EVER wanted to buy property abroad in a way that would give you huge tax breaks? Or breeze through 26 different countries as easily as going from state to state within the US?

Or how about being able to start up a business in a place that is foreign, yet at the same time so beautiful and familiar that it seems just like home?

You could raise a family or, if you are at that later stage in life, retire in safety and comfort in a nation that boasts the second-best health care system in the world.

If you've said "Yeah, I sure have!" to all or any of the above questions, here's how to go about achieving those particular ambitions – by applying to become a dual citizenship Italian-American.

For me, it began with a dream I had for many years as a child in America - a dream of travelling to Italy, the land of my great-grandparents' birth.

I grew up hearing my nonna speak about how her parents, my bisnonna and bisnonno,emigrated to the US after meeting in Piano di Coreglia, a small village in Tuscany.

They first settled in the North End of Boston and later moved out of the city, but they never really left Italy behind. They had chickens, fruit trees, a garden, and always spoke Italian. 

I dreamed for years of going to their native land and when I eventually did I was overcome with a sense of belonging and of being "home". Just hearing the language sounded so familiar, even though my own Italian was elementary.

And since then I have heard many Italian-Americans say exactly the same thing – that they grew up in the US but it is Italy that feels like home.

Hardly surprising, considering that almost 6% of the US population – 15.7 million people – identify themselves as Italian-Americans.

Did you know some 5.5 million Italians emigrated to the States between 1820 and 2004, mainly coming from southern regions such as Campania, Apulia and Sicily?

Italian-Americans proudly make up America's fourth-largest European ancestry group after the Germans, Irish and English – forming an unbreakable bond that stretches thousands of miles across the seas.

On that first visit of mine, after I had checked into a hotel in Rome's Centro Storico, I immediately set out to explore.

In minutes I stumbled into the Pantheon – my favourite historical site in the world – and it was here that I realized I had to find a way to live in Italy someday.

That same evening I learned I could be a candidate for Jure Sanguins, the scheme which allows people to apply for Italian citizenship through ancestry, and my path was decided.

Now, years later, I am thrilled to be an Italian-American dual citizen and work for Property Organiser. I am continuing to pursue my long-term goal of owning property in Italy while helping others achieve their own dreams.

In terms of residency, you will be able to stay in Italy or other European countries without VISA requirements.

When it comes to medical matters, Italy’s state healthcare is ranked second-best in the world by the World Health Organization.  If you are considering moving there with a young family or are thinking of retiring there, you can feel safe and secure in the knowledge that your healthcare needs will be met. 

If education is your goal, access to colleges and universities comes with lower tuition fees.  Many travel to Italy to study its language, its incomparable art and its incredible history.

With regards to working, as a citizen you will be entitled to obtain employment with no restrictions. You could even start up your own business! 

As one final bonus, you will be fully eligible to vote in national elections and have a say in government policy – something you are sure to be keenly interested in as a resident property owner.

Since I obtained dual citizenship a multitude of opportunities have opened up for me and my family.

Now I welcome the opportunity to share my experience and enthusiasm for pursuing Italian-Americandual citizenship with you – and to help you achieve your dreams too.