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Applying for Italian Citizenship in USA

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Travelgal
  1/25/2020 17:05 EST

Hello everyone. I have several questions so I will mark them starting with #1. I would like to apply for my Italian Citizenship along with my 2 adult children (18&21). My jurisdiction Italian Consulate is Chicago(I do not live in that state). I have sent 65 emails (no response)& called them for over 1 year & they do not answer the phone!! Maybe you can help me. I already have my father's Italian birth certificate from Italy, his marriage certificate and naturalization paper from USA. I have mine, my 2 adult children birth certificate with apostille.I have an appt for November, 2020, we have to fly to Chicago PLUS rent a car & hotel...and I made 1 appointment thinking my whole family will attended to at this appt, then I read in some forums each applicant must make hisher own appt?? If this is true what should I do?? We all need to be processed at the same time.....(That's #1 question) OK here's my other questions and sorry so many questions but I need to get to Italy ASAP as an Italian citizen. #2 -What other formsdocuments, where do I get the formsdocuments that I need and how much is the cost? Do I write a personal check or money order for each of these forms? #3-How long does the whole process take if I apply for my Italian citizenship in USA? #4- Do I need to prove any kind of fundssavings I have in bank or do I need to prove anything else??#5- I am on SSDI so I live on my money from SSDI, so I can not work or working.
#6- What am I missing as far as what else I need? Thx in advance everyone...

roma2016
  1/25/2020 18:12 EST

Hi Travelgal,

I'm not an authority and it's been several years since I (successfully ) applied, but here is my best recollection of my experience, at a different consulate. Errors I make below will I'm sure be corrected by someone more knowledgeable.

I don't know if your kids need separate appointments or not.

All US documents need to be translated into Italian by a translator the consulate accepts as proficient. There may be a listing online.

I was asked to provide death certificates, if applicable.

You'll need your marriage license.

I was asked for both of my parents birth certificates.

The application fee is due when you apply and a check was acceptable.

I doubt there is any standard processing time. I think it took a couple of months between my application and its acceptance.

I wasn't asked about my financial situation.

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Sergios
  1/25/2020 19:07 EST

It's one in the am for me so I will give you a response in the morning. But first tell me why you must get to italy as an italian citizen? I don't need personal details.

Travelgal
  1/25/2020 19:53 EST

Thank you Roma 2016

Travelgal
  1/25/2020 20:16 EST

Sergios, of course no problem. To be honest my 2 adult children would like to attend college in Italy and also we want to make Italy our permanent home. The HUGE problem is that like I stated in the previous message, my kids have been trying to get a study visa for the past year and NOBODY , I mean nobody has answered our phone calls or emails at the Italian Cons in Chicago!! We tried to make an appointment for study visas its 3 years out, just the appt! *Also a side note, my kids even if they did get a study visa they want me there with them and I want to be there as well. If you read the reviews under the Italian Cons General in Chicago under their website you will see exactly what I am talking about and we are not the only ones! So my kids have already narrowed down 2 different Universities in Italy and we spoke to them, etc. They can start when the semester starts but without Italian Citizenship we can only stay 3 months, so that certainly will not work out for my kids or myself. Both my kids want to study something that will take about 6-7 years to complete to get their degrees in the Italian University. So this is why Sergios that we say we must be Italian Citizens before going to Italy as you can understand once you start University without a study visa we need to leave after 3 months. So I appreciate you responding at a good time for you as I understand the time difference. But please if you think we can do this any other way we are open to all suggestions and experiences .Is there any other way to stay without being Italian citizens? We are entitled though as my mother was born in Italy and all the qualifications I qualify for Italian Citizenship and my kids because of me.... Like I mentioned before I have an appointment slot in November 2020 and idk even if we have the correct documents and I cannot find the forms or fee table anywhere. There is nobody to ask because they dont answer in any way! Im so frustrated right now, nearly 1 yr of trying to communicate with the Chicago Italian Consulate and NOTHING! My kids would and need to start University in September in Italy, how will this ever be possible...?? I hope everyone can help us on this website. I literally have tears in my eyes from frustration with this Consolate in Chicago....

Sergios
  1/26/2020 02:22 EST

Let me start by defending the consumate professionals at the Italian consulates. There is only so much time in a day to be divided up between coffee breaks, cigerrette breaks, meetings about the upcoming soccer games, and yes, the tens of people they have to deal with every week.
Your daughters can not join you in your appointment because they are adults and must do it themselves. Effficiency is not one of the parameters practiced at the consulate. All is not lost, however. Given that it was your mother that migrated to the USA, your daughters are also eligible for Italian citizenship. You don't need to deal with the consulate. All three of you can come to Italy on a tourist visa and stay. You must have all your documents in order. You need sets for each of you. Make sure you fully understand what is required. Look elsewhere on this forum or ask questions.
Once in Italy the three of you will apply for a permesso di soggiorno for citizenship reasons. This process takes several months. It starts at a central post office. While at the post office you should ask if they have the contact information for an the agency that helps immigrants fill out such forms. Unless you are fluent in Italian. Once the application has been submitted and you have the precious receipt in hand (treat it like gold), you can go to the comune to apply for residency. This is assuming you found a place to live and you have a rental contract that is not a transient contract. As soon as you apply for residency you may then go get your healthcare coverage.
The permesso di soggiorno that you will get will probably be renewable in two years. Once your residency starts you can start the process of getting your citizenship recognized. Question: was your mother naturalized before or after your birth? If at all. This only makes a difference in the amount of time it will take to get your citizenship and the type. If your mother naturalized after your birth then you and your daughters are already citizens and only need to provide proof. If, on the other hand, she was naturalized before your birth then you and your daughters were never citizens and are asking to have your citizenship restored to you. The former is a quicker process than the later. The difference between several months and a few years. Either way you will have a permesso to stay in Italy.
This process is unlike the visa process in that you don't need to prove all the stuff that the visa people must prove. You will be able to work if you want. You don't need to prove you have health coverage. Feel free to ask questions. Others on this forum know more about things like taxes and banking and housing. Good luck.

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rsetzer99
  1/26/2020 03:27 EST

Go to Facebook page US Italian Dual Citizen. They have detailed guides to walk you through all scenarios and a very active community.

codybrandy
  1/26/2020 04:32 EST

Sergio is right again! You can get a one year visa from your US consult and that will give you plenty of time to work on your Permesso di Soggiorno (2 yr visa) or citizenship if you decide. Most consulates I've found want you to make an online appointment...no calling and no e-mails...and then just show up on time...the Boston consulate will NOT accept checks or credit cards..maybe Chicago also, you may have to return. In Italy it is imperative you learn: nothing can be done in a timely manner...just go step by step, have all your papers with you, have copies of everything, have extra passport style photos on hand. For the PdiS there is a rather high income limit to be determined by the consulate and it seems each one might be different. Go for the first interview at Chicago and get all you need from them and a plan of attack. Possible a student visa for the kids will be a help? As I remember they gave us all the forms we needed for the first step. When you arrive in Italy you go to a large Post Office for the Packet called: Richiesta Di RilascioDel Permesso Di Soggiorno per Cittadini Stranieri....large white envelope with yellow stripe down left side...get one for each of you. Immediately xerox every page inside so you can have a copy you can work from and save the original to hand in. Everything and every step will take longer than you would expect...be prepared to relax and learn what the next step will be. If you are not fluent bring someone with you who is to help. To sum up: I think you would be wise to get to Italy first, apply for the PdiS, then work on your citizenship. I've heard there are lawyers who also do this work for you..?E? P.S. One last note....I used to get my PdiS renewal in 2-3 months....last year it was closer to 5-6 months. Good Luck

Sergios
  1/26/2020 06:42 EST

Thank you Codybrandy, but let's not confuse these poor people anymore than they need to be. In their situation, having a right to either having their existing citizenship recognized or having a lost citizenship reinstated, they do not need a visa. They can go directly to Italy and apply for the PdS. The receipt that they will get will be an interim PdS that will allow them to be in italy with the same rights as italian except voting. This is true for both the mother and the daughters. The daughters could then attend school like Italians.
I went through the same process. When I was first considering this process I made a reservation with the consulate to get a visa. When I finally got in the agent told me that a visa was not necessary and to just go. The consulate and their "award deserving" website provides no information about this unless it is so well hidden that I can't find it.
Again, since no visa is required, all the visa requirements are also moot.
As far as costs, if the application is made at the post office expect to pay about 150 euro which includes the 16 euro stamp from the tobachi. However, they could bypass the post office and go directly to the questura and wait on line, for a while, until they see the first window who will take the documents (have all originals with good copies. They will take the copies) and give back a receipt. Other than the stamp from the tobachi there is no charge. I suggest going the post office route. Always ask for additional kits just in case of error.

Sergios
  1/26/2020 06:48 EST

Clarification: you will still need to get the kits at the post office and fill them out before either going back to the post office to submit them and pay a fee or you can take the kit directly to the questura, with the stamp from the tobachi, and submit it there.

Travelgal
  1/26/2020 11:14 EST

Good Morning Sergios. Thank you very much. YES, my mother was naturalized USA 2 years AFTER I was born in the USA. She & my father were born in Italy , they both were naturalized USA 2 years after me being born in the USA. They were in the USA when I was born. Here is the big question to your previous answer #1- How do my daughters and I get a tourist visa if there is no way I can contact the Italian Consulate in Chicago and there online appts are are backed up for 3 years for a visa? *Like I said before I have some type of appt in November at the Italian Cons in Chicago but it is only for me, as I stated before I thought it was 1 appt per family, ohhh gosh, What should I do? Is there any other way I can get a Visa? How long do they give you on a Visa to stay in Italy?omg, im so confused....#2- I do not know all the documents that are required, I NEVER saw it posted somewhere or even the updated requirements for 2020? Where do I find this exactly? I have only our birth certificates with Apostille translated in Italian, my mothers birth certificate(born in Italy) my mothers marriage certificate and my mothers naturalization certificate from USA (she obtained 2 years AFTER I was born) #3- How long will I have to get a place to live? Can I use a b&b long term(Bed&breakfast)? Can I live with a friend or family member(Italian citizens) or must I have my own apt or home?How long must the contract be for? Grazie everyone in advance!

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Travelgal
  1/26/2020 11:22 EST

Thanks Sergios, and everyone So I must get 3 packs (one for each of us) at any post office. Then we fill it out and pay $150 euro each, includes stamp. Do these people at the post office know if its filled out correctly? Do they look it over? So then i submit it to post office or to the questura, Im confused?? Since my mother became naturalized after I was born do i still need to go through this process? Also if i come on a Visa to Italy do I still apply for Permesso Di soggiorno within 8 days? Do I tell them I want to become an Italian citizen with my daughters cause theres different Permesso Di Soggiorno, right?

Travelgal
  1/26/2020 11:32 EST

Also Sergios or anyone that can help me with this other question me and my daughters have. They both want to be medical doctors, one an MD and one an eyedoctor. I tried to contact many locations in Italy that deal with career questions etc. And nobody knows. Our question is if my daughters become doctors in Italy can they also use there degree/diploma in the United States in case they would ever want to come back? I tried contacting the Universities with no response... Also if they take prerequisites and get a bachelors degree in the USA like bachelors degree in Biology for example will they honor this at the Italian University's? Im not even sure if they need Prerequisites for a eye doc degree or MD degree? Believe me I tried contacting many Universities my daughters are interested in attendingwith no response from them....Does anyone have any idea how or whom I can contact in the USA or Italy to help us out with this? Thank you in advance....

Travelgal
  1/26/2020 12:45 EST

Thank you rsetzer99

Travelgal
  1/26/2020 12:58 EST

Thanks Codybrandy- As stated earlier my mother was naturalized AFTER I was born. How do I get a Visa from the Chicago Italian Consolate the wait is 3 years just for an online appt. Is there any other way to get a Visa for me & my daughters? We cant go the study visa route because I want to be there as well with my daughters and they want me to be there, and of course I dont qualify for a study visa..Like I stated before, I do have an appt in November at the Italian Consulate in Chicago but I made 1 appt thinking it was for the whole family..I booked this appt 3 yrs ago( When I didnt know I can also do this process in Italy) So at this appt in November (Italian Cons Chicago) can I get all my paperwork needed for all 3 of us?How long does it take to process my Italian citizenship in USA is it longer than it would be if I processed in Italy? Sergios said it may possibly be shorter time processing it in Italy? Are the documents they give me at the Chicago Italian consulate the same as they give you in Italy? What forms do I need, how much are they if I decide to process my Italian Citizenship in USA? Then I need another appt(2-3 year wait) to give the forms back and all our documents, correct? Sounds like it may take years processing it here in USA? Thanks in advance...

guestuser
  1/26/2020 13:19 EST

From the AMA: "Practicing medicine in the U.S. as an international medical graduate."


https://www.ama-assn.org/education/international-medical-education/practicing-medicine-us-international-medical-graduate

Sergios
  1/26/2020 14:22 EST

Tourist visas require no action. They are a concept rather than a thing. You go to Italy you will have a tourist visa that lasts 90 days. No need to apply.

The post office will hand out a kit for permesso. I would get one for each of you and two extras just in case. Once it is completed you can return it to the post office. The clerk, a special clerk, will review the application and check your original documents and certify that the copies are the same. He/She will seal the envelope, fill out the receipt and charge you a fee. He/she will then mail it to the questura. The stamp I referred to is not a postage stamp. It is a tax stamp that is purchased at the tobacco shop and is attached to the application.
The receipt, I repeat, is your temporary PdS. Keep it safe.

You and your daughters are Italian citizens and only need to supply proof in the form of documents. Once the documents are submitted, you will be checked out and it takes a few months. The sources of the documents will be verified and confirmed.

You do need the Permesso because you are in the process of proving your citizenship and until that is done you need to have the PdS. Additionally, until you have proof of citizenship you will need the PdS to get residency. Residency is needed to get other things like buying a car or get a bank account or enroll in college.

The PdS you all three want is the one for citizenship. The kit you will fill out has extra modules that will not apply to you. You should have somebody fluent in Italian to help you. Unless you are.

You do not need to apply for a visa in Chicago. There is no visa for you there. The visas are for people who do not have italian blood. You need to go directly to Italy and you can go tomorrow if you have all your documents.

Make sure you understand 100% what documents are needed and in what form. This is critical.

My step father was an Italian doctor who migrated to the USA. He needed to pass a board exam, do internship and residency to get a NY license.

There is no time line for you to get a place to live. You can stay with friends if you want. You will need proof of domicile to get your residency. For that you can’t have a transient contract like Air B&B. Or you can have your friend or relative prepare the contract for your staying with them. This is an official contract that is approved by the commune. They will also send an old man on a vespa to check to see if you actually live there. Air B&B is fine for when you first get there.

Sergios
  1/26/2020 14:30 EST

Additionally, the citizenship process starts when you apply for residency. They will collect your documents and let you know what the next steps are.

Travelgal
  1/26/2020 15:06 EST

Sergios I am so grateful for people like you and others that help people out dedicate time and energy, thank you!! Ok, so we will not go to the Questura at all, the Post office will take our paperwork and mail it in to the Questura. Can we go to any post office in Italy or a special one or do they all know what's going on? I will get the forms(permesso) for Italian citizenship thats the one...Does the clerk at the post office keep my original documents or does the questura keep them or they do not keep them at all? Are copies ok to give them or do they need originals? What kind of payment does the Post office take for the $130 euro per person,for the permesso do they take debit cards or cash or?Also do we need to stay in the same town and live in the same town that we are processing our Italian Citizenship in? How do I keep communication with them with an email or phone number ? Do they give you a phone number ? How will I know our Permesso di Soggiorno is ready? How much time will We have to find an apartment or house once we apply for the Permesso? And you said they do acccept a written contract or even letter stateing I am living with a family member if I decide to go that route? Wow, Im excited that my daughters and I are already Italian citizens we just have to prove it and it only takes a few months to process it all. Then after we are excepted as Italian Citizens we apply for the Italian passport, right? Where do I do that? Can I apply for the Code fiscal online from USA or where? No im not fluent in Italian where can I get a trusted translator? I speak a bit and understand a bit but not enough for these kind of matters...* One very important question, can you PLEASE tell me or direct me to EXACTLY what documents I need to do all this. As I said before I have all 3 of our American birth cert with Apostille and translated in Italian. I have my mothers birth certificate from Italy and her marriage certificate and naturalization certificate she obtained in USA. If i am married or divorced will I need those documents? Will they need translation and Apostille? What other documents do I need and besides the $130.00 euro fee per person for the Permesso di S what other fees am I looking at and how much are the passports(Italian)? Thank you so much...

Sergios
  1/26/2020 15:11 EST

I'll respond tomorrow. Others may have some input.

HenryGiovanni
  1/26/2020 17:21 EST

Hi Sergios and OP,
I can say nothing about the process for citizenship, but would like to clarify some other things.

1) I went to the Questura for my PdS. They sent me to the Comune for the packet and list of docs I'd need. After the interview, the lady at the Comune gave me an apptmt at the Questura for two months out. I returned to the Questura on the designated date, plus I had to go back several other times, but do not recall ever paying EU 150 for anything. I never used the Poste Italiano for anything, but did have to get a tax bolla from the tabacchi shop (a new experience for me at that time). Maybe that EU 150 is for citizenship (?); if not, then go straight to the Questura and save the money.

2) in the absence of actual residency, and if one knows someone living here, then the proper form (available at the Comune ("City Hall", more or less, in US terms) is the "Ospitalita", which is a guest residence for those who don't have an officially-endorsed residence. The Questura required one of these forms from me in order to get the PdS, and I didn't even know what it was. Now I do. It is a form signed by a home-owner or resident that says you are staying with them temporarily, but not permanently, and are "living" at that address. No police check-up is required, and, in fact, it is merely a declaration, signed by both parties, that such is the case (fill in the details), and taken on faith, it would seem. This signed form is then taken to the local police office and submitted, but, and I repeat, there is no check to see if you are actually staying at the address on the form. Or, at least, they didn't check up on me. However, be advised that they probably have ways to check on this, and I am not suggesting that anyone try to use this as a trick to get by a requirement otherwise necessary. This Ospitalita ("Hospitality")form allows the home-owner/resident to avoid extra trash fees for the duration. Any form is called a "modulo", so you want the modulo per Ospitalita if this is the case.

I say all this as the spouse of an Italian citizen, and will stand correction from others for actual citizenship matters because I have not gone down the citizenship road just yet.

One other note on B&Bs: it is my understanding that the legal limit for staying in one is 30 days. We stayed 90 days in off-season and didn't require a receipt. For what we paid, staying that long in tourist season would be a different story, cost-wise. Plan accordingly.

And on that note, I had planned on spending USD $10G while trying to get settled over here. (not including the container shipping costs and airfare, the cat bills and their airfare, and etc.). It was just a wild guess on what I expected to spend. In the end, I believe it was something less than that; maybe $7G??? Maybe $8G?? You WILL lose money on this deal, so be prepared. So as not to end this on a negative note, on the upside, life here is cheaper than in Southern CA (at least), and far better, to boot. It all evens out, but the beginning is rather hard, at first. Don't let that stop you; it DOES get better. Just take one step at a time and remain patient; things here move slower than in the US.

Good luck!
Cheers, John.

Sergios
  1/27/2020 04:10 EST

So HG, this points to an important fact, residency in italy is a local affair managed by the commune with a common set of guidelines, but they are free to implement the process the way they want. I, unlike most of you, have been through four residencies. two in Palermo, one in France and this last one in Montespertoli. France was the easiest. All I had to do is show two months of bills mailed to my residency. That was it. My first in Palermo was a nightmare because it involved both residency and citizenship and it appears few people go to Palermo to get their citizenship recognized because none of these bureaucrats had a clue about what was needed. In all three italian cases a man was sent to the house to check, although the guy in Montespertoli just looked at the mailbox and was satisfied. The address check is a residency issue and has nothing to do with the questura.

The PdS application, if submitted to the post office involves special handling and shipping, which is part of the cost. If the application is submitted to the questura, the officers there do not have the facility to collect money so the fee is waved. However, depending on where you live, the questura could involve several hours of standing on line whereas the post office is much simpler.

As far as the list of documents, I'll cover that later. Just understand that any document that does not originate from the EU must have an apostle and "legal" translation. Uncle Joe can't do it for you.

Shtinky
  1/27/2020 04:17 EST

I do know the process is “backwards” if your trying for citizenship. I am not, and can’t be, a citizen so my process started in the US with the Visa, next PdS (apply at Poste and go to Questura second) then Carta d’Identita at the comune.

For folks looking for citizenship it “starts” at the comune for the Identita, or Residenza card, then goes to the PdS (this time from the Questura, not the Poste) if the citizenship hasn’t come through yet.

Just so there is no confusion. It is a different process for each.

Sergios
  1/27/2020 07:09 EST

Hi Shtinky, I've been through the citizenship process and its not exactly as you listed. The steps are as follows:
Arrive in Italy

Get codice fiscale at Agencie Del Entrata

Get a place to stay

Go to the central post office or post office with sportello di amici to pick up the PdS kits

Either fill the PdS application out yourself or go to the assistance for immigrants to have them fill it out for you. Ask the person at the post office where to find one.

Submit the application to the post office with copies of your documentation and the originals for comparison. Pay the fee. Get a receipt. You will be given an appointment with the questura some months in the future.

Go to the Commune and apply for residency. Have the housing contract or letter from your host available. Also have copies and originals of your documents. Tell them you are applying for citizenship. Have the post office receipt to show them. Ask for the form that you can take to the health office to get your carta sanitaria. The commune, depending on the size of the city may send you to a different office to start the citizenship application.

Wait for the inspector to come to your home to confirm its real. You can ask the commune if its possible that they come on a particular day, say thursday, so you don't have to be there all the time. I did that. They were supposed to come on a thursday and showed up on a monday. Other than that, go about your business, enjoy your stay.

After the inspector checks you out, wait two weeks and then go to the commune to get your ID booklet or card. (15 euro).

After a few months you will go to the questura to be interviewed. Bring your original documents with copies. Note that the commune will keep your original birth certificate. You can then go to the commune to get a new, Italian registered birth certificate that you can bring to the questura. You will be photographed and fingerprinted. Then you wait for the processing, a few weeks. After which you can pickup your PdS card.

Now you wait for the commune to process your citizenship. This could be a few weeks or a few months, depending on the commune. Once you receive your citizenship document you must go back to the questura to void your PdS. If you do not do that you will be in both citizenship and immigrant registry and you will not be able to get a passport. Once you do that, you go to a different section of the questura and apply for your passport. There is a charge for that. And tax stamps.

I advise that you buy a printer/scanner/copier when you get to italy. One can be gotten for around 50 euro. You'll thank me. Get a stock of passport size headshots. You'll need many. I advise that before you come to Italy that you get doubles of your important documents with apostille and certified translation. For example the birth certificate will be given to the commune, never to be seen again. You can get the italian version but if you want the originals, this is the only way to do it. Same for marriage certificates.

As far as which docs you need, this is what I would bring:

Birth certificates (apostilled and translated)

Parents birth certificates. If they were born in Italy, get the estratto integrale (long form documents). Ask for doubles. If they are not from the EU, they need to be apostilled and translated.

Same as above for parents death certificates and marriage certificates.

Parents naturalization documents, again apostilled and translated (note that my mother's was not apostille, it was the original certificate and it was accepted. But that was in Palermo where they did not know what they were doing)

I'm drawing a blank on more docs. If anybody can add to this list, please do. More documents are better than fewer. If you have it, bring it.

About money and payments. Cash always works. You will not be able to open a bank account until you have residency so make sure that your bank in the USA has free ATM without foreign transaction fees. Some banks will refuse to allow you to live abroad, Fidelity for example, so do not use them. I use Schwab and they have been very good. It use to be that most ATMs (Bankomats) were free to use. That is no longer the case so you need to look for free ones. The post office atms are still free. The limit withdrawals are 250 euro each time. Some banks, Like Monte Pescoli allow you to take out to the limit imposed by your bank at home.

Bring an unlocked cell phone to Italy. Ask your cell phone provider to unlock your phone or you can go on the internet to have the phone unlocked for a fee. When you get to italy you can get a sim card so you can use your phone. I use a TIM prepay for people born outside of Italy. Seriously there is such a thing. It costs 10 euro a month for many giga of data and many more minutes than I could use. Also, get a voip service so you can call the USA for free. Whatsapp will do that, So does Facebook messenger.

Start studying for the Italian driving permit, which is in Italian. There are threads about that. You will have one year before your USA license is useless. One year from when you have residency.

Shtinky
  1/27/2020 08:14 EST

Thanks Sergios, different from what we have to do !

codybrandy
  1/27/2020 08:32 EST

Holy Cow Travelgal! You made an appt. 3 yrs ago in Chicago??? They sound slower than Italian bureaucracy...go to the appt. and bring the kids with you just in case they will make an exception. (can't hurt all they can say is no) Gather as much info as you can at that appt. and make another for asap to hand in papers etc. My cousin who came over last year as I did...US 1yr visa, then within 8 days of arriving started his PdiS visa (the 2yr visa which can take 4-5months to arrive), then immediately went to an Italian lawyer who worked for 6 months and got him his citizenship and passport. His heritage and papers must have been all in order like yours to get it done so quickly. This still my be your best bet....you do not want to be stuck here without a current visa of some kind and the regular tourist 3month may too short to get everything done. Keep also in mind: different areas of Italy work differently...just as the consulates in the US are not all the same. Is it possible to try a different consulate? Boston was a breeze (5yrs ago tho)

Travelgal
  1/27/2020 13:41 EST

Good Morning Sergios, HenryGiovanni, Shtinky & everyone helping me out here. IM TOTALLY CONFUSED, where do I start? HenryGiovanni stated I dont need to go to the post office first, I can go straight to the Questura for my PdS for my Italian citizenship and avoid any fees except the stamp I purchase at the tabbacchi. So I can do it that way? Also if i stay with a friend or family member I get the form at the comune( the hospitality) form and let them know who im living with and they never check? Thanks HenryGiovanni for that info. So which way is correct for the PdS, im so confused now?

So, Sergios If i want to avoid a fee at the post office, I can actually go to the Questura directly and apply for my PdS for Italian citizenship there and avoid the fee for my daughters and I for the PdS ? And to clarify I tell the questura im already an Italian citizen I just have to let them verify it with my documents, correct? So will the Questura have the PdS forms at the Questura or?

So Shtinky stated that I go straight to the Comune for a residence card THEN the Questura for PdS?

Im so confused...

Sergios, you mentioned I can have "Assistance for Immigrants"? Who are these people? Are they online? Do they have a contact phone#? * Note: I have heard of this "Assistance for Immigrants" before but with no info.....

Sergios, I have all the documents listed but I only have 1 original of each, will i need "ORIGINALS" each time or will copies be sufficient? Do you know or anyone else know? If i need all orginals im gonna have to request them and more Apostilles...Am I missing any documents?? Thank you in advance everyone, hopefully I can get somemore clarity on the steps to take...

Once again, I will be useing my Mothers Italian birth certicate, she was Naturalized 2 years after I was born in the USA ....Sergios said I am already an Italian Citizen I just have to prove it... Looking forward to responses, Thank you!

Travelgal
  1/27/2020 13:55 EST

Codybrandy, and all helping out, Yesss, codybrandy it took 3 yrs to get the appt. In Chicago Italian Cons. Yesss, I must use only the Chicago Italian Cons as its my Jurisdiction where I currently live in USA.. If i do decide to do my Italian citizenship here in the USA, does it take longer, how long, does anyone know? codybrandy, when you said if I go to this appt. I have in November to Chicago, I can talk to them but I would have to make another appt to hand papers/documents in. Do you or anyone have a time frame on how long the next appt will be? ( Hopefully not another 3 years)!? My daughters need to start University asap....Anyone know what documents I need if i process my Italian citizenship here in USA? Is there a website or does the website in Chicago Italian Cons list the documents and are printable? I did not see that option, maybe its somewhere on their website and i didnt see it? BOTTOM LINE HERE- Is it faster to process in USA or Italy our Italian citizenship?

Shtinky
  1/27/2020 14:28 EST

I will mention. FYI There IS a very helpful Facebook group called Dual u.s-Italian citizenship. A lot of very savvy folks on there who can help.

Sergios
  1/28/2020 03:21 EST

Give me some time to write an article in my blog that addresses these issues without the confusing and contradictory information that is being provided by well meaning people. I will let you and all others interested know in a response to this thread about the completion of the article in a few days.

rsetzer99
  1/28/2020 03:30 EST

Yes - The step to take is to go to this Facebook page ---- https://www.facebook.com/groups/dualusitaliancitizenship/ ----- They have very very detailed step by step guides. They have information on how to get a valuable appointment by checking for cancellations. They have a very active community of people who have gone through exactly what you are wanting to do and can tell you exactly what to do, when to do it and where to do it. They are not selling anything, they are one of the rare, tightly moderated FB groups that stick to the point.

HenryGiovanni
  1/28/2020 13:08 EST

Hi Travelgal,
First, I have nothing to say about citizenship; I speak only on the permesso, which did not cost me anything through the questura except (I think) a fingerprint and photo fee of small amount. I forget if that was the tax bolla I had to get at the tabacchi shop. I don't remember any other money passing hands for my permesso, but I came in as spouse of a citizen, which may, or may not, have had an effect on payments.

On the Ospitalita form:
If you have a friend who lets you claim residence at their house, then you can do that, but it requires filing with the Comune and police and trash company. The police will come by to check, and the owner will have to pay extra for trash pickup. The Questura made me get an Ospitalita because I didn't have residence any other way. But that form was merely a copy; the original went to the police for filing. There was no police check to see if I was staying there. I got the form at the Comune, so the travel plans for that form, at least here in Padova, were: Comune to police (original, to be stamped and signed and filed), to Questura (copy of original, including police stamp and signature).

I have nothing else to offer, and I remind you that it's possible that the EU 150 fee is for the citizenship app, not for the permesso. Best to clarify that with others who have experience I lack.

Sorry to hear about your 3-yr wait for the consulate. You should listen to Sergios. His advice saved me when the ill-advised consulate personnel in LA told me I needed a visa. I did not need a visa because I married my visa long ago. Sergios warned me the spouse of an Italian citizen does not need a visa, and so I argued his point, and won. Good luck!
Cheers, John.

MrsVannelli
  1/28/2020 13:36 EST

Travelgal - in addition to the documents you have, you’ll need your marriage certificate (and divorce if necessary).

The FB dual citizen group is very helpful, but they are very strict about you asking questions if it seems like you haven’t read the ‘units’ that have detailed information about the process. Also, you can use the search feature on the page to find many answers, as others have asked similar questions there.

If you have all your paperwork together, it will be MUCH faster to apply in Italy. Just go. You can find reasonable accommodations after you figure out where you want to settle (where your daughters will go to school).

Regarding the codice fiscale, I applied for one through the San Francisco consulate, as we’re buying property, and was told I needed proof before they would issue the CF. Not sure what the process is if you’re in Italy, but doing it here isn’t as easy in my experience.

Good luck with you journey - it will be worth it when you have your passports in hand!

Sergios
  1/29/2020 07:45 EST

Hello All:
I've written an article in my blog that covers the questions asked in this thread. If you go to:

https://www.travelswithringo.com/?p=2067

It should take you directly to that page. I also included several links for additional information.

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