Is Italian Citizenship Worth It?

You’re daydreaming of walking away from it all; starting over in a distant, charming, captivating, exciting, and beautiful place. Is it realistic? Can you actually do it and what will it take? Is Italian Citizenship worth it?

Well, we were crazy enough to do it and we can tell you that it certainly isn’t for everyone. We can’t tell you what is right for you. What we can do is share the details of our experience to help you decide for yourself. There’s a lot to consider from what you’re leaving behind to what challenges you will face. 

Friends, family, and strangers ask us everything about this. From how we did it, to why we did it, and what it’s like to live in Italy/a foreign country. Keep reading for answers to your burning questions and to answer the question “Is Italian citizenship worth it?”

Is Italian Citizenship Worth It? Click on a question below to jump ahead:

• Part 1: How did you obtain Italian Citizenship?
  • Why Italy?
  • How did you qualify/Do I qualify?
  • How did you find all of the documents you needed?
  • Why did you do it? Was it hard to leave everything behind?
  • Was it Smooth Sailing (Did Everything Go As Planned)? Did you have help?
  • How long did it take to receive recognition as an Italian Citizen?
  • How long did it take to get your Italian Passport?
  • Why weren’t you required to have an Italian passport?
• Part 2: Life in Italy and being a dual citizen
  • Do you speak Italian/are you fluent in Italian?
  • Do you drive/have a car?
  • What’s it like (living in Italy)? What are the pros and cons of living in Italy?
  • Do you have to pay taxes in Italy if you have dual citizenship?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of dual citizenship?
  • What is medical care/socialized medicine like?
• Part 3: Conclusions and considerations. Is Italian citizenship worth it?
  • You’ve achieved your dream, so what’s next?
  • Is Italian Citizenship Worth it? Should I do it?

Part 1: How did you obtain Italian Citizenship?

Why Italy?

This question typically comes early in the conversation. Before people know we qualify for Italian citizenship, they want to know why we chose Italy. The answer has two parts. The first (and shorter answer) is that we could. Since we qualified for Italian citizenship we wouldn’t need some special work visa or residency permit to live in Italy.

The second part is more about why we love Italy so much that we wanted to leave everything we’ve ever known to move here.

Our desire to travel started when we were young and saw our grandparents traveling the world. At a young age, we vowed to do the same “someday.” Our father’s family is Italian, it was our great-grandparents who immigrated to the United States from Italy (in 1919). Since our family is Italian we were always interested and a little fascinated by Italian history when we learned about it in school. Our love affair with places we’ve never been and people we’ve never met began!

While attending University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in international business, we chose to fill our foreign language requirement with Italian (yes we have the same degrees). While Italian is not the most vocationally useful language in the U.S. (like Spanish or Mandarin are), we didn’t care, we wanted to learn the language for ourselves. We took Italian classes for four years, meeting the requirement to obtain a minor degree in Italian (in 2007). But can we speak Italian fluently? Keep reading for the answer.

With our background and connection to the Italian language and culture, it’s no surprise we loved the country from the first time we set foot on Italian soil. When we would travel to Italy we would already be discussing when our next trip to Italy would be. It was late summer 2017 when we were on our 3rd incredible trip to Italy. We often refer to that trip as our Epic Rivieras Trip. The trip included the Rivieras of France, Italy, and Spain (or Côte d’Azur, Riviera di Levante, and Costa del Sol, respectively). 

Every time we visited Italy we felt at home, we loved it and didn’t want to go home. This trip (the Epic Rivieras Trip) was different though… It got us thinking that if we lived in Italy, or anywhere in Europe, we would be able to travel to European destinates more often. We could do it for less money, and it would take less time to get there. Instead of saying how sad we were to leave, we started asking “How can we be here permanently?” And “Is Italian citizenship worth it?”

How did you qualify/Do I qualify?

After returning from the Epic Rivieras Trip we started looking into ways that we could be in Italy permanently. We quickly learned that we both had careers that would easily qualify for a work visa (if we found the right job in Italy). Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of work in Italy and the pay would not be the same. One half-baked idea was to live in the north but work over the border in France. This was quickly deflated because a work visa wouldn’t allow you to live in one country and work in another. After mentioning this to a friend who lived in Italy he said “But don’t you qualify for citizenship? If you were a citizen you could certainly live near the border and work in another country…”

Research showed that we may qualify if certain criteria were met. The first requirement is the lineage, you must have Italian paternal or maternal lineage (it can’t be mixed). This means that it is okay if you are not the same gender as your Italian parent but that before you the lineage needs to be only 1 gender. For example, if it was your mother’s mother (or her mother) then you meet this requirement. Or If it was your father’s father (or his father) you would meet the requirement. Check – we met this requirement. Sadly, if it was your mother’s father (or your father’s mother) who was Italian then you do not qualify (unless your mother/father obtained their Italian citizenship and yours before you turned 18). 

*We also learned that it’s easier to apply through your paternal line than your maternal line. For a maternal lineage claim (your mother’s, mother’s, mother) it will require a lawsuit to get your citizenship. Conversely, if it is your paternal lineage then it is an application process. 

There I (Candace) was, sitting on the Amtrak train from Sacramento to my company’s HQ office in San Francisco when I found confirmation of the next important requirement. Your Italian ancestor must have been born after the unification of Italy in 1861… Check – ours was born in the 1880’s, so we met that qualification. Furthermore, the Italian-born ancestor could not be naturalized (in the U.S.) before your U.S.-born ancestor was born. CHECK! we met this qualification too!… I was on my laptop and I found the 1940 census record. The record indicated that our Great-grandfather had not been naturalized yet. In 1940 our U.S.-born ancestor (our grandfather) was already born! I wanted to burst, but I had to maintain composure because my boss was sitting directly across from me. I didn’t want to let on that I was planning my exit strategy! I text my sister immediately.

We agreed to gather the necessary documents and start preparing for the process. The necessary documents include the vital records for each person in the lineage and their spouse. We would need apostille certificates for all U.S. documents. Lastly, we would need the naturalization papers of the ancestor who was born in Italy. When the time was right we would make the leap, to our unclaimed Italian lives. 

*reminder, this was our experience and we are not immigration lawyers. Italian bureaucracy is messy and things change all the time. We strongly suggest that you contact a professional to determine if you qualify or not.

How did you find all of the documents you needed? Did you have help?

We wanted to find all of the documents on our own. The search for documents was like a treasure hunt where you find clues along the way that add to your excitement. The U.S. documents were fairly easy since we knew where and when everyone was born, married, divorced, and passed away. We could easily request the certified copies through a vital records service. 

The documents from Italy weren’t so easy and our relatives were hazy about some of the details. For example, where were our great-grandparents married? We combed through civil registration records and ship manifests to find out what we could. It was rumored that they were married on the ship from Italy to the U.S., a cute story but inaccurate. Information this old has not been recorded in an electronic database in Italy yet. This meant visually scanning hundreds of photocopies of handwritten civil registration records (that were of course in Italian and often illegible cursive)! 

Without question, we found the record of our great-grandfather’s birth. What we found for our great-grandmother could have been her although slightly inaccurate… Or not her at all since not everyone was recorded in the civil registration. Keep in mind that this was a time when many were born at home and their birth may not have been reported immediately. Ultimately we did hire someone to obtain our great-grandparent’s birth certificates and marriage certificates. Our efforts were not in vain, sharing what we found in civil registration records and ship manifests provided some direction. They were able to locate the documents quickly and before we knew it we had the records in our hands.

*If you hire an immigration lawyer for the citizenship process, they can help you with the records. Whether you aren’t sure how to go about it or just don’t have the time, they can be a big help.  

Why did you do it? Was it hard to leave everything behind?

As time went on our careers progressed, and the world began to change. We felt pulled to Italy more and more. We craved a big adventure and a less conventional lifestyle. More than that though, we had a desire to set an example of following your dreams, to go after whatever it is that you want in your life. Over time we had collected all of the vital records for everyone in our paternal Italian lineage. These are their birth, marriage, and death certificates. In the spring of 2021, the value of homes in our area had a large jump, we were sick of being stuck inside (missing travel abroad immensely), and we were both ready for something new. We made another agreement with each other to set our citizenship appointments. We agreed to sell our house in the spring of 2022, quit our careers, and move to Italy.

This was not something we chose to do or did overnight. It started with an idea, followed by research and careful planning. Was it hard? Yes, probably the toughest thing we’ve ever done. Is it still hard? Yes, being apart from our loved ones is hard (I’ve got tears in my eyes just typing this). By the time we left, we felt that this was something we had to do because we just couldn’t spend the rest of our lives wondering “What if we had?” 

Being apart from the people we love will never be easy. We keep in touch by phone and video calls, visit when we can, and sometimes they visit us too. We are still happy with the choice that we made. While we don’t have any plans to move back to the U.S. we can certainly see why many do. You see, when you leave your home country you will always be a foreigner. You’re a foreigner in the country you reside. When you go back to visit you find that things at ‘home’ have changed. Things have developed and evolved, and life went on without you – you feel like a foreigner there too. 

Was it Smooth Sailing (Did Everything Go As Planned)? Did you have help?

Back to the citizenship process, as no grand plan is without its setbacks. In July of 2021, we hit our first roadblock when I looked for an appointment at our nearest Italian Consulate. There was nothing available! Appointments are booked out for 2 years and it’s a rolling timeline. We had no idea when we could get an appointment at the consulate. We knew the housing market wouldn’t stay where it was forever and we needed to act soon. It was a now-or-never feeling for us and we were not about to give up our dream.

I did some quick research and found an Italian immigration lawyer who assists in the Jure Sanguinis (bloodline) citizenship process. I learned that we could apply for citizenship while living in Italy. I texted my sister immediately and gave her the bad news/good news. We agreed that this was a leap we could take! The same immigration lawyer set up an appointment for us in July of 2022! Perfect. We were going to move to a town we’d never been to before. We figured “Why not, life’s an adventure!” 

People ask us “But why did you move to a town you’ve never heard of instead of Rome or Florence?” Our immigration lawyer explained that the process can take a long time in these bigger cities. By going to a small town we could get through the process much faster. We requested an Italian tax code (or Codice Fiscale). This doesn’t mean you have to pay taxes, it’s often used as a sort of identification number similar to the SSN in the U.S. If you want to know more about the tax situation keep reading or jump ahead.

There were a few other roadblocks we ran into. Within a week of setting up our citizenship appointment, we got rather terrible news. I (Candace) had a large tumor (cancer) in my left kidney and the entire kidney had to be removed. I had surgery 5 days before our birthday (October of 2021). This was not stopping us though, we wanted to move forward with our plans of moving to Italy in 2022. If anything it was a reminder that tomorrow is not promised. Side note: the surgery went well and I made a full recovery, I have regular check-ups and everything is great! Shout out to all the friends and family that helped Charlene take care of me during recovery, you are appreciated beyond words.

Roadblock number 3 came in February 2022, it was 2 weeks before we planned to list our house for sale. Our immigration lawyer told us that our appointment for citizenship had been canceled! Because of a change in staff at the local municipal administrative office (comune), they would not have the support to process the Italian Citizenship Application. We can not describe how awful that sinking feeling was. 

By now you know that we don’t give up easily. We worked with our immigration lawyer and he found another comune that could process our application. It was in a small town in the Veneto region, Piove di Sacco. Our appointment would be in late July or early August 2022. We were back on track! We sold our house in the spring of 2022 and liquidated everything else in June. We gave away and donated what we couldn’t sell, and hopped a flight. With a backpack and two carry-on-size suitcases each we set out to create a new life. We spent a month traveling in the UK while we waited for our official application date, and for our lawyer to secure an apartment for us to rent. 

How long did it take to receive recognition as an Italian Citizen?

How long did it take to get your Italian Passport?

Being recognized as an Italian citizen doesn’t mean you receive a passport immediately. Italian citizenship recognition allows you to apply for an official ID card, and if you want, a passport too. How long will it take to get an Italian passport? It depends on the municipality or commune to which you apply. If you are living in Italy, you will apply to the commune in which you live. When you are living outside of Italy, you will apply through the consulate nearest to you.

But, why weren’t you required to have an Italian passport?

Having a passport is not a requirement for citizens in Italy, just as it is not in the United States (at the time of writing this). For comparison, think of all of Europe like the United States, where European countries are states. In the United States, you can travel between states without a passport; you just need a valid ID (or Real ID). In Europe, you can travel between European countries and Schengen member countries with an ID from any member country. What makes the Italian passport special is that it allows you to go to countries that you can’t go to with an American passport. It also allows you to visit countries without special approval, where an American passport would require you to have special approval or a visa to visit them.

Honestly, we still don’t really need to have an Italian passport, but we wanted one in order to be more “official.” Additionally, the polizia randomly ask people for their documents at the train stations. We’ve seen them multiple times on the platforms at the Lucca train station asking everyone for their documents. Although they accept our Italian IDs, they still ask us if we have a passport. Having the passport to show them just makes things easier and quicker. 

Another short passport story: Once, Candace was just walking down the road with our other sister (yes, there are more of us), and the police pulled over to ask both of them for their IDs. Our sister’s ID is a German visa, and they didn’t ask questions about that; instead, they asked Candace if she had an Italian passport or when she was getting one… In Italy, it’s always better to just be safe and cover all of the bases! 

Part 2: Life in Italy and being a dual citizen

Do you speak Italian/are you fluent in Italian?

As mentioned earlier we did enjoy 4 years of Italian classes while we attended University, but that was ages ago. When we studied Italian we had the incredible opportunity to learn proper Italian! We were able to explore the beautiful Tuscan dialect and delve into the works of renowned poets and writers like Dante and Bocaccio. Although we received our minor degree in Italian we did not exit university fluent in Italian. It was more like taking training wheels off or getting a driver’s license – you don’t know everything but you know enough to figure it out with time and practice. 

Remember that when we moved to Italy we moved to a small town that we had never heard of, Piove di Sacco. We thought that living in a small town would be a great opportunity to be forced to speak Italian. This was a greater challenge than expected because the majority of the population didn’t speak Italian. In Piove di Sacco they speak a local dialect (Venitian or Veneto), not Italian. When we spoke Italian they didn’t understand us and the majority of the people who spoke English were teenagers. 

We took Italian courses in Padua for 2 months, for 20 hours a week (4 hours a day, 5 days a week). We took Italian levels A2 and B1 during those 2 months. We spent 2 or more hours a day on a bus round trip to these courses. This was well worth it because there were no Italian lessons available in the town we lived in. With long days dedicated to the classes we hardly got any time to use what we were learning. Our Italian did improve, but the locals still had a tough time with our dialect (Tuscan) and accent (American English). 

While we loved learning the language, we still had to leave the area to put it to use. Whenever we visited Tuscany we would be complimented on our Italian language skills. We had a great excuse for needing to travel more! Today we live in Tuscany (Lucca) and our Italian improves a little more each day. 

We still don’t consider ourselves fluent but we are far more comfortable today than we were when we started this journey. We manage to articulate ourselves through a conversation. We can listen to people and understand the gist of what they are saying fairly quickly, but not lightning fast. Making the best of a challenging situation is an important skill for a traveler or expat to have. Things happen and only you decide if they will ruin your experience!

Do I have to speak Italian to be able to get Italian citizenship?

At the time of writing this learning Italian is not a requirement for citizenship Jure Sanguinis. However, there is talk that it may become a requirement in the near future. Essentially citizenship jure sanguinis is considered your birthright (if you qualify). The Italian government just wants you to take the proper steps to obtain recognition. There is no language or history requirement for citizenship jure sanguinis. For persons obtaining Italian citizenship through their spouse, they will be required to pass the B1 level language exam. Whether it is a requirement or not when you apply for Italian Citizenship, we think you should learn some of the language.

Do you drive/have a car?

We have chosen not to have a car or drive for as long as we can. We made this decision for 2 reasons, 1) it’s better for the planet, and 2) driving can be stressful. Instead, we make use of public transportation, walking, and riding our bikes. This can be challenging if we need to go grocery shopping and it’s pouring rain outside. We try to plan our errands around the forecast. We will eventually get a vehicle because it will make it easier to go to small towns that aren’t accessible by train or bus. We will hold out as long as we can though, we do like to walk and bike, after all. 

What’s it like (living in Italy)? What are the pros and cons of living in Italy?

The challenge of living in Italy:

If you’re wondering “What’s it like, living in Italy (or any foreign country for that matter)?” The short and universal answer is that it is a challenge that requires patience and superior problem-solving skills. No two countries are alike, the bureaucracy and infrastructure may have similarities but they are decidedly different. We consider ourselves to be self-sufficient. When we lived in the States we knew our way around. We knew our resources, and what to do when we needed answers or help. When you move to a foreign country all of that is wiped away. When you move to a foreign country you have to learn how to ‘life’ all over again. It isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, but the greatest rewards are obtained through the greatest challenges. 

Living in Italy, the Pros:

Living in Italy, Mixed Pro/Con:

The pace of life is slower but it may not be in the way that you think. No matter what country you live in, you will still have responsibilities, obligations, and chores. The slow life isn’t slow because you have fewer responsibilities or expectations. It’s slow because nothing moves fast, requiring you to chill out and have some patience! Italians work hard, sure many of them have lunch breaks (siesta) that are 2 hours or more but they also often work 6 days a week. We love that Italians take these breaks and that many businesses are closed for 2-3 hours during siesta, closed on Sundays and/or Mondays. Alternatively, these closures mean that you have to plan your errands around those siesta hours, which can be rather inconvenient sometimes. 

Living in Italy, the Cons:

To better understand the expectation vs. reality, see our article on life in an Italian Borghi, Piove di Sacco.

Do you have to pay taxes in Italy if you have dual citizenship?

You will have to file and pay taxes in Italy if you are in Italy for 183 days or more in a 12-month period. You will also have to pay taxes if you own assets in Italy. The U.S. is the only developed country in the world that requires you to file taxes even if you don’t live there. It’s called “citizenship-based taxation” and the only other country that exercises this is one of the least developed countries in the world (Eritrea). 

We must clarify that filing and paying taxes are two different things. Taxes are much higher in Italy than they are in the United States because you are contributing to a pension and health care (this is not optional). From what we understand, you only pay taxes in Italy if you earn money there or own assets in Italy. There is no special taxation for U.S. expats (with or without dual citizenship). You are taxed on the same income tax codes as a person residing in the U.S. However, you may qualify for foreign earned income exclusions, and/or foreign income tax credits if you are paying taxes to your resident country (Italy in this case). 

Additionally, the Italian government requires you to report any foreign bank accounts with a balance that is over $5,000 (USD for example). You will pay a fee for having these foreign accounts. The fee could change but is currently less than €40 per account. Remember this only applies if you are living in Italy for more than 183 days in a 12-month period.

*We are not attorneys or tax professionals, it’s a complex system and you should consult a tax professional who specializes in taxes for dual citizens.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of dual citizenship?

**We are not immigration lawyers; if you are considering moving to another country you should always seek professional advice. 

Disadvantages of Dual Citizenship:

There are few disadvantages to holding dual citizenship. Italian bureaucracy is slow and complicated, which can be nerve-wracking and a big headache. 

As mentioned in the previous section about taxes, citizenship-based taxation in the U.S. means that no matter how long you live abroad (in Italy), you will always have to file taxes in the U.S. If you spend more than 183 days in a 12-month period in Italy, you will also have to file taxes in Italy if you earn money or own property in Italy. It’s important to note that some governmental jobs are only available to citizens of a single country (these are typically jobs with high-security clearance). 

What is medical care/socialized medicine like?

First and foremost, the experience will differ from region to region as each region manages its own system. Costs and administrative procedures are probably different. At the time of writing this most regions have not started to use electronic systems for appointments, records, or payments. 

To answer this question we must first define what we consider the 3 major parts of health care. After we get that out of the way, we will share our experience with each. You have health coverage which is how it is paid for and how much it costs. Next, you have the quality of health care which is how competent the doctors are (prescribing the correct pathology/medications for your ailments), and the availability of those appointments/treatments/etc. Finally, you have bedside manner which is how the doctors, nurses, and staff treat you. 

Health Coverage in Italy:

We gave an overview of health coverage in the pros and cons of living in Italy, but we do want to tell you more. Health coverage does not include Optical or Dental care. You will pay for all of this out of pocket and not all of it is less expensive than what you pay in the U.S. (for example). 

You can order contact lenses online and without having to furnish a prescription, frames are often more affordable. If you need dental work, a crown will be €800-€1000, or up to €2,000 for an implant. From what we hear, many Italians go to other European countries to have this kind of work done. After recent experiences we might do the same, the work was fine, but the price was high.

Health Care in Italy:

The doctors are fairly competent, in fact, Italy is known for having some of the best specialists and great hospitals. The biggest downside is availability; since the coverage is affordable most people use it, limiting availability. Municipalities with small populations have fewer doctors (if any) and residents may travel 20+ km to see a doctor. Sometimes it can take 6 months to get a follow-up appointment. You do not get to choose your specialist and you likely won’t see the same one twice. Ladies, we don’t get to pick our GYN and in my experience many of the public ones are male. If this is a concern for you, you may decide to go private for those appointments. 

Bedside Manner in Italy:

I have personally seen both sides of this coin. I have been met with nurses, specialists, and hospital staff who were rude and clearly frustrated, specifically in Piove di Sacco. Since moving to Lucca I have mostly encountered compassionate medical professionals. In the U.S. there is a lot of emphasis on bedside manner and keeping the patient comfortable. This is underpinned by actions such as being shown to a room by a nurse who gives you a gown and/or blanket of sorts so that you can undress and cover yourself (once they leave the room). In Italy it’s “undress, clothes go over there, and get up on the table,” and they don’t even leave the room. It’s all business and no frills (even when your GYN is male)! 

Another note on record keeping, Italy is working toward electronic records but they are far behind. Italians keep their own records, that’s right, we have folders with every piece of paper, test result, and disc for imaging that we have received. Since you would rarely see the same specialist twice you tell your story every time you see a specialist. You will, however, have an assigned base doctor (GP) who you see for all referral and prescription needs before you can see a specialist. While Italy is moving towards electronic records, these will not include your medical records anytime soon. To start, the electronic system allows you to set appointments, collect (some) test results, and retrieve prescriptions without having to physically go to an office to do so. 

*Please note that every region is different and governs its medical system differently. Some regions are starting to use electronic methods and others haven’t started yet. 

Part 3: Conclusions and considerations. Is Italian citizenship worth it?

You’ve achieved your citizenship dream, so what’s next?

Did we stay in that small town where we started our residency? No! As soon as our citizenship was recognized we began searching for a new place to call home. We spent a month in Puglia deciding if that was the region for us. We were almost sold on the Idea. Puglia has a low cost of living and amazing food, the people are also known for being some of the nicest in the world! But we didn’t move to Puglia…

Is Italian Citizenship Worth it? Should I do it?

We hope this post helps you answer the question “Is Italian Citizenship Worth It?” For more of our in-depth account of life in Italy, you may want to read these posts:

• Life in an Italian Borghi
• Travel Inspiration

Do you have questions about getting citizenship in Italy through your bloodline?

-XO, The Twins

Contact us by email at thetwins@twicethetraveler.com

How can we help? We would love to hear your questions!

---

---