OliveCameToo

Briefly, I had an appointment at the Consulate in London to apply for dual citizenship. Because Mum, unbeknown to her, lost her Italian citizenship through marrying an English man, I was sent away (case apparently left open - 30 June 2016) and told to get proof that she had re aquired her Italian citizenship etc.

I now have a Certificato Contestuale di Cittadinanza, stato libero, residenza which I need as proof.

My quandry, as I am now in Italy, do I send the document back to the Consulate in London or do I apply here? Which do you think will take less time? I have paid already over in the UK but have to wonder which will be quicker?

modicasa

Here you can apply online, pay your 200 euros and sit back - it'll take at least 2 years.

Donna Noble

Towards the end of the process you will be "invited" to your local questura to go and have your photo and finger prints taken. The later is a digital process and serves to check that someone who has been refused citizenship in province X can't then go and apply in province Y under a different name. So they say. So, even though you can apply online you will need to go to the office in London at some stage if you do the application that end, which might not even be an issue for you but just flagging it up for others.

OliveCameToo

I have already been to the Consulate in London, paid my fee of 300 euros, and my case has been left open.

If I send the document and they deem it proof of Mum's Italian citizenship, will they send the passport or would I have to go back to the UK to collect it. I was told (they didnt know when we were moving to Italy) that I wouldn't need an appointment if I sent proof and it was passed.

Really, why should I have to pay again and then wait another 2 years!

Donna Noble

This maybe a dumb question but can't you write to them or phone them to ask for advice on what to do?

modicasa

I think you have answered the question yourself then - stick with the consulate.

OliveCameToo

No not dumb I will try emailing them!

OliveCameToo

Yes, probably, just didnt want to have to go back to the UK just to pick a passport up!

BritInParis

Unless it's been explicitly stated otherwise what you are applying for is recognition of your Italian citizenship, not a passport. An application for an Italian passport would need to be made separately.

OliveCameToo

Blimey, I thought for that money I would have at least got a passport thrown in! Not sure what the money goes towards as I had to find the documents, get them translated and apostilled and travel up to London!

37100

Nope, as usual, BritinParis is right. Passport is another €116, plus photos and fingerprints.

OliveCameToo

Err speechless, which makes a change for me!

GeorgeYoung

Though as an Italian citizen you only need a passport to travel outside the EU - within the EU, you are use your national ID card which only costs a few euros.

OliveCameToo

How/where would you get an ID card from?

GeorgeYoung

I got mine from the Comune, after proving my residence in that comune. I'm not sure how it works for Italian citizens seeing as you can be a citizen but live overseas.

If you have Italian residenza, go to the Comune as your first port of call. I think it costs something like €5.45 and 3 passport photos (least it did for me last year). As a UK citizen, mine's only valid for ID purposes within Italy and thus it's not valid for travel. I don't know what the ID cards are like for Italian citizens but mine is an impressively low-fi documents which must be incredibly easy for anyone to forge if they put their mind to it.