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Italian Citizenship Lawyer

Italian Citizenship Lawyer

Moving to Italy has its advantages which is why foreign citizens decide on this country for relocation purposes, as it has created several strategies meant to help immigrants integrate into the local society. Most foreigners who decide to immigrate to Italy choose to establish themselves here, case in which they are also entitled to apply for citizenship, if they wish to become Italian citizens. However, the option to live in Italy as permanent residents is also possible, but being a citizen has more advantages.

No matter if you already live or plan to immigrate to this country, a citizenship lawyer in Italy is necessary for guidance in complying with all the steps of relocating here legally. Below, our immigration lawyers in Italy explain how we can help you make the transition to this new country easier. You can rely on us if you want to apply for Italian citizenship.

Services provided by our Italian citizenship lawyer in 2024

Considering that citizenship cannot be acquired right after a foreign citizen enters the country (the exception is available only for those who have Italian ancestors and can obtain citizenship by descent), our immigration lawyerin Italy can help with the following legal services, which are presented in the list below :

  • assistance in applying for visas that enable foreigners to obtain citizenship as soon as possible;
  • assistance in applying for permanent residence permits with the Italian authorities;
  • guidance on obtaining Italian citizenship under the national legislation;
  • legal help in preparing the documents related to obtaining Italian citizenship;
  • assistance in obtaining citizenship in Italy through the Golden Visa Scheme.

Our citizenship lawyer in Italy has a vast experience in dealing with various immigration matters and can help those who need assistance in preparing the documents necessary for obtaining it. You can also count on us for guidance in applying for a residence permit in Italy.

The main ways to obtain citizenship in Italy

There are several ways through which a foreigner can obtain an Italian passport. These are through descent, under which a foreign citizen is entitled to Italian citizenship without having to live here, or through adoption, which is an option for those who have been adopted by Italian citizens.

The citizenship in Italy can also be obtained through permanent residence and marriage, which have similar conditions related to living in Italy for specific timeframes, or through investment, which implies making a contribution to the Italian economy and thus targets specific immigrant categories.

Before making a decision on what option you want to rely on, we recommend you seek advice from our Italian citizenship lawyer who can present you with all the conditions associated with each possibility and who can verify your eligibility criteria. The conditions associated with Italian citizenship requirements can be explained by our lawyers. If you need a digital nomad visa in Italy, contact us for legal assistance. 

Permanent residence as a means to citizenship in Italy in 2024

In order to obtain Italian citizenship, a foreign applicant must first become a permanent resident of this country. For this to happen, a minimum period of living here and a good knowledge of the legislation and Italian language and culture is mandatory.

According to our citizenship lawyer in Italy, this is the safest way for foreign citizens who want to move here permanently, as this will enable applicants to integrate with the society, meet the language requirements, but most importantly, from a paperwork point of view, the list is significantly shorter compared to other options.

Our immigration law firm Italy is at your disposal with various other services, among which advice on how to register with the local authorities after moving here as a temporary or permanent resident. The requirements for obtaining a residence permit in Italy will be detailed by our specialists.

Foreigners arrive in Italy from all over the world, and the procedures they should abide by differ based on their nationality. For example, those who want to relocate here in 2024, must know that the largest foreign community in Italy is comprised of Romanian nationals (more than 1 million). In their case, as EU citizens, immigration formalities are very simple. The next largest communities are from Morocco, Albania and China, and these individuals have to comply with visa formalities and more complex immigration rules.

How to obtain citizenship by investment in Italy

Like other countries around the world, Italy has a Golden Visa program dedicated to non-EU citizens who want to apply for indirect citizenship in Italy, which means that the foreigner will not be issued with Italian citizenship automatically. Instead, the person will become a permanent resident as a holder of the visa, and then he/she can initiate the citizenship application process through naturalization. The following investment requirements must be met when seeking to immigrate to Italy based on a golden visa and you can receive legal representation on the process from our team of immigration lawyers in Italy.

When the investment program was launched, the lowest amount that could be invested was EUR 500,000, when we refer to a startup business. Investments of at least EUR 1,000,000 were also available in existing companies or programs created specifically for this program; one should know that the purchase of financial instruments (shares, bonds) worth EUR 2,000,000 also represents an investment option. Our Italian citizenship lawyer can offer more information on the requirements associated with this program.

Below, you can observe more details with regards to legal pathways that can lead to Italian citizenship through investments. If you need extensive information on each of the investment options or legal advice and representation, our Italian citizenship lawyer remains at your disposal: 

  • the investment program was introduced in 2017 and it is addressed to non-EU nationals across the world;
  • in 2017, investors could also invest EUR 1,000,000 in the local economy through philanthropic donations;
  • as a businessman, one may be eligible for the issuance of permanent residency in Italy if one can provide evidence on having an annual income of at least EUR 100,000;
  • the processing of the visa applications is generally completed in a period of 3-4 months;
  • however, in 2018, the legislation was modified, reducing the amount necessary for various investments to 50% – this was applied for investments in startup companies, which, from EUR 500,000, were reduced to EUR 250,000, as well as investments in Italian resident companies – from EUR 1,000,000, the investment threshold was reduced to EUR 500,000. 

Investors must be aware that the thresholds for other investment opportunities remained the same and that the amounts are still necessary for those who want to relocate to Italy. Thus, those who want to immigrate to Italy will have to invest in the local economy the capital established under the 2017 law. 

Obtaining citizenship by marriage in Italy 

Foreigners can also become Italian citizens if they marry with an Italian national. There are certain advantages provided by this procedure, one of them being the fact that the foreigner will be able to receive the citizenship in a much shorter period of time, compared to the standard procedure, which is of 10 years. 

Obtaining Italian citizenship by marriage is a legal procedure that is regulated under the Italian Citizenship Law, Articles 5,6,7 and 8. The right to apply for citizenship is granted to a foreigner after 2 years of being married to an Italian citizen, and, in the case in which the couple has children or have adopted children, the said time is reduced to 1 year. 

This can apply in the case in which the wedding or the marriage took place in Italy, in any of the cities where the parties reside. However, in the case in which the foreign national married with the Italian citizen in a foreign country, the marriage will still be recognized under the Italian laws and the foreigner will still be granted with the right of obtaining the Italian citizenship

Still, in the latter case, the right to apply for the Italian citizenship will be open after three years of marriage, calculated since the day in which the marriage took place. For those who have children with an age below 18 years old, or who have adopted children, and who got married outside Italy, the right to apply for citizenship will be reduced to half, which means that the foreigner will be entitled to start the citizenship formalities in 1.5 years. 

You can request more details from our Italian citizenship lawyer, who can also represent same-sex couples. One should know that marriages between same-sex couples are recognized in Italy; this became applicable in Italy starting with 2016 and such weddings are formally recognized under the local law as civil unions. 

Our Italian citizenship lawyer can present the rights granted to same-sex couples; when immigrating to Italy, those who are in a civil union as same-sex couples will also be entitled to Italian citizenship, if one of the party is an Italian national

Assistance in preparing the documents for Italian immigration in 2024

One of the most important steps that need to be carefully executed when immigrating to Italy is the preparation of the documents associated with the procedure of obtaining citizenshipOur citizenship lawyer in Italy will review the applicant’s status and the type of residence permit help before starting to prepare the paperwork that needs to be submitted with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Please mind that if you are interested in immigration in Italy and have to start the immigration process, the documents that you will provide will all have to be translated into Italian, as per the regulations applicable here. In the case of citizens of the United States of America (USA), the documents must also contain the apostille. Translated documents must be certified and legalized; you can request more information on other conditions that have to be met by your paperwork from our Italian citizenship lawyer.  

We remind foreign citizens that in order to obtain Italian citizenship EU citizens must legally live here for 4 years, while the mandatory living requirement is 10 years in the case of non-EU citizens. For assistance in permanent establishment, please contact our Italian citizenship lawyer.

If you want to obtain citizenship in Italy by descent, please mind that you will need to present document which show that you have a blood tie with a person who, at the moment of your birth, was an Italian citizen.

If you are not in the possession of the respective documents, our immigration lawyers can provide assistance, by addressing to various Italian institutions.

You can also contact us if you want to move to Italy. Most of the foreigners arrive here for work related activities and we can represent you as an expat living here.

The expat community in Italy is rather large and we have helped many foreigners with information on the immigration procedures that are imposed under the Italian law. Our team can assist foreigners who want to relocate here for the purpose of starting a business.

Therefore, you can call our lawyers in the case in which you want to apply for a visa designed for business purposes.

There are several visas and one that is very popular is the Golden Visa in Italy, as this immigration document opens a simple way to obtaining permanent residency for the investors and their close family members, such as spouses, parents or children.

Persons who will apply for citizenship in 2024 must meet certain income requirements as well. The law stipulates that applicants must make the proof of earning at least EUR 8,264 per year – the requirement is applicable for a persons who makes the application individually, in his or her own name.

When the applicant applies for citizenship in 2024 in Italy and he or she is married, the income requirement increases at EUR 11,362.

Provided that the applicant has a dependent (which can refer to a minor child or any other person that can qualify as a dependent as per the legal definition of the term), an additional income of EUR 516 is required. Our lawyers can provide more details if you want to start the application process in 2024.