EU Citizenship - at what length?

[nzwasp]

I found out last night that I am and so are the rest of my family eligible for EU Citizenship (Italian ) as my great-great-grandfather was born in Italy and never renounced his Italian Citizenship, Italy has a rule whereby if one of your ancestors was ever a citizen and never renounced their citizenship before death or when moving to another country then you have the right to be an Italian as well. However the process to get that is to get every birth, marriage and death certificate for every ancestor back to the source which sounds like an enormous task.

[revelations]

I would suggest starting the process - not because you want to go to Italy, but because it allows you much more EU freedom, if you wanted to visit/live/work etc.

[littledan]

Could be very advantageous in certain situations. For example, my wife took post secondary in the uk and her tuition was something like 30k cdn per year. Her friend, also from Canada, had EU citizenship and the tuition was around $5k cdn per year.

[nzwasp]

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I would suggest starting the process - not because you want to go to Italy, but because it allows you much more EU freedom, if you wanted to visit/live/work etc.

Would love to live in Spain. My job actually allows me the freedom to work in teams all across the world. The problem is having the ability to work in those countries.

[tonytiger55]

Its not a bad idea if you intend to travel a lot when you retire. The passports might make it easier

[nzwasp]

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Its not a bad idea if you intend to travel a lot when you retire. The passports might make it easier

Ever since Canada said you must leave Canada and return to Canada on your Canadian passport I have no idea how useful any other passport would be.

[rage2]

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Ever since Canada said you must leave Canada and return to Canada on your Canadian passport I have no idea how useful any other passport would be.

Faster lines at EU airports.

Other than that, EU travel makes no difference since it’s visa free for Canadians up to 3 months or something. So if you want to stay longer, then it’d be useful.

The advantages are elsewhere. Right to work, kids education, health care. Can prob get vaccine quicker in EU haha.

[davidI]

I would definitely get it. Never hurts to have a plan B. Plus, I've always wanted to travel to Iran which isn't easily done on a US or Canadian passport.

I think I'm eligible for a Spanish Citizenship after a year I think but I'd have to renounce my Canadian Citizenship (to the Spanish gov't, not the Canadian gov't - so I'm not sure there's any practical impact in doing so) but I'll certainly be looking into that further.

[Gainsbarre]

Absolutely go for another passport that's available to you if you plan on travelling outside Canada and the USA. I finally got my British passport 9 years ago (father is from Scotland) and I take it with me every time I travel outside Canada or the USA. Not all passports are created equally, and the British passport has paid for itself many times over as it has helped me save hundreds in visa fees. For instance, I used my British passport in places such as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Armenia, Kuwait, Australia, and Vietnam - all places that charged me no visa fee for my British passport, but I would have incurred a fee if I had used my Canadian passport. Some places like Turkey and Laos charged me a significantly lower visa fee because I used my British passport instead of the Canadian one.

Visa policies are constantly in flux (e.g. Brazil no longer charges visa fees for Canadians) but it's always handy to have another passport imo.

[nzwasp]

Im not actually sure how the last 5 generations of my family never thought to get this. But my dad's side of the family puts alot of shit into the too hard basket and then would never bother. Luckily for me one of the relatives went to Italy and tracked down most of the info to make a comprehensive family tree and so it should be relatively easier to get the documentation needed. Seems like their is a big support group online of people doing the same thing.

[ExtraSlow]

Worth doing if you ever want toive, work or study in Europe, or your kids might.

[Tik-Tok]

Interesting. My grandmother was Italian by birth, wouldn't be that hard to get the info.

Edit: Nope. Paternal lines only, she was my mother's mother, so I'm excluded.

[gmc72]

I have thought of getting my British Passport many time (was actually born there), but have never followed through. Still might.

[nzwasp]

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Interesting. My grandmother was Italian by birth, wouldn't be that hard to get the info.

The catch is she would of had to be a dual citizen (never renounced her italian citizenship)

[mrsingh]

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I have thought of getting my British Passport many time (was actually born there), but have never followed through. Still might.

Is there any advantage to getting one after Brexit? I have dual citizenship, but haven't bothered to get a new British passport, mine expired when I was a kid.

[revelations]

The thing with options like these is that you cannot predict what situation you will be in 10 years. You want to have as many options as possible. The EU passport might appear to be moot, but in 10 years time some rare opportunity could be available to EU passport holders, that's not today. Canada and US are heading towards money printing/insolvency and keeping long term options open allows you more flexibility.

For eg. you could apply for a negative interest rate loan in some situations from an EU country (need to have assets invested there, though).

[killramos]

However bankrupt Canada and the US gets, it’s kindof hilarious to think the EU won’t be in markedly worse shape.

[revelations]

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However bankrupt Canada and the US gets, it’s kindof hilarious to think the EU won’t be in markedly worse shape.

The options for EU citizens will be different than for us.

EU is going to suffer, yes - but not necessarily the same as we will (maybe worse in some ways, less in others?).

[haggis88]

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Is there any advantage to getting one after Brexit? I have dual citizenship, but haven't bothered to get a new British passport, mine expired when I was a kid.

I don't know if I'll renew my British Passport either, kinda seems pointless especially when my wife has to wait in the international line anyway

[Kobe]

I'd highly recommend getting it.

When i was around 15, I went to Poland and renewed my passport from childbirth.

if I remember correctly the process was I first had to get my "ID Card" and then used that to get my passport.

I was in Europe for over 180 days then, and I was coming back to Canada and tried to use my canadian passport and they started to tell me i overstayed my visa so I gave them my EU passport and they let me go by, I always just use the EU lineups as well.

Leaving Canada I use my Canadian passport
Entering Poland I use my Polish passport.
Leaving Poland I use my Polish passport.
Entering Canada I use my Canadian passport.

Hopefully this is ok to do, but i've done it a few times and never had any issues.

I'd get it then if you don't need it don't renew it till you actually need it again and when you go to Italy just have it renewed then if you want.

If you have the opportunity to get a dual citizenship you should always take it I think.

When i went to Visit poland after they made me do some army tests, I was forced to go there, and at the end of it I said I'm a canadian citizen and I have the right to choose and that was it, got my little booklet (has to stay in poland) but I would never have to fight for Poland in a war if it became mandatory.