# Citizenship question - naturalisation certificates



## Js89 (Dec 10, 2020)

Hello,

Wondering if someone can help with quite a technical problem. My mother is a naturalised Italian, and was when I was born. I'm not totally sure if that means I'm eligible for citizenship or not, it seems like quite a tricky point and it's cheaper to just put in an application than get legal advice...

My question is, does anyone know how you evidence naturalisation in Italy? Presumably there's a certificate somewhere? And if so how do I get hold of it (my mum doesn't have it)? Will it be the comune that she was naturalised in?


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## corndog (Aug 25, 2020)

The situation is that your mother, as an Italian citizen, gave birth to yourself outside of Italy? Short answer is that I have no idea, but it sounds like the easiest possible scenario. I wouldn't think that it matters that she naturalized, but again, I have no clue. Seems like you'd only need her birth certificate, her naturalization certificate, and your birth certificate. If I were you, I'd inquire with the local comune, as well as the capital of the province. My personal experience is that the local comune 100% will not reply to me, but I was able to get help at the capital of the province with no problem.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Js89 said:


> Hello,
> 
> Wondering if someone can help with quite a technical problem. My mother is a naturalised Italian, and was when I was born. I'm not totally sure if that means I'm eligible for citizenship or not, it seems like quite a tricky point and it's cheaper to just put in an application than get legal advice...


It's not really tricky. The only question is was at least one of your parents an Italian citizens at the time of your birth? If yes you're Italian.


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## Js89 (Dec 10, 2020)

corndog said:


> The situation is that your mother, as an Italian citizen, gave birth to yourself outside of Italy? Short answer is that I have no idea, but it sounds like the easiest possible scenario. I wouldn't think that it matters that she naturalized, but again, I have no clue. Seems like you'd only need her birth certificate, her naturalization certificate, and your birth certificate. If I were you, I'd inquire with the local comune, as well as the capital of the province. My personal experience is that the local comune 100% will not reply to me, but I was able to get help at the capital of the province with no problem.


This is ready helpful thank you! Yeah it's just the practicality of how I get hold of the naturalisation certificate - navigating Italian bureaucracy is not easy!


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## Js89 (Dec 10, 2020)

NickZ said:


> It's not really tricky. The only question is was at least one of your parents an Italian citizens at the time of your birth? If yes you're Italian.


Unfortunately I'm not sure the letter of the law is this simple


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Js89 said:


> Unfortunately I'm not sure the letter of the law is this simple


Yes it is.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Js89 said:


> This is ready helpful thank you! Yeah it's just the practicality of how I get hold of the naturalisation certificate - navigating Italian bureaucracy is not easy!


request one of these






Rilascio certificato di cittadinanza | Portale istituzionale della Città di Ariccia







www.ariccia.rm.gov.it


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## Js89 (Dec 10, 2020)

NickZ said:


> request one of these
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is really helpful, thanks!


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Js89 said:


> Unfortunately I'm not sure the letter of the law is this simple


As NickZ stated, it really is pretty simple. One of your parents must have been an Italian citizen at the time of your birth.

If the parent in question was your mother, than the additional rule applies that the birth must have occurred after January 1, 1948 (if I recall correctly) as prior to that date Italian women could not directly pass citizenship to their children. This particular requirement has been challenged, successfully, in Italian courts. However, Italian law does not honor court precedents, so each and every case must be tried separately.

The one "not so simple" rule that I can think of is the case where an Italian woman lost her citizenship against her will. Many decades ago, a non US citizen female who married a US citizen male automatically gained US citizenship and lost her native citizenship. Something in the deep recesses of my memory says that that can be a way out of the "my mother already lost her Italian citizenship before I was born" problem but I'm not positive about it. Even so, you would still face the 1948 rule.

In the case where your mother is your link to Italian blood, but she had already lost her citizenship prior to your birth, there is the option of expedited Italian naturalization. Again, I forget the details, but the naturalization process can be cut from 10 (?) years to just a few (3?). But, even though expedited, it is still a very difficult road to travel and likely not what you are looking for, anyway.


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