Many people around the world pursue dual citizenship for a variety of reasons, both personal and professional. It can be a matter of honoring heritage, facilitate an easier lifestyle, or simply to enjoy the benefits a country only gives to citizens. Regardless of the reason, dual citizenship is a complicated process that can take a great deal of time, money, and background documentation. Before jumping into the dual citizenship process, let’s examine the pros and cons of italian dual citizenship requirements.
Many people are attracted to dual citizenship because of the several associated benefits. Having dual citizenship means the person is allowed to have a passport from each country. This can make travel between countries easier and quicker when moving through customs. Further, citizenship from two different countries means that the citizen is entitled to certain benefits from that country. This can be anything from state sponsored healthcare to state funded education. Because citizens have the right to vote, dual citizenship means the person is allowed to vote in two elections, one for each country. Dual citizens may also have an easier time owning property within the country as several ownership benefits are applied to citizens only.
Of course, dual citizenship also has some disadvantages. While it is nice to have the state sponsored benefits from each country, this means the citizen also has the obligations from each country. Several countries around the world require compulsory military duty, which can become quite complicated with other countries. If, for example, a person is a U.S. citizen, and a citizen of a country that requires military service, the person could potentially lose his or her American citizenship by become a foreign agent of another state. Dual citizenship also comes with double taxation, having to pay taxes in each country. This can become particularly complicated if the person is earning money in another country but must pay taxes in the U.S. on income earned while living abroad. Also, becoming a dual citizen can make it more difficult to pass a security clearance and can complicate documentation processes.
The requirements for dual citizenship vary between countries so it is important to always fully understand the prerequisites for the county you are applying to. Some countries simply require that you are a resident of the country for a predetermined period. Other countries, like Italy, require a direct heritage through family decent. Italian dual citizenship requirements dictate that heredity is determined through the paternal line, with no limit to the number of generations. Before applying for dual citizenship with any country, be sure to research exactly what is required.
