitude to the team at ICA that have opened up opportunities which may never have come our way otherwise. Many thanks.”
Written by Alistair Scholtz
Alistair and his family’s commitment and perseverance, in what has been at times a long process and emotional journey, is testament to their desire to realize their dream of becoming Italian citizens. We wish them happiness and health as they embark and enjoy this new and exciting phase of their lives.
Alistair has agreed to serve as a subject of this success story and has granted ICA the right to use his name and image.
