Jure Sanguinis - how does it work?

[kevinkuta]

I see a lot of people asking about this and wondering how it works.
What is the process? Fill out the paperwork, collect the correct documents, send it all in, then poof you're Italian?

My wife's GGfather was born (1880) and married in Italy (1904) immigrated to the US, had a child (1915, wife's grandmother) never naturalized in the US. Would my wife qualify? Would our children?

There should really be a sticky at the top of this page explaining the entire thing.

Thanks

[mler]

It’s rather straightforward. Citizenship is passed from parent to child at birth (except if the child was born before 1948, he could obtain citizenship only through his father. Courts have ruled otherwise, but that would require the services of a lawyer).

To obtain citizenship recognition, the applicant must provide documents demonstrating that the citizenship line was not broken. This would happen if the parent naturalized before the birth of the child or naturalized before the 1912 law was enacted.

The required documents are listed in detail on the various consulate web pages.

Based on your brief summary, your wife and children would qualify if her gm had her child after 1948. If before 1948, she would have to go through the courts.

[kevinkuta]

thanks