How to Become Italian

In March 2022, Jennifer Sontag moved to Terrasini, Sicily. She launched Italian Citizenship Concierge, a bespoke agency that helps people searching for Italian citizenship through jure sanguinis—Latin for “right of blood” and the principle of nationality law by descent. Italy is favorable towards bestowing citizenship this way.   

Jennifer feels that her move to Italy was about more than getting a new passport—nice passport though it is. Really, it was about starting a new life. So, here’s everything you need to know to obtain dual citizenship. (Yes, you can keep your current one.)

How can someone know if they’re eligible? 

The easiest path is if you have Italian ancestry. There are some hitches. You can take a quiz on our website to determine eligibility. 

Italy did not become a country until 1861, so it is essential to know if your ancestor was alive at that time or after. It’s also important to know when your ancestor naturalized in a country other than Italy. It needs to be after the next of kin was born and after 1912.

Already it’s confusing!  

The first step is to locate the ancestral records and citizenship status. Once the research is complete, we start ordering documents from the various state and local agencies where vital and civil records are held. Once collected, we prepare them for presentation in Italy for Citizenship Recognition. 

We provide all of the research, document collection and preparation, and assistance applying through a fast-track process in Italy. 

Do the words “fast track” even exist in Italian? 

Yes and no! It’s what we Americans consider as fast in comparison. It’s not fast or easy, but we do the heavy lifting. 

We want our clients to have fun along the way. We make all the arrangements, from housing contracts to meeting on your behalf at the various agencies, but we also plan day trips and dinner parties with a mix of locals.  

What do you say to someone thinking about applying? 

What are you waiting for?