Guide To Dual Citizenship In Italy

Dual citizenship in Italy

The status of "dual citizenship" is advised for those who, whilst they have transferred their interests abroad, do not intend to cut off the umbilical cord with their Mother Land, even in view of a potential return.

Dual citizenship is a possibility that those who wish to move abroad ought to take into consideration. In Italy, they have decided to encourage the integration of foreigners, and, in turn to agree to the integration of Italians abroad, without necessarily renouncing their judicial obligations in the country of origin.

Italian citizenship has been regulated by law 91 of the 5th of February 1992, which allows Italian citizens to gain the citizenship of their foreign country of residence without losing their Italian one and agrees to foreign citizens keeping their own nationality whilst acquiring their Italian one, in cases in which it is encouraged in their countries as well.

It has also been underlined how, those who gain citizenship of a European Union member state automatically become citizens of the EU.

The Strasbourg Convention

In Europe, in 1963, the Strasbourg Convention was ratified. It opposed plural citizenships and determined military service obligations for citizens with more than one nationality. Italy had signed it in 1966, to then officially repudiate it in 2009, while remaining a signatory, thereby recognising the need for guaranteeing obligations on military service in countries that mandate it. The same convention was modified on two occasions, in 1977 and 1993, when the right to hold dual citizenship was established. Beyond just Italy, all of Germany, Sweden, France, Luxembourg and Belgium officially rejected the convention. From 1963 until today, it has passed from a refusal of multiple citizenships to a general acceptance in the name of coherence given that times change.

Yet different states, not just those outside of Europe, are continuing to veto the possibility of holding citizenship from a country of origin while citizenship has been requested in the country in which the citizen resides.

It is one or the other.

The States that allow double citizenship

In the list of states in which, as of today, it is not possible to have reciprocity with Italy regarding citizenship, there are relatively unexpected names, such as Spain, Ireland, Iceland and Norway. You may also be shocked to meet cases such as Belorussia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The others...