Having traveled around Europe in his 30s, Thomas decided he wanted to settle there permanently, and the possibility of acquiring Italian citizenship gave him a pathway to do that. He reached out to ICA early on in his journey and was happy to see he met all the eligibility requirements.
His case was a particularly interesting one, because he was claiming citizenship through his great-great-grandfather who was born in 1864—just a mere three years after Italy became a unified country. (And one’s ancestor must have been alive after Italy became a nation in order to qualify for citizenship). Since there was a woman in his direct line who had a child before 1948, he also fell under a “1948 case”, which would need to go through the Italian courts. Despite these challenges, Thomas says he thinks the process went about as fast as it could have gone.
He and his mother spent several months on document collection. This included locating his great-great-grandfather’s birth certificate in Italy, which ICA was easily able to assist with. He also needed a court case in the U.S. in order to access his grandfather’s birth certificate from New York, a state that places restrictions on who can access certified vital records.
There was also a discrepancy with his grandfather’s name that was found in the documents, so those had to be amended, the process of which depends on who issued the vital records. Usually filling out a form, paying a fee, and providing a document with the correct version will suffice. In the case of Thomas’s great-great-grandfather—who had various spellings of his last name—Thomas got the baptismal certificate of his great-grandmother from a church in Harlem to clarify the spelling of the surname.
In February of 2023, Thomas and his mother filed their court case in Potenza, and about six months later, they had their hearing. Within a year, the process was complete and they got their Italian passports! Thomas looks forward to starting his new life in Europe, and in fact has a flight already booked. He says ICA made it all possible.
To conclude, here is what Thomas says about his experience:
“ICA was an invaluable partner in my journey to attain Italian citizenship by ancestry. From the initial stages of eligibility determination and genealogy research, their expertise and attention to detail stood out. They thoroughly examined my family history, navigating the complexities of Italian ancestry laws to confirm my eligibility. Their meticulous approach to document collection ensured that every step of the process was handled with precision and professionalism.
What truly set ICA apart was their unwavering ability, willingness, and availability to answer all of my questions at every stage of the process. Whenever I felt anxious about a challenge or uncertain about the next step, their patient and thorough explanations put my mind at ease. Their responsiveness and genuine care made me feel supported and informed throughout this complex journey. Coupled with their exceptional legal representation and subsequent guidance during the passport application process, they turned what could have been an overwhelming experience into a smooth and rewarding one. Thanks to their dedication and expertise, I am now proudly recognized as an Italian citizen, and I couldn’t be more grateful for their outstanding support.”
Thomas has agreed to serve as subject of this success story and has granted ICA the right to use his name and image.
