Citizenship application: time +
 

I was wondering who else on here has an application for citizenship lodged?
I understand the the pandemic as thrown a spanner in the works re. processing times.
My application, as a long-term resident, not through relatives or such, was put in in November 2017. So it'll be four years in a few months.
A friend who married an Italian got her citizenship in four years, pre-covid.
In addition, my earnings have been see-sawing a bit and I wonder if the weight of the income consideration could tip things into rejection of an application (irrespective of covid).
Did anyone here get their citizenship approved (based on residency submission), pre-covid, and if so, how long did it take in your case?

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

More than 3 years and counting! in fact I've given up and changed my plans, now returning to UK, cost me €2,600 for documentation and charges for 2 people and around 5/6 months of intense effort.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

OK. I hope the wait for citizenship didn't make yo give up, and it was something other...

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Nearly 3 years all in. But that was before Salvini changed the law.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

I applied in 2017 and it came through in 2020. I started by seeing a lawyer. I think that helped. They said at the interview I had a 50/50 chance.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Why 50/50? Surely you either meet the requirements or you don't?

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

With such a complicated form there are always going to be grey areas.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Surely after living in Italy for so many years, you should know that any bureaucrat (funzionario pubblico) can put a spanner in the works, should they wish to. And good luck with making an official complaint!

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

You mean interview with the lawyer ? Or with the authorities?:confused: Whoever, didn't they say why it was a 50/50 chance?
Was there an Italian exam?

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

There was no language exam then. I think the problem with my application was my income was close to the minimum required and I was unemployed. Probably they were happy that I would receive a pension fairly soon. A lawyer that deals with citizenship might be able to assist in making your initial application.
The process is bit more complicated than filling in a form, having it checked then getting it after 5 years of waiting or whatever as Lorna is suggesting. I suspect luck comes into it.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

I wasn't suggesting it was easy, it's so bloody complicated and expensive that I haven't even bothered starting the process. I just meant meeting requirements such as the time frame for applying through residency or through marriage.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

I didn't find it expensive though I didn't engage a professional : I can't remember what I spent doing it on my own ) with some help from Italian friend. Certainly nowhere near the figure Chris mentions, above. Collecting the paperwork was a drag but I got there.
I periodically check my application's status on the Gov't site: it hasn't changed in 3+ years!

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

I would go to the Prefettura and ask them what the situation is. I dont trust the online system. My cost was similar to Chris.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

My cost was 200 euros plus 2 marche di bollo. I called the prefecture a couple of times about my application once it went over 2 years, they said they knew nothing, it was all done in Rome. Then I got an email saying it was all done and dusted.
They did say one peculiar thing. You give in your ACROs and penal certfificates etc, so they know about where YOU SAY youve lived. Then a little man in office in Rome calls all the countries in the world to see if you have a criminal record but have kept quiet. That is what takes the time. I have a very clear picture of a bloke in Rome who opens the file of Joe Bloggs, calls every country the in world, finds out nothing. closes the file and takes the next one of June Bloggs, calls every country in the world, etc etc etc..

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Now you mention that figure it was just what I paid too.
And one can only imagine the problems of pronunciation of names and places encountered in calling other countries.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

A bit optomistic these numbers.. Here's my guess of the current cost without lawyer.
Half day B1 language test €80
Travel to test centre €20
Acro €70
UK Apostile €130
Birth cert €13
Translation €100
Legalization Tribunale €32
Application cost €250
Bollo x2 €32
Postal costs €50

Total €777.
Things might go wrong too like failing the B1 or a document going out of date. Extra crime certificates from other countries.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

It's an expensive business!, you have my sympathy,! Italian bureaucracy is always difficult but to pay such a lot of money for the privilege is doubly annoying! It's also expensive to obtain British citizenship the application fee is £1,300 before the costs of documentation, language test etc.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

When they increased the price to Euro250 it is surprising they didnt go for a bigger increase.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Plus the cost of the new attestazione anagrafica and the new plastic brexit card. So many people's applications have recently been rejected due to not having the plastic card from the questura .... which isn't obligatory but many prefettura are being a pain in the backside about it. Those applying through marriage will have to add marriage certificate to that list too.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Costs also depend on how complicated your life has been so far, try getting a police record document from saudi arabia or a new birth certificate from south america somewhere!

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Well Im obviously hopelessly out of date, it was much cheaper before Salvini came along!

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

I should have done it decades ago when it was cheap and easy and there was no queue ................... but I thought that I was safe once the dreaded permesso di soggiorno got eliminated in 2007 and I didn't have to renew that at the hated Questura.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Couldn't you get Irish citizenship? At least then you are an EU citizen.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Yes I can. I've got my dad's full birth certificate and everything. I was going to do it last year but the embassy website was closed to all online applications.
What I'm not sure about is this: if I re-register at the comune as being Irish and not British, do I start from scratch and lose my 30 years? To be honest I haven't made any enquiries about that.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

You shouldn't lose anything because they don't de-register you. They just update their details in the same way as they do when you get a new ID card. Get you Irish citizenship + passport for future convenience when travelling, but as you will have you WA card, unless you run into difficulties, leave your residence be. (Unless you want to vote in local/EU elections )

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

No, it’s just updating details on file; it costs around 16€.

Re: Citizenship application: time +
 

Thanks friends. That's good to know. I'll get myself an Irish passport. Sister has already got hers applying from the UK, the very same sister that voted for bloody Brexit. She wasn't amused when I called her a hypocrite.