We first became aware of our potential eligibility for Italian citizenship in 2015 while attending an Italian cultural group meeting in Portland, Oregon. I spoke with an individual who was in the process of obtaining citizenship for her family. Although we had been very close to our grandparents throughout our lives, the possibility of pursuing Italian citizenship had never occurred to us. At that time, I was also unaware of professional services that assist with this process.
My cousin Mara and I agreed to initiate the process for seven family members: myself, my two adult children, my cousin and her minor son, and my sister and her minor daughter. We began gathering the required documentation with the intention of applying through the Italian consulate in San Francisco. Life events, including COVID, got in the way so our progress was very slow. We collected the required birth, marriage, and divorce records from more than five U.S. states, as well as Germany. When we obtained our grandparents’ naturalization, birth, and marriage records from Italy (which proved to be particularly challenging) we realized that our grandfather had been naturalized prior to my mother’s birth, while our grandmother had not. As a result, our case qualified as a “1948 case,” requiring us to pursue citizenship through the Italian court system rather than a consulate.
We subsequently evaluated several attorneys and service providers, including ICA, and ultimately selected ICA to represent us. This decision was based on their demonstrated organization, transparency, and professionalism. We valued their comprehensive team structure, which included both legal counsel and dedicated support staff, as well as the extensive informational resources available through their website and podcasts. Their fee structure was also reasonable and clearly defined, requiring only a partial payment upfront, with the balance due at the court phase. In contrast, other attorneys we considered required full payment in advance and had limited or no verifiable online presence, which raised concerns regarding accountability.
Our experience with ICA was consistently positive. Throughout the approximately two-year process, they maintained clear and regular communication, ensuring we were informed at every stage. Their guidance and support were instrumental in the successful outcome of our case.
During our proceedings, jurisdiction was transferred from the Rome courts to the regional courts corresponding to our grandparents’ place of origin. Given widely reported delays within the Rome system, we believe this development was beneficial to our case. Despite some procedural delays, all seven family members were granted Italian citizenship on January 1, 2025. Our physical passports were issued approximately eleven months later, marking a deeply meaningful milestone for our entire family.
We offer our highest recommendation of the ICA team. Their representatives consistently demonstrated professionalism, expertise, and responsiveness. They provided clear direction regarding both their responsibilities and ours, and maintained transparency throughout the process. We are confident that, without their assistance, we would not have successfully obtained Italian citizenship.
It is our dream to live in Italy and enjoy the beautiful country and warm people. Having our Italian citizenship is a key factor in making that dream come true. Many thanks to ICA!!
Nancy and Mara have agreed to serve as subjects of this success story and have granted ICA the right to use their names and image.
