Discover 5 Incredible Benefits of Italian Citizenship: Open the Doors to a World of Opportunities
Are you curious about the most significant advantages of obtaining Italian citizenship? You’re in the right place. In this article, we will describe the benefits that come with Italian citizenship, which cover broad aspects of everyday life, along with the guarantee of enjoying a wide range of opportunities and fundamental rights. Before we begin, we remind you that you can consult another article on our blog about the general ways to acquire Italian citizenship.
What advantages do you gain with Italian citizenship?
Becoming an Italian citizen offers the opportunity to enjoy several advantages. From a civil standpoint, equality before the law is guaranteed, regardless of sex, race, language, religion, or political opinions. This recognition translates into the freedom of movement, association, religion, assembly, property protection, and, generally, any civil freedom that the Italian State has committed to ensuring, removing obstacles that limit their enjoyment (Article 3 of the Constitution).
Now, let’s look at the most important advantages, grouped into 5 categories.
- Civil Rights: Italian citizenship allows access to a series of civil rights, such as the right to vote and the right to participate in political elections (active and passive electorate). The right to vote is exercised in local, national, and European elections. One can also engage in participatory instruments provided for the protection of citizens, such as referendums or popular petitions. This means having a voice in the political decisions that affect daily life, both in Italy and in Europe. Moreover, one can run for public office, actively and personally contributing to the needs of society.
- Mobility – Freedom of travel and residence in the EU: An Italian citizen has the right to live, work, study, and travel freely in all the countries that are part of the European Union without the need for a visa, work permit, or other special permits. This is considered one of the biggest advantages, as it can open up great opportunities for mobility, work, and study across Europe without restrictions (access to the European labor market). This is how one can have more career opportunities, accessing work conditions and salaries equal to those of the citizens of the host country.
- Public Services: An Italian citizen has access to a wide range of public services, such as free healthcare (access to the national health service), public education, and social services. We also remember the social security systems and further benefits such as pensions and assistance in cases of unemployment or work-related illness.
- Consular Protection: In cases of need, an Italian citizen can benefit from the assistance and protection of the Italian embassy or consulate in the country where they may be.
- Italian Passport: With Italian citizenship, one can obtain an Italian passport (one of the most powerful in the world), which facilitates international travel and offers greater security. In 190 countries around the world, one can enter without having to request a visa or other entry documents, thus avoiding bureaucratic delays. Be aware. There are still countries where a visa is needed for entry.
Of course, it’s important to note that some specific advantages of Italian citizenship might vary according to the laws and policies of the country of residence or the European Union.
Are there differences with European citizenship?
In reality, Italian citizenship is not an alternative to European citizenship but is its essence.
Indeed, European citizenship is linked to the citizenship of one’s own state; therefore, when one acquires Italian citizenship, one automatically also acquires European Union citizenship. Similarly, by losing the status of a citizen of a European Union state, one would lose the associated European citizenship.
By virtue of European citizenship, the rights provided in one’s own state are expanded and involve all the territories of the other member states. For example, an Italian citizen enjoys the freedom of movement and residence also in France and has the opportunity to look for work in Germany, or has the right to vote for representatives at the European level (European Parliament elections) and to be voted for (possibly as a European parliamentarian).
In addition, protection by the diplomatic authorities of other EU countries is provided when one is in non-European territories where there is no Italian representation. In this way, if there is no Italian embassy available, the Italian and European citizen could turn to the embassy of another European Union country.
What’s the difference between having Italian citizenship and a residence permit?
Beyond the described advantages, it’s crucial to consider the long-term legal security that can only be offered by Italian citizenship. Indeed, unlike residence permits that require regular renewals, Italian citizenship is permanent. This eliminates the uncertainty related to the right of residence and work in the country.
What if a visa is needed for a family member or a permit for a relative?
Another important advantage offered by Italian citizenship is precisely the opportunity to obtain visas for family members accompanying the citizen, without the risk of the consular representation of the country of origin rejecting them due to a “migration risk.” Moreover, according to article 19 of the TUIMM (Consolidated Text on Immigration), it is possible to request a residence permit for relatives up to the second degree, thus allowing, more easily, family reunification. In this way, it allows relatives to share the benefits of Italian citizenship.
Conclusions
As we have seen, Italian citizenship offers various advantages that affect every aspect of life. From political involvement to European mobility, from quality public services to social rights and cultural identity, becoming Italian citizens means seizing a series of opportunities that enrich individual life and contribute to the progress and cohesion of society. Therefore, Italian citizenship is not just a legal act, but an important way to have a future full of perspectives and achievements.
For further reading, we recommend some articles from our blog.
Click here for Italian citizenship through marriage
Click here for the guide to the administrative process to obtain Italian citizenship by descent
Click here for the FAQ on Italian citizenship by descent
If you need assistance in your process of obtaining Italian citizenship and do not want to take any risks, you can contact one of our Italian lawyers specialized in Italian citizenship.
