With the millions of people with Italian descent around the world—many of whom come to Italy to experience an emotional connection with their place of heritage—it is no wonder that 2024 has been declared a year of “Roots Tourism,” an initiative supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Visiting the country of your ancestors, perhaps even the town they came from, can be a surreal and rewarding experience. It is this kind of connection that Italian Citizenship Assistance (ICA) aims to help its clients establish through genealogical research and citizenship applications.
The benefits of “Turismo delle Radici”
By emphasizing a tourism based on familial connection, visitors can experience Italy in a slower-paced and more meaningful way that serves to connect with the country and its culture rather than checking boxes off of a list. While the popular tourist sites are, of course, popular for a reason, the incentive is to highlight the lesser-known places in the country, which can equally provide a charming, historical, and relaxing experience.
The Foreign Ministry’s Directorate General for Italians Abroad, in collaboration with ENIT, Raiz Italiana, and ASMEF, held a number of meetings between 2018 and 2021 to develop concrete ideas to support roots tourism. This has resulted in a multi-volume “Guide to Italian Roots,” studies on roots tourism and the meaning of it for those who participate, and even a new master’s degree course in managing roots tourism at the University of Calabria.
The significance of all this is remarkable given the amount of people of Italian descent outside of Italy. Americans in particular cherish their roots and many are proud to know exactly when and where their family came from and what struggles they overcame to make the U.S. their home. The Italian-American identity has remained strong through the generations, even for those with great-, or even great-great-grandparents, who were Italian. For this reason, the roots tourism initiative is an important one and can help re-center tourists’ goals in an age where it can be tempting to snap a photo to post on social media then skip on to the next site. Luckily, many people are beginning to embrace a slower way of experiencing a new place when they travel, no matter their purpose for traveling.
Where ICA fits in
Here at ICA, our primary passion is precisely this: to help people connect with their ancestry. This does find its ultimate fruit in a successful citizenship application and Italian passport, but the value of helping people learn more about their families, tracking down records that could be a hundred years old, and establishing a traceable heritage that can extend down to future generations is no small thing either. In fact, it is these seemingly little steps along the way that make the end goal all that more meaningful.
This is also why, on our website, you’ll find numerous success stories that provide a window and personal insight into our clients’ experiences with the citizenship process. We love to hear them recount the journey from their perspective, and often the interest in researching their family history had gone on for many years—even decades—before they finally contacted ICA to Adelve deeper into the process.
Why apply for Italian citizenship in Italy?
Many people don’t know that they can go through the citizenship process directly in Italy and that there is even a residence card available specifically for these people so they can remain in the country longer than the 90 day limit for non-EU citizens. Applying in Italy is also beneficial because often the process can be shorter than going through a consulate, many of which are overwhelmed with the number of applicants and can have quite lengthy waiting periods (upwards of two years or more).
The first step would be to collect all the documents needed to file your application. This includes vital records, the ancestor’s naturalization record (or proof of non-naturalization), Apostilles, and translations. In most cases, you will not need to make an appointment ahead of time at the relevant office in Italy to apply. Upon arrival in Italy, there are two things you will need to do right away: obtain a codice fiscale (tax code), which you can get from the local Agenzia delle Entrate. You will also need to establish legal residency. Once you apply for citizenship at the municipality where you reside (it doesn’t need to be where your ancestor was from), you can then apply for a residency permit which will allow you to stay longer than 90 days while you wait for an answer (permesso di soggiorno in attesa di cittadinanza).
How ICA can help
If any part of this process seems overwhelming, ICA can walk you through every step of it. We offer a number of customizable packages to suit individual cases and levels of involvement. Over the ten years we have been in business, we have helped thousands of clients obtain citizenship. For those who choose to apply in Italy, we can assist with finding a place to stay in, getting a codice fiscale, applying for the residency permit, and other fine details to make your wait for citizenship easy. Our team also conducts genealogical research, can take care of document collection, translations, as well as communicating with the relevant offices. We encourage anyone who is interested to reach out for a consultation: we can offer a free evaluation of your eligibility, so from there you can make an informed decision on how to proceed. Contact us at info@italiancitizenshipassistance.com or by visiting our website, www.italiancitizenshipassistance.com.
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