How to choose an Italian Citizenship Consultant - Essential tips

Hi everyone!

I want to talk about something that’s been worrying me a lot: unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly common for me to receive messages from people who are already in Italy facing very difficult situations — many of them with their application for citizenship stuck at the Comunes — mostly because they made mistakes by choosing “pseudo-professionals” who call themselves “Italian citizenship consultants” but don’t really understand how the Italian citizenship application process works, nor how public administration functions here in Italy, much less the level of responsibility that being a consultant involves.

Just in the past few weeks, I’ve received reports from people who arrived in Italy without having a place to stay; who ended up in an irregular situation because they didn’t file the Dichiarazione di Presenza on time or never applied for their Permesso di Soggiorno; or whose consultant disappeared after it was discovered he was evading taxes... Not to mention the many cases of people whose documents were never properly reviewed beforehand and who came to Italy with certificates containing errors that were ultimately rejected by the Comune.

So these people end up reaching out to me because they don’t know what to do or who to turn to in situations like that. And as much as I want to help them, my role as a consultant is not (and should not be) to “put out fires” or fix mistakes made by these “pseudo-professionals”.

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WHY CHOOSING THE RIGHT ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP CONSULTANT MATTERS

Working as a consultant carries a huge responsibility, because the application for citizenship is just the first step toward so many other dreams. Every time I sign a contract with a client, I tell myself that this person is placing their hopes and dreams in my hands — and for that reason, I simply cannot fail! Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way….

That’s why you — someone looking for a consultancy in Italy — need to understand that, above all, it’s your application that’s at stake. This is why it’s so important to carefully reflect before choosing someone to guide you on this journey. Citizenship recognition is something we go through only once in a lifetime, so it should be unique, meaningful — something you can be proud to remember and tell to future generations...

I truly believe there needs to be a genuine match — a mutual choice: the client decides to move forward with me because they trust my work, but I also need to learn a bit about their story and genuinely want to be part of it!

So… this post isn’t meant to be a rant — it’s meant to share some basic tips to help you choose the right person to walk with you through your application process, so that you can make informed and meaningful decisions.

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KEY TIPS FOR CHOOSING A CONSULTANT IN ITALY

1. Be cautious of consultants who promise fixed deadlines for your application in Italy. We deal with bureaucracy and public offices, which means it’s impossible to guarantee exactly how long a process will take. Of course, we can provide an estimate based on the timelines of recent clients, but every case is unique and may depend on factors outside a consultant’s control — for example, how long it takes for the Consulate to reply to the Non Rinuncia request.
   

2. Make sure the consultant has a registered Partita IVA (Italian tax ID), because without it, the person is not paying taxes legally in Italy, which could lead to trouble with the Italian tax authorities — and this could negatively impact your application. A legitimate professional offering services in Italy should also provide a written contract in Italian, properly drafted and registered. That way, both the client and the consultant are protected in case of disputes or breaches of contract. Of course, a translated version should also be provided for those who don’t speak Italian.
   

3. Be wary of consultants who are constantly on social media. If they’re truly working hard, how are they online all the time? The work of a citizenship consultant involves many time-consuming tasks — meeting clients at airports or train stations, going back and forth to the Comune, the Agenzia delle Entrate, the Questura… and so on.

I truly hope this post helps someone and prevents situations like the ones I mentioned from continuing to happen here in Italy. There are good and bad professionals everywhere — the key is taking the time to learn more about who you’re hiring.

If you’d like to know more about my work as a consultant, feel free to reach out by email: contato@buonvento.com.br.