Italian citizenship renounced as a child/ minor

[researching]

Has anyone tried to get citizenship after having renounced it. I know it's not supposed to be possible, but is it possible?

For instance, if a child immigrated to Canada with their parents and then had to renounce their citizenship to become Canadian, is there a way to reclaim citizenship?

What about this child's children? Her and both of her parents were born in Italy and she was forced to give up her citizenship. Is it possible for her children to get it somehow through juris sanguinis?

[mler]

Yes, and it’s really quite easy. Go to the consulate with your documentation and tell them you want to reacquire the citizenship you lost to naturalization. They will give you a form to complete, and then within a year you need to establish residency in Italy (you can stay at a relative’s house)

Notify the comune of your presence and intention, and once they confirm your residency with an official visit, your citizenship is restored.

This only applies to you; not your adult children. So if you have minor children, do it before they are 18, and they will get citizenship as well.

Any adult children can obtain citizenship through naturalization after three years of residence in Italy.

[researching]

Wow, thanks.

[mler]

And, of course, if your children obtain citizenship through your reacquisition, their children will be born Italian citizens. Also your spouse can obtain citizenship through marriage once you reacquire.

[researching]

I spoke to her and she says she knew about this, but is unable to go reside in Italy for a year. She will lose her health care if she does this, along with other things, plus she has obligations in Canada.

Do you know of another way?

[jennabet]

Indeed, some people like to make it sound so easy. Just drop everything, lose your healthcare, go to Italy. Of course, your relatives probably won't mind the imposition at all. Just inconvenience everybody. It's your "right", afterall. No there is no other way. When your parents became Canadian citizens and you were still a minor who had been born in Italy, everyone lost their Italian citizenship. Canadians are basically stuck with this. They left Italy up to two generations after Italian immigrants went to America so many of their children that easily qualify were born in the USA. In fact, I met a Canadian woman this summer on vacation in Sulmona who was asking the same questions but her situation was the same as yours.

[researching]

Actually, it's even more bizarre than that. The lady in question, who I call my cousin, is actually my father's first cousin. Her parents, my nonno and nonna, and all of their brothers and sisters all immigrated to Canada, but at different times within about a 10 year period. This story is true for some, but not for others.

My nonno and nonna, as well as my father and my uncle all kept their citizenship AND became Canadian citizens. My brothers' and I also have dual citizenship, and so do my children. I even live in Europe.

Some of my family lost their Italian citizenship, when others didn't. It's really sad for my cousin, because she was born there. She grew up speaking Italian. She even has an accent when she speaks English. We all grew up with Italian culture and traditions, but I find it so strange that some people are allowed citizenship, when other's aren't.

[mler]

Please let your cousin know that she doesn’t need to reside in Italy for a year. That was the initial requirement, but it now remains only for those who go to Italy and apply for reacquisition there.

If she goes through the consulate, she need only remain in Italy until her residency is confirmed. Several people have reported that the process takes about a month, and if she still has contacts in the comune, they may be willing to move quickly.

The consulate may be able to provide her with a general timeline. Actually, the consulate will not even suggest obtaining a visa, because they know the process takes less than the three months you are permitted as a tourist.

And, no, she will not lose her health insurance.

My husband was born and raised in Italy as well, and I have been trying to convince him to do this. It was rather funny when we presented our passports a few months ago. The agent looked at my husband and said “So you’re Italian, and she has the Italian passport!” I guess our birthplaces confused him.

[jennabet]

In my family 17 second-generation first cousins were all born in the USA. Some have the Italian passport like myself and some don't. While all of us were born to two Italian-American parents, some are restricted by 1948 and some have a grand-father who was naturalized at the wrong time. Luck of the draw, I guess and will remain like this until changes are made to the law.

[mler]

Italian citizenship law is quite generous, and people are permitted to trace their line back many generations. Unfortunately, some are left out because, although each change in the law became more generous, few changes were made retroactive.

Today, Italians who naturalize do not lose citizenship, but the 1992 law provided only a five-year window for those who naturalized before that date.

For those who missed that window, there was only the one-year residency option. The fairly new short-process consulate option is more evidence of Italy’s willingness to welcome back former citizens.

[mler]

This is from the London consulate website and is the most thorough explanation I’ve found.

2. by signing a declaration:
* directly at the Municipality of residence in Italy;
* or alternatively at the Italian Embassy/Consulate and taking up residence in Italy no later than one year from the date of the declaration.

Before going to Italy, applicants must inform the Municipality that they lost the right to Italian citizenship by bringing to this Consulate or sending by post the following documents:

• certificate of British naturalisation, translated into Italian;
• Italian “estratto per riassunto dell’atto di nascita” to be obtained at the Italian Municipality of birth registration;
• British passport;
• Italian passport.

RECEIPT OF PAYMENT OF 200 EURO FEE. THE FEE CANNOT BE PAID AT THE CONSULATE BUT MUST BE PAID BY BANK TRANSFER

The bank transfer receipt must list:
Beneficiary Account Name: “MINISTERO DELL’INTERNO D.L.C.I. – CITTADINANZA”; address: Via Cavour 6, 00184 ROMA
- Reason for payment: Citizenship Application name and surname of the applicant;
- International Bank Account Number (IBAN code): IT54D0760103200000000809020;
- Receiving Bank Name: POSTE ITALIANE S.P.A.
- Receiving Bank BIC/SWIFT code: BPPIITRRXXX.

Once you have obtained all the above mentioned documents, please contact the Citizenship office of the Italian Consulate General to book an appointment. Please email: cittadinanza.londra@esteri.it, specifying “Recovery of Italian citizenship” in the subject line.

It is not possible to book an appointment by phone.

In Italy applicants will have to apply for a “permesso di soggiorno” (residence permit) specifically for the purpose of recovery/ “Riacquisto” of Italian citizenship at the relevant Questura. Once the above mentioned “permesso” has been issued, applicants will be able to apply to be registered with the Municipality of choice.

[jennabet]

In my family 17 second-generation first cousins were all born in the USA. Some have the Italian passport like myself and some don't. While all of us were born to two Italian-American parents, some are restricted by 1948 and some have a grand-father who was naturalized at the wrong time. Luck of the draw, I guess and will remain like this until changes are made to the law.

Resubmitting this post as it was intended for the poster using the handle researching.