The state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, broke the record for issuing passports and granting citizenship to Italian nationals. In 2024, 14,238 passports were issued to Italian citizens residing in the state, being the highest number in the history of the Consulate General of Italy in Porto Alegre. In addition, the diplomatic office recognised 6,464 citizenships to descendants of Italians living in the state.
The Consul General of Italy in Rio Grande do Sul, Valerio Caruso, attributes the results to the investments made in the last two years, which aimed precisely to speed up and qualify consular services.
"It is an extraordinary result, the result of the work of an exceptional team, which demonstrates the commitment and professionalism of all the people in the Consulate," Caruso told Zero Hora.
In 2024, 150 citizens were served daily, with an average of 80 passports issued per day. The number of passports obtained last year was 5.4 per cent higher than in 2023, even with the consulate closed for a month due to flooding, being able to resume full services only two months later.
In the comparison with 2021, the growth was even 1,081%.
According to the consulate, around 4 million residents of Rio Grande do Sul would be entitled to apply for Italian citizenship. The recognised community is growing by 7% every year and the goal is to grant 10,000 new citizenships in the next two years.
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