CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE

MARRIAGES THAT OCCURRED PRIOR TO APRIL 27TH, 1983

Applicants must still schedule an appointment. 

FEE refer to references on the right hand side of the screen:

(Law n. 66 April 24th, 2014 and modifications Law n. 89 June 23rd, 2014 art. 5-bis, comma1).
Effective July 8th, 2014, applications for the recognition of the Italian citizenship are subject to the PAYMENT OF A FEE OF 300,00 EURO equivalent to USD in accordance to the exchange rate posted in this web site"Tariffe" (on the right hand side of the screen.)

The fee is subject to change depending on the exchange rate.

We DO NOT accept the bank daily exchange rates.

Only US Dollars are accepted and the payment must be paid through MONEY ORDER to the “Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles” the same day of the appointment.
The application fee is non refundable, regardless of the outcome of the petition.

CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE

The foreign spouse of an Italian citizen may apply for Italian citizenship after 2 years of marriage if they reside in Italy and after 3 years of marriage if they reside abroad. Such terms are halved in case of offspring from the marriage. After the application is submitted, the Ministry of Interior may take a few years to issue a decree either granting citizenship or denying it.

If legal separation, divorce or death of the Italian spouse take place before the issuing of the Decree (by the Italian Ministry of Interior) conferring the Italian citizenship, applicants lose their right to acquire such citizenship.

Two basic requirements must be met prior to submitting the application:

I The marriage must have been already registered at the Comune in Italy

II The Italian spouse must be registered at the Consulate as an Italian Citizen Residing Abroad (A.I.R.E.).

APPLICANTS INTERESTED IN ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP THROUGH MARRIAGE WILL NOW HAVE TO SUBMIT DIRECTLY THEIR APPLICATION ONLINE.

Although the requirements (documentation) necessary will remain the same.

Follow the steps listed below:

FIRST STEP

BEFORE SUBMIT THE APPLICATION ON LINE and uploaded the documents with the new system the applicants must schedule an appointment, sending an e-mail to the citizenship office (cittadinanza1.losangeles@esteri.it), to submit the documentation and pay the fee legalizations. You must come with your husband/wife.

The office will provide you with the service of  checking that all of the documentation you plan to submit is correct (birth certificate, criminal background check documents, the payment of the 200 Euro that is required, green card, and marriage certificate issued by the Comune that you registered your marriage in Italy) and legalize said documents.
The cost of the legalization of the documents is indicated in the Consular Fees on the list of references on the right hand side of this page, please refer to the price of Art. 72A, this price is for each page of translation that must to be legalized. 

SECOND STEP

1. The applicant will have to register at: https://cittadinanza.dlci.interno.it 

2. After the login, the applicant will find a “CITIZENSHIP” section containing the following subtitles:

· gestione della domanda

· visualizza stato della domanda

· primo accesso alla domanda

· comunicazioni

“visualizza stato della domanda” and “primo accesso alla domanda” allow the applicant to check the status of his/her request).

“gestione della domanda”: the applicant will have the possibility to submit his/her application by completing the form: MODELLO AE.

3. The applicant must complete the form in its entirety and upload the requested documentation listed on this Consulate’s website: (link)

a. Birth certificate

b. Marriage certificate issued by the Municipality in Italy

c. Background checks

d. Receipt of payment of the 200 Euro fee

e. Valid identification (passport)

The applicant may save, modify, cancel or submit the completed application.

THIRD STEP

After reviewing the submitted application the Consulate may:

· accept the request

· request additional documentation or request that documents be amended

· reject the application

The date of submission of the document will be considered the “date of presentation of the application”.

Therefore, the 730 days of processing will be calculated beginning from this date.

FOURTH STEP

Once the application is accepted, the applicant will received a communication for an appointment to submit to this Consulate all of the original documentation and to make the necessary payments (Art. 24 on the Consul Fee chart on the right hand side of this page)

The day of the appointment you must submit ORIGINAL and ONE PHOTOCOPY of each document.

 

DOCUMENT REQUESTED:

1) VALID PASSPORT and DRIVER’S LICENSE (photocopy);

2) ESTRATTO PER RIASSUNTO DEL MATRIMONIO” issued by the Comune in Italy (original);

3) PROOF OF RESIDENCY: utility bill (photocopy);

4) ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE ( Apostille and translation in Italian, original and 1 photocopy);

4.1) Applicants born in USA: long form legalized with apostille

4.2) Applicants born in a country other than the USA: must comply with the local regulations on the legalization of documents, the certificate must be translated into Italian and the translation must be certified by the Italian Consulate/Embassy in the Country where the document was issued. For further information, visit Italian consular network.

5) RECEIPT of PAYMENT of € 200,00 fee (photocopy) : (beneficiary: CONTO CORRENTE POSTALE “MINISTERO DELL’INTERNO D.L.C.I. - CITTADINANZA" Piazzale del Viminale, 00184 – ROMA –ITALIA)
IBAN CODE : IT54D0760103200000000809020
SWIFT CODE: BPPIITRRXXX
Eurogiro: PIBPITRA
REFERENCE: NAME & LAST NAME of applicant “ISTANZA DI CITTADINANZA PER MATRIMONIO”

6) CERTICATE OF FBI (validity 6 months) with Apostille and translation in Italian (original and 1 photocopy);

7) CERTIFICATES OF GOOD CONDUCT / CRIMINAL RECORDS, (validity 6 months) with Apostille and translation in Italian (original and 1 photocopy);

7.1) American authorities;

7.2) Nation of ORIGIN (if it is not USA)

7.3) Every previous residency starting from the age of 14, with (the certificates issued by other countries must be translated into Italian and the translation must be certified by the Italian Consulate/Embassy in the Country where the document was issued. For further information, visit Italian consular network).

Women should request the certificate to be issued with both maiden and married name.


In case of incomplete documentation, the Consulate, according to availability, will grant the possibility of a follow up appointment, in order to integrate the application.

If Applicants fail to comply, the application will not be accepted.

The application will be evaluated by the Italian Ministry of Interior and will take 730 days (2 years) for the process, from the day in which complete documentation has been submitted.