Article 11 case - Istria / Italian citizenship / refugee history question
Hey all, I’m starting my applyication under Article 11 and have one issue I’m trying to get clarity on.
My mother was born in Borut, Istria in 1941, when it was part of Italy. I now have her official Croatian birth record confirming she and her parents lived there, but the registry office could not find her in the Croatian citizenship register.
The family left Borut around 1944, ended up as refugees in Trieste due to “war danger”, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1955. I have Arolsen refugee records documenting this, along with U.S. immigration/naturalization records and the complete lineage. The records identify the family as Italian.
My questions:
- Does her not being in the Croatian citizenship register create a problem for an Article 11 application?
- Does the family being documented as Italian matter if they were born and lived in what is now Croatia?
- Would using her father as the emigrant ancestor potentially make the case stronger since he was an adult resident of Borut?
- Should I be looking for zavičajnost/domovinstvo records for the family?
- How does the Borut to Trieste to U.S. refugee/emigration history affect Article 11 eligibility?
I’m trying to figure this out before I spend a bunch of money apostilling and translating everything. I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with a similar Istrian/Italian Article 11 case.
Thank you!