When it comes to obtaining citizenship in another country, things can get a little complicated. If you’re looking to become an Italian citizen, here are some of the most common methods that allow you to do that.

Citizenship by Descent

The first method of becoming a citizen of Italy is by descent. Becoming an Italian citizen by descent means you have to have a paternal or maternal line of Italian heritage. If you have an Italian bloodline that you can prove, you can become an Italian citizen without going through the traditional route.

Obtaining Italian citizenship by descent may be simple for those who are eligible, but proving you’re eligible can be a bit of work. If you were born in a country where your citizenship was granted to you at birth, you need to have a mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great-grandmother or great-grandfather who was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth to be eligible. If you want to become an Italian citizen by your bloodline, you will need to provide the proper documentation to prove your heritage.

Citizenship by Marriage

One of the most popular ways to obtain citizenship in any country is by marriage. When you marry a person who is a citizen of a particular country, you can also become a citizen of that country. The good thing about obtaining Italian citizenship through marriage is that it’s one of the simplest ways to become an Italian citizen. Of course, it does require you to marry an Italian citizen in the first place.

Citizenship by Naturalization

In general, the most difficult way to obtain Italian citizenship is by naturalization. To start, you’ll have to live in Italy for at least 10 years if you want to apply for citizenship by naturalization. If you have some Italian heritage, you may be able to obtain citizenship in as little as four years. On top of the strict requirements in terms of how long you live in the country before becoming a citizen, the Italian government may also deny your application if they deem you a security risk of some sort.

While becoming an Italian citizen takes a bit of work, it’s far from impossible. In fact, there are numerous ways to become an Italian citizen. If you’re interested in becoming an Italian citizen, you need to look into citizenship by descent, marriage and naturalization and choose your best option.