There are thousands of Italian-Americans in the United State that qualify for Italian dual citizenship. All you need to qualify is an parent, grandparent or great-grandparent that was born in Italy and never became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Once you’ve got that covered, it’s simply a matter of collecting documents, certifying them and making your application.
The path to dual citizenship isn’t easy for everyone and often requires a lot of family research. As such, some people wonder if Italian dual citizenship is worth all of the work. I’m here to tell you that it is! Italian dual citizenship is a fantastic way to preserve your family’s heritage and reap the benefits of dual citizenship to another country.
Here are the top five reasons to apply:
- STAY FOR A WHILE: Forget short visits and three-month travel visas because as an Italian citizen you can stay in the country as long as you want!
- THE E.U. IS YOUR OYSTER: Because Italy is a member of the European Union, citizens have the legal right to live and work nearly anywhere on the continent.
- REACH FOR A HIGHER EDUCATION: Listen up high school students (and parents!): college at certain Italian universities is free for citizens and tuition is lowered at many universities across the European Union.
- BEING HEALTHY IS FREE: If you decide to relocate to Italy at any point, you’ll be eligible as a citizen for the national healthcare system – giving you darn near free healthcare as long as you live in country.
- CULTURAL CLOUT IS YOURS: From art to architecture to literature to fashion, Italians have been wowing the world since antiquity. Become a citizen and bask in the brilliance of counting yourself a member of this divine culture.
Still not convinced? Remember, even if citizenship is right for you now, it doesn’t mean that it won’t be in the future. Who knows, maybe in 20 years when you retire you’ll want to move to a small Tuscan town and live the easy life there! Having dual citizenship would make that a cinch to accomplish.
Finally, even if Italian dual citizenship doesn’t seem right for you, that doesn’t mean that your children or grandchildren wouldn’t benefit from having it passed down to them. As such, if you qualify to apply, it’s worth strongly considering going through the application process. Down the road, your family will appreciate all of the hard work you’ve done.