Collecting Documents

I have now received the following documents related to my genealogical research and Italian citizenship jus sanguinis:

• Birth records from Sicily for all four of my grandparents (1888, 1896, 1897, 1902). I have sent a second request for my Giuseppe's birth certificate. Since citizenship passes through the grandfather I will need a certified copy of his birth record not just the "extract" that they send me.
  
• Marriage records for my paternal grandparents (1914) and my own parents (1950), both from New York. The two sets of marriage records are very different. Much more information was required in 1950. It has been fascinating to read these documents, exact copies of the originals.
  
• Naturalization papers for my maternal grandparents (1925 & 1928) from the National Archive. I ordered a certified copy ($22.50) from my grandfather, and just a plain photocopy ($7.50) for my grandmother. The citizenship by right of blood passes through the grandfather, so I needed the certified copy for him. Both of these documents are also exact copies, probably made from microfilm. For my grandfather it includes his Declaration of Intention (1920), a Certificate of Arrival (1924), and his Petition for Naturalization (1924). This last date is significant since it shows that my mother was born before my grandfather "renounce[d] forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to Victor Emmanuel III, King of Italy, of whom at this time I am a subject." I believe I will find this to be the case on my father's side of the family as well. That is, my mother and father were born Italian citizens, since their parents, at the time of their birth, were still subjects of the King, and had not yet renounced the King.
  

Actually, for the purposes of citizenship I only need to prove blood lineage through one grandfather, but I am getting certified birth certificates, certified marriage certificates, and naturalization papers for both grand fathers. I guess I am just covering my bases, while at the same time proving that I am 100% Italian.

I am still waiting for marriage certificates for my maternal grandparents (1922), and for my own marriage (1980), naturalization papers for my paternal grandfather (1927). I don't think, Maria Pernici, my paternal grandmother lived long enough to become a U.S. citizen. I also need birth certificates from my own parents who will need to order them themselves. The municipal archives in New York will allow me to order birth records that are more than 100 years old, and marriage records that are more than 50 years old. They consider such documents to be historic records and are available to the general public. So I was able to order their marriage certificate, but not their birth certificates.

Though not related to the documents required for Italian citizenship jus sanguinis, I am also requesting birth and marriage records for my all eight great-grandparents from their villages in Italy. Also, as a side interest, I am exploring the first marriage of my paternal grandfather. You may recall in a previous post I mentioned that my paternal grandfather, Giuseppe Ribera, immigrated in 1913 along with Francesca Ippolito, a young woman of 17 from a nearby village. Within a year another woman from my grandfather's home village of Scordia in Sicily immigrated and she and my grandfather were married the day she stepped off the boat in New York. I have requested birth records for Francesca and marriage records for Giuseppe and Francesca.

Dual Nationality

Here is a direct quotation of an explanation from U.S. State Department web site on the topic of Dual Nationality. It addresses the circumstances under which a U.S. citizen may acquire dual nationality and some of the implications for dual nationals to consider.

"The concept of dual nationality means that a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time. Each country has its own citizenship laws based on its own policy.Persons may have dual nationality by automatic operation of different laws rather than by choice. For example, a child born in a foreign country to U.S. citizen parents may be both a U.S. citizen and a citizen of the country of birth.

"A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth.U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

"Intent can be shown by the person's statements or conduct.The U.S. Government recognizes that dual nationality exists but does not encourage it as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other countries on dual national U.S. citizens may conflict with U.S. law, and dual nationality may limit U.S. Government efforts to assist citizens abroad. The country where a dual national is located generally has a stronger claim to that person's allegiance.

"However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Either country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person later travels there.Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenship.Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose citizenship.

"Information on losing foreign citizenship can be obtained from the foreign country's embassy and consulates in the United States. Americans can renounce U.S. citizenship in the proper form at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad."