- 1). Determine if you qualify for citizenship via jure sanguinis. You may qualify if:
(i) your father was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth and you didn't renounce your Italian citizenship;
(ii) you mother was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, and you were born after January 1, 1948.
(iii) your father was born in the United States, and your paternal grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of your father's birth, and neither you nor your father renounced Italian citizenship.
(iv) your mother was born in the United States and your maternal grandfather was an Italian citizen when your mother was born, and you were born after January 1, 1948, and you never renounced your rights to Italian citizenship.
(v) your paternal or maternal grandmother was born in the United States and your paternal or maternal grandmother great-grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of his/her birth, and neither your grandmother/grandfather nor mother/father renounced their rights to Italian citizenship. - 2). Obtain a copy of the relevant Italian ancestor's birth certificate. You may need to write or go to the community of his/her birth to request a copy. The copy must be certified and "estratto integrale," which means, the "long form" of the birth record.
- 3). Locate the website of the Italian Consulate in your state. On its website, you will find the list of documents you need depending on what line of jure sanguinis you qualify under. Review and follow the instructions carefully. Among the documents you are likely to need are: marriage licenses, divorce decrees and U.S. naturalization papers.
- 4). Begin collecting the documents that you need. Make sure you have the correct number of copies needed and that all documents are properly certified, apostilled and/or translated, as required.
- 5). Contact your Consulate to arrange for an appointment to present your documents. This step should be performed as shortly after you begin collecting documents, as it may take awhile for you obtain an appointment.
- 6). Present your documents to the Consulate at your scheduled appointment. If all of your documents are in order, you could receive your citizenship anywhere from a few months to a year later, depending on whether your Consulate..
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