THE NEW LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
By B1 Certificate for Italian Citizenship, it is necessary to have some of these certificates granted by the Italian government as official, these are the following: CILS, CELI, IT and PLIDA are the official qualifications to certify the candidates competence in the Italian.
As of December 2018, one of these 4 tests is required by the Italian Government in order to apply for Italian Citizenship.The minimum level required is B1 as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It certifies that candidates are independent users of the Italian language and can:
- understand the main points of information in conversations and texts on familiar matters relating to work, school and leisure time, etc. when clear, standard language is used
- deal with most situations typically encountered when travelling in Italian-speaking countries
- express yourself simply and coherently when talking about familiar topics and areas of personal interest
- report on experiences and events, describe dreams, hopes and ambitions as well as make short statements and explanations.
Who can apply for the B1 Certificate of Italian Citizenship by Marriage?
Italian citizenship through marriage or civil union to an Italian citizen is regulated by Articles 5, 6, 7 and 8 of Law n. 91 of 1992 on Italian Citizenship. The non-Italian Spouse married to an Italian citizen can apply for Italian citizenship by marriage after:
- Two years from the marriage/civil union, if residing in Italy. This term is reduced by half if the couple has children under the age of 18, or when children are legally adopted by the couple.
- Foreign nationals that reside outside Italy are eligible to apply for Italian citizenship by marriage three years after the date of marriage/civil union to an Italian Citizen. The term is reduced by half if the couple has children under the age of 18 or when children are legally adopted by the couple.
What it means to obtain the B1 Certificate Italian?
The Italian level B1 is the third level of Italian in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a definition of the different language levels stated by the Council of Europe. In other words, those who have reached a B1 language level have a level of Italian that is beyond the basics but still not perfect. He or she can interact with the Language on a day-to-day basis, deal with most of the situations on a trip to Italy, describe personal experiences, events, or aspirations, and express his opinions briefly. The Italian B1 level language certificate is a document which shows Italian linguistic competency according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (also known as CEFR or CEF or CEFRL).
This certificate will demonstrate to the Italian government that you will be able to function with day to day tasks in Italian as a potential Italian citizen. The B1 certificate can also be useful to people who may be interested in studying in Italy since many courses/programs require a certificate in order to see that the prospective student will be able to understand the course material. Those of you who may be interested in finding work in Italy or another European nation where the Italian language may be necessary, you may be required to present a B1 level certificate (or above) for consideration as a potential candidate. Fortunately, by acquiring Italian citizenship, Italian nationality gives you the option to reside and legally work in Italy without restriction and also gives you much more accessibility to jobs and education across the European Union.
What are the most recognized Italian language certifications?
As of December 4, 2018 (Law No. 132 of December 1, 2018), it is a prerequisite for the granting of Italian citizenship, pursuant to Articles 5 and 9 of Law 91/92, the possession of an adequate knowledge of the Italian language not lower than level B1 of the Common Frame of Reference for language knowledge. The verification of this requirement must be carried out through the acquisition of a qualification issued by a public or equal educational institution or a certification issued by a certifying body. At the moment they can be considered certifying bodies, belonging to the unified certification system CLIQ (Certificazione Lingua Italiana di Qualità), possibly in collaboration with the local Italian Institutes of Culture:
- University for Foreigners of Siena
- University for Foreigners of Perugia
- Roma Tre University
- Dante Alighieri Society
Therefore, certificates of a level not lower than B1 issued by the above-mentioned institutions can be considered valid according to the above-mentioned regulations. We would say that the CILS certification is most recognized worldwide as it is the most significant number of examination centers worldwide spread, like Italian schools, universities, or other types of institutions. The CILS offers the citizenship applicants the possibility to take a specific certification tailored to their needs, the B1 Cittadinanza.
How does the B1 for Citizenship differ from the regular B1 Test?
This exam has been specially designed for all the applicants that need to obtain the Italian Certification for Citizenship. It thus has a focus on the communicative aspects that the potential passport holder might incur in. The B1 Citizenship Test includes a reduced number of tasks than the regular B1 exam (two listening tasks, two reading tasks, one speaking task, and one writing task) and takes 2 hours instead of 5. The CILS B1 for Citizenship differs from the regular B1 because it has to be passed in full. In fact, in the regular CILS exam, allow the applicants to retake only those parts of the exam that were not passed (e.g., listening and writing).
The B1 exam for citizenship is necessary for those who have to present documentation to the Questura (federal police), it is not useful for work and/or academic purposes. For those who need the B1 certification for work and/or academic purposes, it is necessary to take the B1 exam.
How to prepare for the exams
To pass the language exams for university admission, it is not necessary to follow a specific course, with specific contents or a specific method. What is important is to be well prepared in both writings and in speaking. Since both parts must be passed in order to pass the overall exam, training (or simply revision) may be necessary, focusing more on certain aspects than others. Our courses are highly customizable according to your needs. Are you in need of just a recap, or are you still far from the level you’d like to be and in need of an intensive course? Do you prefer to study in a group or take private lessons? During exam preparation, exam sessions will also be simulated, using old exam papers. By doing practice exam papers, you will get used to what’s expected, the exam sequence, and the time provided to complete it.
B1 Preparation for Online Citizenship
If you are looking for a highly flexible solution, online preparation is unmatched. If you are short on time, you can choose individual lessons. If you want to study with other students from all over the world, you can choose group courses.
What a B1 Italian language test consist of?
All of the B1 Italian Language Exams consist of 5 parts.
- A listening section
- A reading section
- A writing section
- A speaking section
- A communication section
However, one task’s specifics and lengths may change from one type of exam to another.
How much time do you need to prepare for the exam?
It all depends on your level. If you are an absolute beginner in Italian, it might take from 5 to 18 months, depending on your time commitment and native language. If you already have an intermediate level, it might take you a month to handle how the exam works. In both circumstances, when it comes to taking a language certification, what matters is not just the knowledge of the required grammar and vocabulary but a good understanding of how the test is structured. Usually, it is possible to take the exam in all the CILS centers around the world.
List of the topics to learn to pass a test at the B1 level in Italian
A1 – A2 Italian grammar topics
- Present Indicative
- Passato Prossimo Indicative
- Imperfetto Indicative
- Imperative
- Present Conditional
B1 Italian grammar topics
- Direct and indirect pronouns
- Double pronouns (me lo, te la..)
- The pronouns CI and NE
- The possessive adjectives
- The use of the imperfect and past tense
- The future tense past and present,
- The correct use of articles and prepositions
- The conditional tense, past, and present
- Indefinite adjectives (qualche, alcuni, nessuno)
- Comparatives (più buono, più bello)
- Subjunctives (present and imperfect tense)
List of oral topics
- Talking about your work
- Talking about your vacations
- Talking about your personal life
- Discuss your education
- Talk about your hobbies, like favorite music, film, sport or book
- Talking about the environment
- talk about your television viewing habits and favorite programs.
- Talking about relationships
- describe your education and your plans for future training.
