Part 2: Research & Paperwork
Now becomes the daunting task of researching if there is even the possibility and what paperwork we needed to gather?
Step 1: Who can get Canadian-Italian dual citizenship?
My research started by finding out if Jamie qualifies for submitting an application for dual citizenship.
Right from the beginning, I knew there was a very high likelihood he would qualify but I just didn’t know how far back in the family lineage he have to go. Both Jamie’s parents are full Italian descent, but the farther we would have to go back to trace it… the more paperwork.
More Generations = More Paperwork = More Work = More Time
For more details on if this may apply to you, check out the Italian Consulate website for recognition of Italian by decent.
Step 2: Find out details from Jamie’s parents
It probably felt like a bit of an interview process or investigation to Jamie’s parents but I asked his mom dig up all kinds of paperwork, refresh their memories and dust off a few boxes of paperwork from a few decades ago! But, his mom is a rock star and kept every piece of paperwork that would be required to help answer a one key question.
When did Jamie’s parents become Canadian citizens?
I was happy to learn that since Jamie’s father was still and Italian citizen when Jamie was born, we could use that lineage. It was the shortest lineage… So less paperwork (but still LOTS of paperwork). His mother was also born in Italy but at the time Jamie was born she was a Canadian citizen, so we would have had to go to her parents lineage. I went with the shortest route!
Step 3: Let the paperwork begin!
The way it works is that you have to gather up all the documentation to prove out the lineage of the Italian decent. So I only had to go back as far as Jamie’s father.
This documentation is kept on record with the Italian consulate and if any of your dependants seek for Italian citizenship it will make their lives so much easier to obtain.
I decided to gather all the information and put both Jamie and kids application in as one bulk load of documentation. The goal is for the kids to have dual citizenship too through their grandfather.
My application will have to wait until after Jamie’s has been approved, but I am wanting to send ALL the documentation at once.
Honestly, all of the paperwork was time-consuming to track down from of websites, print it off, get the right people to sign in, cost money to get these official forms, etc. But, it was relatively easy and there was a process for each on how it gets done. It’s very clear just time -consuming.
This is all the documentation that I have gathered for this.
All of these had to be certified copies from the Canadian government (federal or provincial):
- Dad certificate of Canadian Citizenship
- Mom certificate of Canadian Citizenship
- Mom & Dad marriage certificate
- Jamie birth certificate
- Nicole birth certificate
- Luca birth certificate
- Sofia birth certificate
- Jamie & Nicole marriage certificate *See the BONUS step
These documents were gathered but not official copies (only photocopies):
- Dad Italian passport
- Mom Italian passport
- Mom & Dad birth certificate
- Jamie current passport
- Nicole current passport
- Luca current passport
- Sofia current passport
Translation of documents need to be done from in our case English to Italian. Our local Italian consulate person assisted with the translation of the documents before submission. Contact the Italian Consulate to find out who your contact would be for your province.
BONUS Step 3: Jamie & Nicole Marriage Certificate
Well this was an added bonus that most people would have stopped at, but not me… I was determined. The challenge is we were married in Mexico, and our marriage certificate is in Spanish! I don’t like to keep things simple.
This made it tricky to get an official marriage certificate translated to Italian. Which I needed for the kids to get included in the application.
Long story short and about 3 years of back and forth with emails, reaching out to officials in Mexico I finally got this done. I ended up finding a contact through a person that was living in the same region of Mexico that could help take my original marriage certificate to get translated from Spanish to Italian at the Italian consulate in Mexico. I physically went back down to Mexico to ensure that my document made it to her. (Plus, a little beach vacation never hurt anyone). Eventually, our marriage certificate was FedEx back to us. This part was painful, frustrating and SLOW.
Just to add more completing too, we moved houses 4 times during all this time to get documents sent to us. I was always worried that it was going to get sent to our old house… Like I said, I don’t like to keep things simple.
Step 4: Make photocopies
Before you hand all this “gold” documentation over to your Italian consulate, make photocopies of everything… I have multiple copies.
Step 5: Submit your application
Depending on where you are living in Canada, you will either have to make an appointment to meet with a representative or fill out your application and mail it in.
Step 6: Wait
So this is the part that might drive me crazy, where I wait to see what happens. I have no control over this part. I am not sure how long this process will take, I have heard the duration of ‘years’ which makes me want to scream. But, I will have patience and know that hopefully all this work will pay off. Or I may decide to move overseas and help speed up the submission ;)
I will keep you updated on the progress as I wait.
Disclosure: This is my interpretation of my research and findings at the time when I conducted my research for dual Canadian-Italian citizenship. Laws and policies change continually so please reach out to the Italian Consulate in Canada for further information.
I am by no means an expert, but I can help answer any questions based on my experiences if you like.
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