Are you interested in obtaining dual citizenship and aren’t sure where to start or how to find the records you need? Our team of professional genealogists can help!
Obtaining dual citizenship is becoming a more and more popular pursuit for a variety of reasons. Keep in mind that this privilege is not available to just anyone. Each country has its own laws and requirements about who is eligible and how to apply, so it is a good idea to research those stipulations before beginning the process. If you don’t know much about your ancestors and are still not even sure if you qualify, that will be the first goal – to look at your ancestral lines, extend them as needed, and determine if you qualify for dual citizenship based on the requirements of the country you are interested in.
If you live in the United States and are interested in obtaining dual citizenship with Italy or Ireland, we can help with most of the process. If your dual citizenship goal is from or to a different country, we can help with the genealogy part — learning names and dates/places of birth, marriage, and/or death for your ancestors — but you’ll likely need to work with an immigration attorney and/or your consulate to obtain the official records you need.
Dual Citizenship Application Process
As part of the dual citizenship application process, you’ll be required to obtain very specific types and pieces of documentation for yourself and each family member going back to the target ancestor. While each country has different requirements, (and if you are in the U.S., each consulate also has slightly different requirements), you’ll generally need to obtain birth, marriage, and death records for each direct-line ancestor going back to the one you are applying through. These will usually need to be “long-form” copies, meaning that they show the town of birth (not just the county) and normally list the parents. You’ll also generally need to obtain naturalization paperwork for your immigrant ancestor, as well as possibly passenger lists and census records. This can be a time-consuming and expensive process, but if dual citizenship can be attained, the rewards often make it more than worth it.
Benefits of Dual Citizenship
Depending on where you are from and from which country you obtain dual citizenship, having two nationalities can help you reconnect with your ancestors’ heritage, give you better access to low-cost higher education, provide you with easier business practices and access to tax shelters, give you access to the medical and/or retirement benefits of the other country, accommodate easier travel to other countries, and many more perks. For example, having Italian dual citizenship allows you to enter 172 other countries and territories without needing a visa, making travel simpler and less expensive.
Our Team of Professional Genealogists Can Help
Because many records can only be ordered by direct family members, and you are required to make your own consulate appointments and appearances, you definitely need to be ready to be involved in the process, but our team at Legacy Tree Genealogists can identify the names, dates, and places needed to order each record, and do much of the leg work for you, leaving you a lot more time to go on with your busy life!
