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Thousands of Britons, many from South Asian communities who initially sought EU citizenship for UK settlement, now face uncertainty as Italy tightens its rules on ancestry claims, Daily Dazzling Dawn understand.
Before Brexit, just a few days prior, thousands of families from the immigrant community, including Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis, were coming to Britain in droves to settle permanently after obtaining citizenship in Italy and other parts of Europe. Due to various reasons such as economic factors, social aspects, and children's education, the flow from Europe was towards Britain. Now, a significant number of Britons, including those who followed this route, are facing an uncertain future after Italy's government suddenly moved to tighten its citizenship application rules based on ancestry.
Up until this abrupt change, individuals with a proven Italian ancestor born on or after 17 March 1861 could readily apply for Italian citizenship. This pathway was particularly attractive to those seeking the benefits of EU citizenship, including the right to live and work freely in the UK post-Brexit. Many British residents, including those from South Asian communities who had established lives in the UK, invested considerable time and money in tracing their Italian heritage and navigating the application process.
However, Italy's recent urgent decree proposes a significant shift, limiting citizenship by bloodline (jure sanguinis) to those with an Italian grandparent or parent born in Italy, or an Italian parent who resided in Italy for at least two continuous years. This new regulation, if successful, effectively slams the door on countless applicants who were relying on more distant Italian ancestors.
The news has been met with dismay and anger by those already deep into the application process. Many have dedicated years to researching their family history, poring over archives, learning the Italian language, and even visiting their ancestral homes in Italy. The prospect that these efforts, along with the thousands of pounds often spent on legal fees and documentation, could now be in vain has left families feeling betrayed and in limbo.
Dan Deefholts, a 26-year-old from Croydon, South London, and his mother, Sarah, are among those whose dreams have been thrown into disarray. Mr. Deefholts had envisioned a future living and working in Italy once his citizenship was granted. "My heart sank to the bottom of my stomach when I found out," he said, expressing a sentiment shared by many in similar situations. "History has been rewritten for us as descendants of Italian immigrants, who worked hard when they came to the UK. To be told that that isn’t important at all is really morally wrong. It feels like our existence isn’t important to Italy."
Echoing this frustration, Mr. Deefholts added, "It made me feel very angry and emotional and it’s all a bit unfair. We’ve found out so much about our past and filled in the gaps in our story." He and his mother had meticulously traced their lineage back to his third great-grandfather, who hailed from Campania before moving to Camberwell in 1891. This journey of discovery, now potentially rendered meaningless for citizenship purposes, underscores the personal investment and emotional connection these applicants have with their Italian roots.
The Italian government has yet to fully clarify the reasoning behind this sudden change in policy. However, the urgent nature of the decree suggests a potential desire to streamline the citizenship process or perhaps address concerns about the number of applications being processed. Regardless of the motivation, the impact on Britons who had legitimately pursued citizenship under the previous rules is significant, leaving them in a state of uncertainty and potentially jeopardizing their long-term plans in the UK and their connection to their European heritage.
