Applying in Italy

It is possible to apply in Italy in person, which is usually faster than waiting for an appointment at a U.S. Consulate. However, there are residency requirements that must be established, and you must have a way to provide for yourself for at least 6 months.

More information can be found here: https://dualusitalian.com/applying-in-italy/

Applying for Citizenship in Italy vs. Italian Consulate in USA

This post courtesy of u/Roxy-Blue on Reddit

I wanted to share my experience in filing for an Italian citizenship in Italy and why I decided to file in Italy vs. Italian consulate in US.

It took me 3 years to obtain all the papers needed to apply. During this 3 years I was unsuccessful in obtaining an appointment with the Chicago Consulate (which was the only one I could apply to). I started the process Oct 2019 (right before the Pandemic) so I am sure the long duration of collection of paperwork is somewhat contributed to the pandemic shut downs.

My son was also turning 18 soon and I did not have the luxury of time. After trying for years and failing to obtain an appointment in Chicago I decided to try to file in Italy instead.

The first thing you have to do if you wish to apply in Italy is to establish residency in Italy. It’s this residency that allows you to file in Italy vs a U.S. consulate.

The hardest part about applying in Italy is securing a long term rental (short term rentals such as Airbnb do not count) to establish residency. I tried for months and no one was willing to rent to a non Italian citizen. I tired many different cities all over Italy, all with the same result. I also do not speak Italian so if you are able to speak Italian you might have a better chance. During my search I was told of a company that rented to none Italian citizens who were in the process of obtain citizenship via descendancy . Honestly it was pure luck! They are a hidden gem. They offer apartment rentals in many different price range, from a studio with share bathroom to a 2 bedroom apartment with private bathroom. All rentals include WIFI and come fully furnished including a full kitchen. (Most long term rentals come partially furnished and without a kitchen equipment, because in Italy you purchase kitchen counters/sink/stove/fridge for long term rentals. Another reason finding this company was so helpful). This companies rental is only good for the duration of the time it takes to complete the citizenship process. Once you are a citizen the rental is automatically terminated and you have to find a new place to live. In addition to housing they also help with other items needed to establish residency, such as health insurance, tax code, police verification of your existence in your apartment and best of all direct communication with the Italian clerk who handles your citizenship case. They don't just communicate with the clerk they Advocate your case. I had a slight name discrepancy in my paperwork that the clerk objected to and they advocated my case and the clerk agreed to accept the paperwork and overlook the small discrepancy. I would have never been able to go through the complicated Italian residency process and advocate for myself without their help.

They are amazing but do not advertise online, which I am sure you know is VERY ITALIAN !!! I mean most of Italy still uses Fax.

What they do not offer: They do NOT help with collecting of you USA paperwork ( they do help with Italy papers) and they also do not help you correct any discrepancies in your paperwork. They might suggest how you can correct discrepancies but you have to do that on your own. Their service is ideal for someone who already has all their paperwork. Even if you have discrepancies you should not start correcting them, you should have these guys present your papers to the clerk and see what the clerk actually wants to see correct. This will save you Lots of time.

The downside in using their service: You have to live in the area they are located. They are in Northern Italy in a middle of vineyard. Its a small town, with Fantastic food and wine, but very quite. You will need to rent a car as there is no public transportation. (so that too will have to be calculated in the budget). I personally LOVED their location, but if you have your heart set on a big city like Rome this is not that.

Cost: the cost depends on the accommodation you select. They offer competitive rates for the service they offer.

Duration of time to obtain citizenship: It took almost 3 years to complete my paperwork. When I hired this company it took 4 months to get my citizenship. But every case is different and it may take up to 6 months to become a citizen. To clarify I did not stay in Italy the entire 4 months, once I had established residency I presented my paperwork and left as I travel a lot for business. You do have to keep a long term rental until the completion of your paperwork but don’t have to be present the entire time.

Here is their website if you think filing in Italy is right for you:

https://www.passaportoitaliano.it/en/

https://www.facebook.com/passaporto.italiano.consulting

They are on facebook but its all in Italian so that really was not helpful for me, but here is link anyways. But you can see pictures of the apartments they offer on facebook and it is a true liking to what you get.

Good luck

List of Providers

https://www.passaportoitaliano.it/en/