Italian Dual Citizenship as a Canadian FAQs

Do you want to know everything and anything you need to get your Italian dual citizenship as a Canadian?
In this post we'll cover all the Frequently Asked Questions regarding citizenship by descent, by marriage, citizenship for same-sex partners, for descendants of women, cost of citizenship and more, for Canadian citizens! 

1. GENERAL INQUIRIES
2. FEES
3. ELIGIBILITY
4. APPOINTMENTS
5. PROCESSING TIMES & STATUS OF APPLICATION
6. NATURALIZATION
7. VITAL RECORDS
8. ERRORS OR DISCREPANCIES ON DOCUMENTS
9. TRANSLATIONS
10. CITIZENSHIP FOR CHILDREN
11. CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
12. PASSPORT VS. CITIZENSHIP
13. MILITARY
14. NEW CITIZENS - NEXT STEPS, RIGHTS, AND RESPONSIBILITES

1. GENERAL INQUIRIES

Where do I apply for citizenship?

You must apply for citizenship through the Italian Authority in whose jurisdiction you legally reside for the majority of the calendar year. If you live half the year in one jurisdiction, and the other half of the year in another, you must declare ONE of your residences are your permanent residence and submit proof of that residence at your appointment.
Descendants of Italian citizens born in Canada or other foreign country and residing in this consular jurisdiction (Ontario, Manitoba and NW Territories) may apply for recognition of Italian Citizenship at the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto.

I have a Canadian temporary visa OR I'm in Canada as an undocumented immigrant. Can I apply for Italian citizenship at the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto?

No. This Consulate General can only accept citizenship applications from those who are permanent residents in this consular jurisdiction. Holders of temporary visas and undocumented immigrants must apply for citizenship through the Italian Consulate in the country where they are considered legal permanent residents.

Can I submit my application to another Consulate or Italian Authority if they have an earlier appointment, even if I don’t have my residence in that jurisdiction?

No. You must apply through the Consulate/Italian Authority in whose jurisdiction you reside.

Does the consulate provide assistance in obtaining documentation?

No. Applicants are responsible for requesting all required documentation.

Do I have to speak Italian to be able to apply?

Only if you’re applying for Citizenship by marriage

2. FEES

PLEASE NOTE: Consular fees are updated every 3 months (quarterly) to reflect any changes in the Euro/Dollar exchange rate. As such, please ensure that the paid fees be delivered to the Consulate at least 10 days before the end of each trimester. As general rule, we recommend the following deadlines: 15 March (first trimester), 15 June (second trimester), 15 September (third trimester), 15 December (fourth trimester).
All consular fees are posted on this page of our website 
Each applicant must include in their application a MONEY ORDER made out the CONSULATE GENERAL OF ITALY – TORONTO for the amount posted on the Consular fees page. Fees are NOT transferrable and CANNOT be used for any application other than that of the applicant.
Citizenship by descent

• Citizenship application: art. 7bis
• Legalization of civil status records: art. 7 (for each certificate)
• Legalization of translations: Art. 69 (for each translation)
• Legalization of divorce documents: Art. 69 (for each document)

Citizenship by marriage

• Wire transfer in the amount of EURO 250. See “Citizenship through marriage” for instructions.
• Legalization of civil status records: art. 7 (for each certificate)
• Legalization of translations: Art. 69 (for each translation)
• Legalization of divorce documents: Art. 69 (for each document)
• Signature authentications: Art. 24 (for each signature).

3. ELIGIBILITY
When a person claims to be of Italian parentage or ancestry but no proof of the fact can be found in Italian registers, it is necessary to provide proof that all ancestors have maintained, and thereby passed on, their Italian citizenship. The authority legally valid to ascertain these facts depends on the person’s place of residence: for foreign residents, the diplomatic-consular mission in the country of residence; for residents in Italy the Ufficio di Stato Civile of the city of residence.
To determine if you are eligible for Italian citizenship, the Italian Consulate must look at the law that was in effect in Italy at the time of your birth. Individuals can become citizens under several very different sections of law or can automatically lose the citizenship through the naturalization of either of the parents.

If you are claiming citizenship through an Italian citizen mother or grandmother, you must also provide information about your father or grandfather, because Italian citizenship may be affected by the naturalization of their respective spouses.

Who is eligible for Italian citizenship?

Citizenship by descent: descendants of Italian citizens who never renounced/lost their Italian citizenship;
Citizenship by marriage: spouses of Italian citizens whose marriage has been correctly registered in ITALY.
If applicant does NOT have minor children with the Italian citizen: must be married to Italian spouse for at least 3 years (36 months)
If applicant DOES have minor children with the Italian citizen: must be married to the Italian spouse for at least 1-1/2 years (18 months)

How do I determine my eligibility?
Descent: You must obtain all naturalization records for your Italian ancestor(s) and prove through those records that their direct descendants maintained their right to Italian citizenship (aka never renounced Italian citizenship) and, in the event that their Italian parent was a naturalized citizen, were born before that parent renounced Italian citizenship via naturalization.

Marriage: see Citizenship through marriage page for all eligibility requirements:

How many generations back can I pursue citizenship?
Applicants can apply for citizenship starting with their most recent ancestor born In Italy after 17 March 1861, or with their most recent ancestor born BEFORE the formation of Italy who died AFTER 17 March 1861.

Can I apply for Italian citizenship through my mother's side of the family?
Italian citizenship by descent through MATERNAL ascendants was only possible starting 01 January 1948. As such, the right to citizenship can be passed from a mother to her child AFTER that date.

My father (or grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great grandfather) was born in Italy. Can I apply?

You may apply through your paternal ancestor if you can prove that your right to Italian citizenship was maintained, and that it was not broken (naturalization or renunciation) by your ascendants.

I’m likely not eligible for citizenship. Is there anything else can I do?
There are a few cases in which a descendant of an Italian citizen who lost his/her Italian citizenship after naturalization might still be eligible, and in such cases the application for citizenship may be submitted IN ITALY after having established residency there for a specific number of years. Please refer to Italian law 05 February 1992, Art. 9, Paragraph 1, letter A for details.

4. APPOINTMENTS

My I have information regarding appointments (how to schedule an appointment, availability, and cancellations)?
The Citizenship Office receives exclusively by appointment through the booking system Prenot@mi.
Due to many requests, the calendar is currently booked until the end of 2024.However, new procedures are being studied and will soon be implemented to create additional methods for applying for recognition of citizenship by descent.
Therefore, we invite users who have not yet been able to book an appointment with Prenot@mi, to regularly check the website's citizenship section and the "News" section, where the news regarding this aspect will be published.

5. PROCESSING TIMES AND STATUS OF MY APPLICATION
CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT: How long does it take to process my application?
Processing times vary from case to case, and can take more or less time depending on a number of factors pertaining to the application itself. As such it is not possible to determine how long each application’s processing time will take. Applicants will be notified via email as soon as processing is complete.

How do I check the status of my application? This Consulate General is unfortunately unable to provide status updates regarding citizenship applications due to the fact that there are thousands of applications currently being processed in the Consular network, and processing times can vary from case to case.
Applicants will be notified via email as soon as their citizenship application has been completed and processed. However, if it has been more than 2 years since your complete application for citizenship by descent was accepted, or more than 4 years for citizenship by marriage, please send an email to [email protected] and include your full first and last name at birth, date of birth, when you submitted the application.

CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE: How long does it take to process the application? Per article 14 of Legislative Decree of 4 ottobre 2018, n. 113 - the processing time for applications for Italian citizenship by marriage is 48 (forty eight) months from the day that the application is accepted. This processing time also applies to any applications in progress that were accepted prior to that date.

How do I check the status of my application?
Login to your account on the website of the Ministero dell'Interno and search for "STATO DELLA PRATICA".

6. NATURALIZATION
What is naturalization?
Naturalization is the act of VOLUNTARILY acquiring the citizenship of another country, either as an adult OR as a child when your parents were naturalized.

Where do I obtain naturalization records?

• Canada: You need to contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada and fill the “Access to Information and Personal Information Request Form”. No translation is required.
• Other Countries: Please contact the Italian Consulate or Embassy in the pertinent country where the naturalization occurred for information.

What if my Italian born ancestor never naturalized as a Canadian citizen?
In such case(s) you must provide the following: Permanent Resident Card or equivalent document confirming that your Italian ancestor never acquired Canadian citizenship, to be requested from Citizenship and Immigration Canada through a “Search of Citizenship Records”.
When requesting documents which relate to females please ensure the request is made both under the maiden and married last names.

7. VITAL RECORDS

How/where do I request a vital record?

• ITALY: you must contact the Ufficio Stato Civile of the Comune in Italy where the vital records were registered. You can typically perform an internet search online and find search results with a link to the website of the Comune with instructions on how to do so. PLEASE NOTE: The Consulate does NOT provide assistance for vital records requests from Italy for those applying for citizenship.
• CANADA BIRTH, MARRIAGE, and DEATH CERTIFICATES: are issued by the Registrar General, for Ontario or Vital Statistics Office, for Manitoba and NW Territories. For information relating to the translation and legalization of vital certificates not issued in Ontario, Manitoba and NW Territories please consult the webpage of the Italian Embassy or Consulate of jurisdiction.
• DIVORCES: are issued by the designated Court and must be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada
• OTHER COUNTRIES: please refer to the Vital Records/Stato Civile page of the website of the Italian authority in the country where the documents were issued.

A family member of mine already applied for Italian citzienship by descent. Do I need to re-submit any overlapping documentation that was already submitted with their application?

• If your family member's application was submitted to this Consulate General in Toronto: you do NOT need to re-submit any overlapping documentation that was already submitted with that family member's application. However, you will still be required to submit any and all required documentation for yourself and any ascendents that is not already on file at this office.
• If your family member's application was submitted at another Consulate: Paperwork submitted to other Consular offices CANNOT be utilized by this office in Toronto. As such, if your family member did not apply for citizenship through the Consulate in Toronto you must submit all required documentation specified on our website to this office.

A vital record for one or more of my ascendants cannot be found and/or does not exist. What do I do?
Please obtain a written statement from the vital records office where you requested the record stating that the document does not exist. This statement must also clearly explain WHY the record does not exist. In such a case, please forward a scanned copy of that written statement to [email protected] so that we can determine if/how you should proceed.

Can I submit a baptismal certificate?

• ITALIAN RECORDS: If there were no registries in existence at the time of your ancestors’ birth, you will have to submit: a parish baptismal certificate with the authentication of the pastor’s signature by the authorised bishop’s office,The written response from the town hall (Comune) IN ITALY confirming the non-existence of a registry office on the date in question. Otherwise a civil record of birth (birth certificate) is required and must be obtained from the Comune IN ITALY where the birth was registered.
• RECORDS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES: NO - you must provide the civil record of birth (BIRTH CERTIFICATE) of your ancestor (unless the written statement obtained from the foreign vital records office is deemed sufficient by this office along with other supporting documentation).

Which vital records do I need?
Citizenship by DESCENT – Please check the dedicated webpage.
Citizenship by MARRIAGE – Please check the dedicated webpage.

8. ERRORS OR DISCREPANCIES ON DOCUMENTS

• Errors: any documents containing errors (misspellings, missing names, incorrect dates, incorrect boxes checked, etc), must be corrected/amended BEFORE submitting those documents to this office.
• Discrepancies Ancestral Documents: discrepancies should be corrected so that the documents reflect the same information on the ancestor's birth certificate and allow us to identify the ancestor’s information (name, date and place of birth, name of parents) and to understand the line of descent.
• Applicant's documents:  applicant’s vital records (marriages and births of any children under 18) must reflect his/her information (first name, any middle names, last name, and date of birth) as it appears on his/her original birth certificate.

Any discrepancies or errors must be corrected BEFORE submitting documentation. If applicant was ever re-married, and the marriage certificate(s) show married last name, please ensure that the marriage certificate(s) show the applicant’s MAIDEN NAME AT BIRTH to prove that he/she is the same person as the one named on the birth certificate. If they do not, and it is not possible to amend the document, please note this discrepancy at the time of the appointment.

9. TRANSLATIONS
Translation Requirements:
all vital records (certificates of birth, marriage, divorce and death) submitted to this Consulate for processing must be accompanied by their full translation into Italian done by one of the translators listed with this Consulate, just as required for any other document submitted in languages other than Italian.
A Consular fee for the legalization of the translator’s signature will apply. Click here for current fee schedule and list of translators ("Legalizzazione atti" – art. 69).

10. CITIZENSHIP FOR CHILDREN

If you are applying for Italian citizenship: citizenship for your children under 18 years old listed in your application will be recognized at the same time as you. You must provide all birth records for those children as specified in the vital record requirements for Italian citizenship by descent.

If You Already Have Been Granted Citizenship: Children UNDER 18 YEARS OLD - citizenship and AIRE registration for children that weren’t included in the Italian parent’s citizenship application will be processed when you register his/her birth certificate. You do NOT have to submit a separate citizenship application for him/her.

Children Over 18 Years Old: children over 18 years old whose births were NOT registered in Italy by their Italian parent before they turned 18 must schedule an appointment for recognition of Italian citizenship through the Italian Authority in whose jurisdiction they reside.

11. CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE

Can I apply for Italian citizenship if I’m married to an Italian citizen?
YES – Please refer to the Citizenship by Marriage page for all information, requirements, and instructions on how to apply

I’m in a same-sex marriage. Can I apply for Italian citizenship by marriage?
YES – Same-sex spouses of Italian citizens can apply for citizenship by marriage. Please refer to the Citizenship by Marriage page for all information, requirements, and instructions on how to apply

12. PASSPORTS VS. CITIZENSHIP
An Italian passport is a TRAVEL DOCUMENT and can be issued to a person who is ALREADY IS AN ITALIAN CITIZEN. As such, any passport requests and appointments must be submitted/scheduled AFTER you receive confirmation that your Italian citizenship has been processed AND confirmed. (For more passport information please visit the passport page of our website AFTER your citizenship has been confirmed:

13. MILITARY

Are male citizens of Italy required to serve in the Italian military? No.

14. NEW CITIZENS - NEXT STEPS, RIGHTS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Please note that once a citizenship application has been processed and completed, this citizenship department is unable to reply to requests concerning other consular services. New citizens with questions regarding items listed below and/or other consular services should contact the appropriate consular department directly.

CREATE YOUR ONLINE CONSULAR ACCOUNT IN THE FAST-IT ONLINE PORTAL
Through this account you will be able to access your information on file at the Consulate to verify that all your information is correct and/or up-to-date. To set up your Fast-It account visit https://serviziconsolarionline.esteri.it/ScoFE/index.sco 

IMPORTANT:
First and middle names must be entered in to the “NOME” field and be EXACTLY AS THEY APPEAR ON THE PERSON’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE
Last name(s) must be entered in the corresponding “COGNOME” field and should be EXACTLY AS THEY APPEAR ON THE PERSON’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
DATES must be entered in the DAY / MONTH / YEAR format
Any technical issues must be addressed IN ITALIAN to the service support: [email protected]
AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero – Registry of Italians Residing Abroad)
All Italian citizens residing outside of Italy for at least 1 year are REQUIRED to be registered in AIRE.New citizens do NOT need to submit an AIRE registration to this Consulate in Toronto because the initial AIRE registration request was submitted by the Consulate when their citizenship was processed.
IF YOU MOVE/CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS: any changes in address, however, must be promptly submitted to the Consulate via the Fast-It online portal within 90 days of the move. Please refer to the Anagrafe/AIRE page for information regarding AIRE:
VITAL RECORDS / STATO CIVILE
By law Italian citizens must record the following with the Italian Consulate in whose jurisdiction they reside: Any and all changes in marital status (marriages, divorces, or being widowed);Any and all births of children under 18 years old who were NOT included in the original citizenship application;Any and all deaths of any family member who hold Italian citizenship whose death has not been recorded in Italy;
Visit the vital records page for more information:
NAME CHANGES BY MARRIAGE – if you marry and take your spouse’s last name, your Italian documents will NOT show your married name and will continue to show your MADIEN NAME AT BIRTH. Please note: Passports will show maiden last name/birth last name on the main page, however it is possible to add the married name to a separate page of the passport. Please contact the passport office for clarification on this procedure.
BY WAY OF JUDICIAL ORDER – if you legally changed your name via a court order AFTER your citizenship was recognized, and you wish for your new name to be recorded and used in Italy, please contact [email protected] for more information.
PASSPORT APPLICATION
When can I schedule an appointment to apply for a passport? AFTER you receive the email from the citizenship confirming that your citizenship was processed and recognized AND after you have created your account in Fast-It.
ELECTIONS/VOTING
IMPORTANT: Voter eligibility is determined by the electoral offices of each citizen’s Comune where they are registered in AIRE. Please note that if you received confirmation of your citizenship in the past 6-12 months, it is possible that the Electoral office of your Comune has not yet updated their voter lists with new citizens.
If there are any upcoming elections and you do not receive your electoral materials in the mail, please contact the elections office of this Consulate so we can verify your voter status.
Any citizens whose names are not yet enrolled in the voter lists can only vote in an election following authorization from elections office of their Comune AIREGeneral elections and referendum – citizens registered in AIRE and enrolled in the voter lists will be able to vote by mail.
All electoral materials will be sent to eligible citizens to the address that is recorded in the electoral offices of his/her Comune AIRE.
Information regarding any elections will be posted on the home-page of this Consulate General of Italy in TorontoRegional, communal, and European elections – Citizens who reside in Canada and wish to participate in these elections can only do so by voting in person at designated polling places in their Comune AIRE in Italy.
Citizens will typically be notified via a letter or a postcard sent directly from the Elections office of the Comune where they are registered in AIRE.
OTHER CONSULAR SERVICES See the complete list of consular services on the following page: https://constoronto.esteri.it/consolato_toronto/en/i_servizi/per_i_cittadini/
TAXES
Are dual citizens subject to any taxes in Italy? Italian Citizens residing abroad and correctly registered in AIRE do NOT have to pay taxes in Italy on income earned outside of Italy, but may still be required to pay taxes on income generated within Italy. Please refer to the website of the Agenzia delle Entrate (www.agenziaentrate.gov.it) for more information about taxation in Italy and/or contact a tax professional in Italy. Citizens must comply, however, with taxation laws in their State and Country of residence.

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