ferrier50

So we found out something really crazy today.

A friend of ours about a month ago mentioned that someone he knew (a Canadian citizen, born and raised in Canada) had to get papers re: travelling to Italy or else he would be detained because of his Italian background.

Here's what the consulate told us:
Even if you're born outside of Italy, but you have a parent who was an Italian citizen, you could be considered an Italian citizen as well and can be detained while you're on Italian soil to serve in their military.

If the Italian parent doesn't get the new citizenship before their children are born, then those children are considered Italian citizens even if they were never born, ever set foot in Italy, have nothing to do with Italy.

Have any men out there with similar Italian family backgrounds visited Italy recently and have there been any attempts of detaining you?

There's supposed to be paperwork that has to be filled out, but the Italian consulate tells us it takes FOUR MONTHS!!!!!! We're leaving next month.

This is just so frustrating. Who knew that there's any way the Italian government can try to get you even if you were born elsewhere, a citizen of another country and never ever been there?

Please help.

Grasshopper

There's nothing on your passport that indicates your parents' nationality. How would they even know?

Huitres

What, I don't get this?! My sister and her husband live in Berlin, her 2 young children were born in Berlin, yet they are all American citizens. Just because he has an Italian heritage, he is still a Canadian citizen. Just because this person's parent did not get citizenship, by this guy being born in Canada, it made him a Canadian citizen. In my sister's case, her 2 children have dual citizenship: German and American -- they German being automatic because born in the country. His Italian nationality should have nothing to do with being conscripted into the Italian army! I don't know how different the Canadian law is, but I would think it is similar to America's. The passports don't indicate our parents' addresses, country of citizenship, etc. only ours! His says Canada and they will think he a Canadian of Italian descent. I would tell your friend that knows his friend, not to worry............

taggie

This has been in the news lately also with regard to men of Greek descent. Some of them going to watch the Olympics have been in danger of being conscripted into the army.

dgruzew

There are alot of serious problems with this

1 - How the heck could they possibly know he had an itialian parent?? - they would have to stop everyone at the border with an itialian SOUNDING last name and do some sort of genelogly research - it would take FORVEVER, unless they have some sort of database with his name in it.

2 - I did not even know that Italy had a draft ?? mabye they do - I just never heard of it

3 - I really don't think it is that easy to become an italian citizen (just having an italian parent)


Huitres, just FYI the US Goverment will not recongize your sisters childrens German Citizenship after they are 18 - I belive they will have to choose. The US does not recognize dual citizenship, alough germany and the EU might(so technicaly the germans might still consider them a citizen)

elina

"they German being automatic because born in the country." I thought only Ireland and US grant a citizenship if one is born in the country. That is not usually the case in European countries (except before mentioned Ireland).

Christina

I suspect some of these things are being distorted in the telling.

First, Germany is not one to give away citizenship to a baby who just happens to be born in Germany, to my knowledge. In fact, that country really wants to regulate who gets citizenship, they are quite picky about it. I think they've eased up a bit, but the parents still have to have been legal residents in Germany for a long time.

I have an acquaintance with Greek parents and relatives, and I think he is actually Greek although he's lived in the US many years. Even he was not automatically drafted when he went back to Greece to live, and he never had a problem when he just visited there periodically. He finally decided to move back permanently and said he will have to make a decision about serving in the military when he's been resident about 6 months or something. He never was conscripted just because he was visiting Greece in the summer for a few weeks or even month before.

Huitres

To clarify re: the German citizenship question and my sister's children.....I should have stated that they have obtained dual citizenship for both children. It helped that both children were born in Berlin and my sister works as an official in the country, in addition to her being a long time (10+ years) resident in Germany.

kismetchimera

If a child was born in Italy from an Italian father and a French mother for example ,and if the parents reside in that country, when the child is 18 years old, it used to be 21, he or she must decide if they want to be Italian or French citizens.

Every male, unless is exempts for a reason or other, is drafted for at least a year. If the male is a college student, he will join the army after he graduate..

Trish

If Italy handles this like Greece does he would not be allowed to spend more than 6 months in a calender year without risking conscription into the military. When entering Greece the immigration people seem to do something diffrent to my husbands passport than they do to mine although we both travel on Canadian ones.

We both have friends who have been in Greece for more than 6 months and have been contacted by the military, they have like two weeks to report for service or get out. The amazing thing is how they found them because they weren't staying at family property, so no one really knows.

Also on the back page of our Canadian passports they is a warning that says Canadian citizens with more than one nationality either through birth, descent or marrige are advised that while in the country of their nationality, they maybe suject to all laws, obligations particularly military service.

bardo

This is true if your parents were born in Iran and you were born in the US. That's why young Iranian-American males of military-draft age don't visit Iran. I have not heard this about Italy.

ferrier50

Thank you for all your replies.

My husband is a Canadian citizen, has a Canadian passport and was born here in Canada.

The Italian consulate here in Canada told him that because his father didn't get his citizenship until after he was born, then the Italian government considers my husband an Italian citizen - which means he's subject to all the laws re: citizenship and military service.

We told her that was insane and she said that unfortunately that's how the Italian government sees it. She said chances are slim that he'll be detained while he's in Italy - but of course she doesn't give us any guarantee.

We will be in Italy for 7 days next month. We want to be able to leave it when we choose.

I know it sounds crazy. We thought it was crazy, but apparently that's how the Italian government sees it. We're getting this information from the actual consulate.

If someone who's in a similar situation as my husband has travelled or travelling to Italy, could you tell me whether you encountered any problems or how you're dealing/dealt with them?

Thank you.