Female Ancestry & Italian Citizenship By Descent- Do You Have A Chance

January 12, 2022

Italy offers diverse citizenship routes for immigration aspirants. You can explore the options of descent, marriage, and naturalization. Among these alternatives, the descent route is ideal for people with ancestral connections in the country. But things are not as simple as they sound because the gender of your ancestor determines your chances. You may have to try a different route with female ancestry if you do not qualify for Jure Sanguinis. If you want to know about the alternative, here you can read everything about the 1948 Italian citizenship in detail. You still have a fair chance, provided you know about the process and follow it diligently. Here are the facts to take care of. 

Image by Kevin Ramirez from Pixabay 

Know the descent route exception 

You can qualify for Italian citizenship by descent if either or both of your parents are Italian citizens. But things may get complicated if you were born to an Italian mother before 1948. Women couldn't bequeath citizenship to their offspring before 1948, so one of the siblings from the same mother may not be eligible for the descent route. Likewise, you fall into an exception if claiming through a female ancestor who gave birth before 1948. The exception disqualifies you from the conventional citizenship by descent route, so you cannot take the consulate route.

Understand the 1948 process

Being an exception to the Jure Sanguinis route does not mean you do not have a chance. You can apply through the 1948 Rule as the Italian government implemented it to address the gender disparity. The process requires you to claim through a court application, where you have to submit ancestral documents. These are similar to the ones you provide in the conventional citizenship process, so there isn't much difference. Also, you need not worry much about the judicial route because it is relatively simple. You may even close it faster than a Jure Sanguinis application because the queues are not as long as the ones at the consulate. 

Seek the services of an expert attorney

Since the 1948 Rule entails a judicial process, you will need an attorney to represent your case. The best option is to have a 1948 specialist attorney as they have a good understanding and experience of these cases. They can guide you about the eligibility, paperwork, and process. They can even represent you at the hearing if you cannot travel to Italy for the process. You can appoint them as your legal representative by issuing power of attorney. 

Applying for Italian citizenship through female ancestry is possible, and you have good chances of making it through. Success boils down to knowing your eligibility and applying through the apt route. The best way to do it is by having an expert showing the way. They can help you pick the relevant option and have your documents in place. Do not give up on the chance just because you have a maternal bloodline. Follow it through with the right process, and you will be in sooner rather than later.




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