Second Appointment: Citizenship Application

 "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet

Today I had my citizenship application appointment: the appointment where I turned in all the documents I collected, had Apostilled, translated, etc.  All my hard work is now in the hands of Gianluigi and Domenico.

Nicoletta (my translator) had all my paperwork in hand, sorted and ready to present at the town hall; she even took care of getting the proper revenue stamp (marca da bollo) to attach to the application form.  These revenue stamps (they’re actually stickers), which are required for a variety of Italian bureaucratic paperwork, are usually obtained at the tabaccheria.  Fun fact:  tobacco shops (also called tabacchi) aren’t just for smokers here; in addition to selling cigs and revenue stamps, they also sell newspapers, snacks, and SIM cards, too, among other things.  You can top-up your existing data plans at the tabacchi as well.

So I (that is, we) met Nicoletta at the municipio, and met with clerk Gianluigi (Domenico arrived later) to sign the forms in which I formally request citizenship recognition.  I also had to sign several other forms relating to some minor name spelling discrepancies in my documents, basically attesting that Cesare Pesaresi was the same person as Cesare Pesoresi (a misspelling on his US naturalization paperwork), and also the same person as Cesare Paseresi (a typo on his marriage license and marriage certificate), as well as the same person as Iazza Pizzaraza (even though this was corrected via court order - Gianluigi did ask for the story behind that name).  I also signed paperwork confirming that Alfonso Pesaresi (birth certificate name) was the same person as Alfonso P. Pesaresi (name on his death certificate), who was also the same person as Alfonso Peter Pesaresi (listed on his marriage certificate).  And yet another form about my mother’s name, as in some documents her middle name is listed in full, while other documents just list her middle initial, and yet others list no middle name or initial at all.  

Signing my official request

Nicoletta & Gianluigi, reviewing my paperwork below the counter

Clerk Domenico (the one with the LA Dodgers hat; I did not manage to get a photo of him today) arrived just after I signed my forms, so was also involved in reviewing my documentation.  He was much amused by the fact that Paolo is not my first and only husband, for some reason.  I explained to Nicoletta - who translated for him - that I had to kiss a few frogs before I met my prince.  I do not know what the equivalent expression is in Italian, but however he understood it, he thought that was hilarious.

I also showed them the cute picture of Cesare and me.  They were surprised that I actually had a photo with my LIRA (last Italy-registered ancestor)!

Now that I’ve made my official request (which is known as Istanza di riconoscimento del possesso dello status civitatis italiano), and supplied all the necessary documentation, the next step is to wait for the Italian Consulate located in Philadelphia to respond to the comune’s request for a non rinuncia check to verify that no one in my line ever formally went into the Consular Office to formally renounce their Italian citizenship.

Renunciation of Italian citizenship is a thing that theoretically could happen, but hardly ever does.  In fact, I’ve never heard of anyone actually doing it, or of anyone discovering that one of their ancestors did it.  But since it is possible to do, they have complete the check (note that obtaining US citizenship, as Cesare did, is not the same thing as renouncing Italian citizenship).  I’m fortunate that I only need a check from Philadelphia; my great grandfather, grandfather, mother, and I have all lived within the jurisdiction of just this one Consular region all our lives.

I was pleasantly surprised when Nicoletta informed me that the comune has already sent a request for the non rinuncia to the Consulate in Philadelphia; I was under the impression that they would not do so until after they’d received my application forms and documents.  It seems they did it in anticipation of my application; after all, it’s no secret to them why I am here.  Just one more way in which the people here are so kind and helpful!

Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing how long it will take Philadelphia to respond to the request.  They could reply in two weeks; they could send an answer in two months; they’re Philadelphia and they do what they want.  From what I’ve discovered in my research, Philadelphia has been slow in responding lately, but I will think positively and hope they send their reply sooner rather than later.  Not that we are in any hurry to leave here!  

Before we left the town hall, I made a point of asking Domenico (through Nicoletta) how he came into possession of an LA Dodgers hat.  He explained that another citizenship applicant in his hometown gave it to him (as I came to understand it, he was - or perhaps, still is - the clerk for another town as well as this one).  Hmmmm…I need to find a way to get a Phillies hat for him!

And now we wait…