The title of this article is one of the most common questions people ask themselves when they start looking into the requirements to apply for Italian citizenship by descent. The answer to this question is NO, however, there are also cases in which speaking Italian is a requirement.
Italian Citizenship by descent: speaking Italian is NOT a legal requirement!
If you have Italian ancestors and you are eligible to apply for citizenship by descent because your ancestor who was born in Italy was never naturalized or was naturalized after the birth or his child who was born in the US (see eligibility requirements)* YOU DO NOT NEED TO SPEAK ITALIAN because, de facto, from the Italian government’s perspective you are Italian by birth-right and you are only formally applying for the recognition of your right to Italian citizenship. Therefore, you do not need to speak Italian to prove your right. In order to file an application for citizenship by descent you will need certified copies of your family’s vital records including birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates (if applicable), and proof that your ancestor was never naturalized or was naturalized after the birth of his child. All of these records will need to be apostilled and translated into Italian when you submit them to the Italian consulate or to the municipality in Italy (comune).
*Please note that this is a general rule to qualify for citizenship by descent but there are exceptions. If your male ancestor was naturalized prior to his child’s birth, for instance, you might be able to apply for citizenship through his wife if she was born in Italy. For more information about eligibility requirements click here.
If you qualify for citizenship by descent and you are applying to an Italian consulate in the US, on the day of your appointment the clerk will speak to you in English. Similarly, if you are applying for citizenship at an Italian consulate outside of the US, the language used during your appointment will be the one spoken in the country where you are applying.
It is worth pointing out that in order to apply for citizenship you will not be required to know about Italian laws or culture. In fact, during your appointment at the consulate you will only be asked to provide the vital records that prove your Italian ancestry. If the clerk needs to ask you any questions that will be done in English.
If you file an application for citizenship by descent in Italy, even though speaking Italian is not a legal requirement, you might need to speak Italian to the clerk in the municipality in which you are applying. Some clerks might not speak English so you might need an interpreter or a lawyer to help you during the process. At ICA we help people with their applications in Italy on a regular basis.
Please note that speaking Italian is also not a requirement if you are pursuing Italian citizenship via the court system through a “1948 case”.
Italian Citizenship by marriage and by residency
Having said this, when do you need to speak Italian? If you are applying for citizenship by marriage or by residency you need to speak Italian and you need to pass a B1 language test unless you already have certified knowledge of Italian which has been recognized by one of the institutions listed below, or if you hold a language degree in Italian or you attended school in Italy. The language requirement was introduced by decree law n. 113 which was passed on October 4, 2018 and converted into law on December 1, 2018 (n.132/2018). More specifically, the law established that citizenship by marriage or by residency would require passing a B1 language test, which according to the Common European Framework of References for Languages is intermediate level. Currently, there are four certification bodies which belong to the unified certification system known as Italian Quality Language Certification (CLIQ):
- the University for Foreigners of Siena
- the University for Foreigners of Perugia
- Roma Tre University
- the Dante Alighieri Society.
Please note that you can also take the language test abroad provided that the institution through which you do it is recognized by one of the certification bodies mentioned above. Furthermore, when you contact the school it is important to specify that you are interested in the language test for the purpose of acquiring citizenship. There are four parts to the test: reading, speaking, writing and listening, and all of these need to be passed. For more in-depth information about the test and useful links please click here.
If you married an Italian citizen before 1983 you do not need to speak Italian because you became an Italian citizen automatically by marriage.
Aside from the language requirement, applications for citizenship by descent and by marriage vary in a number of respects, including documents needed to apply, where the application is made and the time necessary for processing it. If you are interested in learning more about these differences please click here. On the other hand, if you are interested in applying for citizenship by residency more information can be found here.
We hope that this short article has provided you with the necessary information about the language requirements to pursue Italian citizenship. If you would like further information do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
