Loyalty to the state is among the duties of citizenship; it can be defined in many forms. In some cases, loyalty translates into compulsory military service or tax obligations toward the state for universal income.
Those who do not have the citizenship of the country in which they reside are considered foreigners (if that person is a citizen of another country) or stateless/displaced (if that person has no citizenship).
There are three principles on which citizenship is based; however each state applies these principles differently according to its own internal law. Let’s take a closer look at those principles:
Ius Soli
In Italy, ius soli applies only under very exceptional conditions. For instance, it applies to birth on Italian territory if the parents are unknown or when parents are stateless/displaced. It also applies when a baby is born in the territory to foreign parents who are unable to transmit their country’s citizenship to the child. Pursuant to article 4, paragraph 2, of the Law of 5 February 1992 n. 91, a particular version of jus soli applies to a child born in Italy who resides legally without interruption until reaching the age of majority. In fact, in this case the child becomes an Italian citizen by right if he or she declares the desire to acquire Italian citizenship within a year of reaching 18 years. This benefit is lost in the absence of expressed will within a year of reaching the age of majority, after which citizenship is obtainable only through ordinary rules. Please note that the Italian Parliament is considering extending the number of circumstances to apply ius soli.
Ius Sanguinis
“Ius sanguinis” or literally “bloodright” is the principle under which a child acquires the citizenship of one or both parents, regardless of the place in which the child is born. This principle, in some cases, grants the right to acquire citizenship even to a more-distant descendant. Current Italian law grants Italian citizenship mainly based on this principle. Check with this chart if you qualify to claim your Italian jure sanguinis Citizenship.
Naturalization
