I should think probably not. However, today my mother discovered that she is eligible for Italian citizenship because her grandfather was born in Genoa before coming to the US.
Would that make me eligible for Italian citizenship also (can it be passed down indefinitely, like Swiss Citizenship?), and since Italy is a member of the EU, could I then become a passport-carrying EU citizen? Seems like that would be too good to be true, but its worth checking out? Anyone know if this could happen?
Is your mom sure about that? The last time I checked on getting Italian citizenship, it had to be your parent - not grandparent - who was born in Italy AND you had to be born before your parent became a citizen of another country. I, for example, was born in 1964 but my mother had already become a naturalized U.S. citizen, so I cannot obtain Italian citizenship through her. My children could definitely not. Has this changed recently?
You should contact the Italian consulate to get (hopefully) accurate informations.
From this page , it seems that since you’re mother is only eligible to Italian citizenship, hence wasn’t an italian citizen at the time of your birth, she can’t transmit her (potential) Italian citizenship to you.
However, it seems that it might be possible that you could “inherit” the Italian citizenship directy from your great grandfather , so it might be worth checking it out :
Of course if you get Italian citizenship, you’re automatically an EU citizen, and can life, work, etc…wherever you want in the EU.
Hopefully, I may find out more details today (tomorrow? not sure anymore) - my mother is due to receive some paperwork about it. I’ll keep you posted.
And as a bonus, you’d become the only Italian poster (that I know of) on this board… 
And of course, we will all expect you to side with your fellow europeans against the evil american posters…
Depending on your age and gender, you may want to hold off until the compulsory military draft is fully abolished!
There’s at least one (Lars Aruns)
Haha, the poor bastards have a consulate in Detroit? Oh how Rome has fallen…
Whoops, thought I was still in MPSIMS…
Doesn’t apply to adults who’ve spent their childhood under a foreign citizenship. Being as it is Italy we are talking about, an adequate bribe, delivered with appropriate discretion will furnish you citizenship.
Clairobscur don’t be so sure.
In general being an American is a wonderful thing, but in my business, having EU citizenship is (amongst us American-born people) considered super good luck. With it, you can work in the EU and suck up their social services despite not having paid into the system.
Well worth looking into. Good luck.
Nitpick time. There is no such thing as ‘EU citizenship’. The EU is not a country and cannot bestow citizenship (any more than the UN or NATO can). But you can have citizenship of an EU member country (like Italy), which gives you the automatic right to live and work - in theory at least - in other EU member countries.
Well worth having! (Military service and other problems aside)
I apologize for my earlier statements that it had to be through a parent only. In my case it would be through my mother and I guess I never paid attention to the section on paternal transfer since it didn’t apply to me.
I certainly don’t think it’s fair that the maternal line is a lot harder to use than the paternal! I wonder why the Italian government set it up that way.
As there’s no smilie, and no apparent humororus tone, I have to take this as something said seriously. And this is offensive. Unfortunately corruption does exist or commonplaces like this would not even be popular, but it is not universal, and, as one of millions of honest Italians, I really think your post is out of line.
It doesn’t make sense to me, either. Ever heard the expression "Mama’s baby, Daddy’s “maybe” " ?
Most people who aren’t adopted are pretty sure they know who their mother is. Knowing who your father is is a bit more iffy sometimes, though. You’d think they’d go through the maternal line if they want to be sure of Italian heritage.
Hey CynicalGabe, check this out.
Provided Mr. Carmichael’s great-grandfather sired his grandfather before he became a naturalized citizen, it sounds like he could claim Italian citizenship. Interesting.
Here’s something I wonder now: if Mr. Carmichael claimed Italian citizenship, would that make Abbie Jr. a citizen by default?
Apparently, it has been changed by a law passed in 1948. So, this restriction only applies to people born before 1948.
I’m reading it as applying only to people who were born AFTER 1948. Or, that people born before 1948 cannot claim citizenship through their mother no matter what.
It’s been a long day and I have a headache. It’s also possible that I’m in a dense phase right now.
Scusa ma, I’m sorry to offend you, but it is my honest opinion. Although perhaps the facts I rely on are old.
I wouldn’t have said it had I not been Italian myself.
That’s the other way around. For instance
In all cases, men transmit their italian citizenship to their children, but women did so only to children born since 1948.