NOTE: from June 22, 2022, all proceedings regarding Dual Citizenship by Descent no longer pass through the Court of Rome but must be submitted to the District Court of the Italian town where the ancestors were born. Hence, any reference to the Court of Rome must be systematically read as to the District Courts of Italy.
Italian Dual Citizenship brings with it a variety of benefits, which include access to healthcare, education, and social security. Enrollment in these programs requires establishing residency in Italy (moving your residency back to the US would result in loss of benefits).
The most immediate and arguably essential benefit Italian citizenship provides is that of healthcare.
Once residency is established, your dual citizenship entitles you to enroll in Italy’s national health system (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), enabling you to utilize healthcare for urgent, acute or chronic conditions (though some co-pays may be required depending on your income). In addition, Italian citizens (residing in Italy) have access to public healthcare in other EU countries.
Given the skyrocketing cost of university tuition in countries like the United States, access to higher education in Italy is seen as a tremendous benefit. When compared to other countries, Italian universities have substantially lower tuition rates, while at the same time being among the most highly-ranked in Europe. As well as being eligible for scholastic scholarships, Italian citizens (residing in Italy) are entitled to study at any EU university under the same conditions as nationals. Looking beyond higher education, Italians residing in Italy have full access to primary and secondary schools at no cost.
Social security is a more mixed picture as pensions benefits generally go to those living and working in Italy for at least five years. On the upside, though, Italy has “totalization agreements” in place with a number of countries, including the United States, with the aim of coordinating social security coverage and benefit provisions for those living and working in more than one country.
Additional Italian citizenship benefits are disability insurance, maternity leave of up to 20 weeks, and the “citizen’s income” (2019), a basic income initiative designed to help low-income Italians. Long-term care for elderly and disabled people in Italy encompasses outpatient treatment, home services, and assisted living facilities.
If you are a US citizen with an Italian ancestry wishing to become a resident of Italy, consider to apply for dual citizenship. Contact us for more information.