Dual Citizenship- describe

[cettorre]

Hello! how does dual citizenship work? I am reading the topics in this forum and it looks as if people can apply for Italian citizenship if they have Italian ancestors? I was under the impression that dual citizenship was only for those born and living in different countries. I am confused, Can someone enlighten me?

[kencwalker]

cettorre,
Your confusion may come from the different ways countries recognize citizenship.
There are two categories: Jus Sanguinis (right of blood, FROM your parents) and Jus Soli (right of soil, born IN that country). Some countries recognize both (like the USA), and some only one or the other.

If you are born to Italian parents in the USA, you have citizenship for both Italy (by Jus Sanguinis) and the USA (by Jus Solis). In the same way, you could have dual citizenship if you are born to parents with US citizenship in a country that recognizes Jus Solis citizenship. You can also have dual citzenship if your parents are citizens of different countries that recognize Jus Sanguinis from a single parent (Italy and the USA for example).

There are nice write-ups of each on Wiki here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jus_sanguinis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jus_soli

regards,
-Ken