I've been looking into dual-citizenship recently, and came across the concept of jus sanguinis, which means the descendants of a native-born citizen of a certain country are usually eligible to become naturalized based on lineage. The concept is relevant to me for Italian citizenship, but I was wondering if any of you guys have experience going through the process of obtaining the 20 or so documents needed to begin the process. What other countries use this? I know there are companies that will obtain these documents for you, but has anyone used them?
My great-grandfather was born to two Italians in this country, but his father was born in Palermo and came to the US in 1893 at the age of six. The caveat with jus sanguinis that concerned me was that, according to the Italian government, if an Italian (my great-great-grandfather) became naturalized in another country, he lost his ability to confer jus sanguinis to his children. Since my great-great-grandfather was six when he came over, I was relying on a hunch that naturalization laws in the US during the early 1900's were still strict against some European countries, and I needed this man to remain an Italian allllll the way until 1916 when my great-grandfather was born.
Looking at US immigration laws between 1900-1930, I found that there are 3 abbreviations used on the census to denote immigrants- Al for alien, Pa for someone who has started the naturalization process but is still considered an alien, and Na for naturalized. If great-great-granddad was naturalized before 1916, I was fucked. On ancestry.com, I found him in the US census for 1920, 4 years after my great-grandfather was born. He was listed as Pa, meaning he was still an alien 4 years prior. Success! Jus sanguinis transferred to my great-grandfather, then my grandmother, my mother, and finally, me.
I felt like I was in a fucking detective movie, pacing around my bedroom at 4 in the morning muttering to myself. Anyway, this process can take up to a year, and involves going as far back as Italian birth certificates from the 1800's. Still exciting, though.
My great-grandfather was born to two Italians in this country, but his father was born in Palermo and came to the US in 1893 at the age of six. The caveat with jus sanguinis that concerned me was that, according to the Italian government, if an Italian (my great-great-grandfather) became naturalized in another country, he lost his ability to confer jus sanguinis to his children. Since my great-great-grandfather was six when he came over, I was relying on a hunch that naturalization laws in the US during the early 1900's were still strict against some European countries, and I needed this man to remain an Italian allllll the way until 1916 when my great-grandfather was born.
Looking at US immigration laws between 1900-1930, I found that there are 3 abbreviations used on the census to denote immigrants- Al for alien, Pa for someone who has started the naturalization process but is still considered an alien, and Na for naturalized. If great-great-granddad was naturalized before 1916, I was fucked. On ancestry.com, I found him in the US census for 1920, 4 years after my great-grandfather was born. He was listed as Pa, meaning he was still an alien 4 years prior. Success! Jus sanguinis transferred to my great-grandfather, then my grandmother, my mother, and finally, me.
I felt like I was in a fucking detective movie, pacing around my bedroom at 4 in the morning muttering to myself. Anyway, this process can take up to a year, and involves going as far back as Italian birth certificates from the 1800's. Still exciting, though.
Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.