# Visa requiremeants for Italian descendant



## jimmy2shoes (Dec 5, 2014)

My father is Italian and moved to Australia after world war 2 when he was about 5 years old, making me a direct descendant, would that assist me in my visa application in any way or is there certain privileges for descendants? I heard that Italian descendant are able to apply for a VISA to stay in Italy for 6 months but I may have the opportunity to work and live there if I can get a VISA


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## yosheryosh (Mar 4, 2013)

not sure about visa, but from what i read wait times in the italian consulate in austraila for italian citizenship is short. make a citizenship appointment now with your italian consulate and while you wait get all the papers together.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

jimmy2shoes said:


> would that assist me in my visa application in any way


No, not for a visa. FYI, citizens of Australia do not need visas to travel to the Schengen Area for stays of up to 90 days (out of 180) for ordinary tourism and non-employment business travel.



> or is there certain privileges for descendants?


One privilege is that you might be eligible for recognition as an Italian citizen depending on your exact circumstances.

Failing that, as the child or grandchild of a parent who was born an Italian citizen (or who could have been recognized as an Italian citizen at birth) you can apply to acquire Italian citizenship after 3 years of continuous legal residence in Italy instead of the usual 10. However, there is no special visa or other accommodation given for obtaining a visa (e.g. an elective residency visa). You have to qualify just like everyone else according to the same rules.

Young adult citizens of Australia are among the few lucky ones eligible to apply for a working holiday visa to Italy, but time spent in Italy on a working holiday does not count toward the 3 year residency time just mentioned.


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## Arturo.c (Aug 15, 2010)

IMHO you should see whether your father became an Australian citizen before you were born, and if he ever returned to Italy and lived there for longer than 12 months before 1992, thus reacquiring automatically his Italian citizenship under a provision of the law in force at the time.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Arturo.c said:


> IMHO you should see whether your father became an Australian citizen before you were born, and if he ever returned to Italy and lived there for longer than 12 months before 1992, thus reacquiring automatically his Italian citizenship under a provision of the law in force at the time.


Agreed, and the answer can probably be found here: Search the collection – National Archives of Australia

Never trust family members for this information. In my own case, several family members (including my mother) were certain that neither of my Italian grandfathers naturalized, however it turned out that both actually did.


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