The wait time for an appointment at Italian Consulates in the US, after their Prenot@mi system has been fully restored, averages at two years. However, DC has a wait time of around 6 months and San Francisco is 3 years+. Is this acceptable? That is a subjective assessment.
When considering applying for Italian citizenship through ancestry, one should be mindful of the 3 potential courses of action that can be taken.
Searching for an appointment with the Italian Consulate is the most economical approach if you're the only one applying or if several relatives are applying at the same Consulate. If you already have an appointment, then you just have to wait for your turn.
It is possible to bypass lengthy wait times or an impossibility to find an appointment if you turn to the Italian Courts. This is known as Denial of Justice and does not require one to be a resident in Italy; although, it does come with an additional expense. Please be aware that people whose ancestry is traced to a "female" ancestor may be obligated to apply through the Italian Courts to oppose the 1948 Rule.
Establishing permanent residency in Italy can be done by submitting an application at the local town hall. However, this process may be expensive.
The Pros and Cons
Let's look at the positive and negative aspects of every alternative:
There are several positive aspects to applying at the Italian Consulate. It does not necessitate that you leave your homeland. Furthermore, it is possible for multiple family members who reside under the same Consular dominion to apply together; only adult applicants are required to set up individual appointments. The fee for each adult applicant is Euro 300, payable directly to the Consulate.
NOTE:This does not include the expenses associated with compiling the dossier that applicants will bring to the Italian Consulate. This includes obtaining documents (formatted in a certain way, certified by the relevant clerk or registrar), rectifying discrepancies, affixing the apostilles, and translating US records into Italian.
If multiple family members live under different Consular jurisdictions, each will have to put together a singular set of original documents. Additionally, it could take a while to secure an appointment.
Filing a court action in Italy to challenge the undue delay in obtaining an appointment at the Italian Consulate is an available option, though it does not necessitate taking up residency in the country. To be successful, the applicant must demonstrate their ineligibility to book an appointment at the Consulate in their State. Multiple family members can join the application if they are able to provide proof, and minors are free of charge. The timeframe for completion is much shorter than other methods (12-18 months), but is more expensive due to the fees for a legal representative, court fees, and government fees. Additionally, the court may require additional documents with apostilles and translations to Italian, certified by a court in Italy.
If you are looking to become a permanent resident in Italy, then applying at the Town Hall may be an option. Certain agencies may claim that processing times are shorter than six months, which could be false and might be risky. Once an applicant is registered with the Anagrafe office of the Comune, then he or she will be considered a tax-paying Italian resident. This path can be more costly because of the cost of living and housing in Italy. Furthermore, the Town Hall may require additional documents with apostilles, and all translations must be certified by a court in the country.