GETTING STARTED

We’re happy to welcome you to Now Citizens! Here is a general overview covering the basics of our services when you sign up for one of our plans. This information is specifically for Irish Now and Italian Now Compass Plans and Elite Plans, not a la carte services.

ALL ASSISTANCE PLANS

• Payment plans are available, simply select Klarna or AfterPay at checkout to begin the process. A soft credit check is required. Rates start at 0% interest, but increase depending on your credit score.

• Family add-ons can be purchased any time within 6 months of signing up for your assistance plan. You will receive a link in your welcome email to purchase the add-on, or you can navigate to the add-on button located on the plan purchase page.

• Once the checkout process has been completed, you will be immediately presented with the next step: submit your family line information. Our team will use this information to locate relevant documentation required for your citizenship process.

• Be sure to check your email! You will be assigned a genealogist and receive a welcome email to introduce them. Your welcome email will also provide a link to eSign your service agreement. Electronic signature is required, work on your file will not begin until this step is completed. You can review the service agreement here. This service agreement is generic and intended to cover all Irish Now and Italian Now assistance plans.

• Your assigned genealogist will be your direct point of contact for all document, apostille, and translation related inquiries. They can also provide recommendations for third-party service providers if you are interested in hiring an attorney or applying through a town in Italy.

• Now Citizens cannot make appointments at consulates on your behalf. This includes both citizenship and passport appointments. We can provide tips and tricks as assistance to help you secure an appointment on your own.

• The time it takes to complete the document collection process is primarily dependant on various government entities speed to process requests. Where naturalization records are required, the United States Central Immigration Service (USCIS) averages over a year to procure documentation.

• If online scans of naturalization records cannot be located in advance, a USCIS index search might be required. The index search averages over a year to return results. Once results are returned, an order can be placed.

• When documentation of no-naturalization is required, a Certificate of Non-Existence (CONE) currently averages 8 months for the USCIS to procure.

COMPASS PLANS

Your assigned genealogist will research your line, then begin building your Compass Step-by-Step guide. During this process, they will prefill all vital record request forms for you. Where online ordering is required, detailed instructions will be provided in your guide.

On average, it will take 10 to 15 business days for your genealogist to complete your guide. As every family is different, there is no exact guarantee or deadline. It is always our goal to complete your guide as quickly as possible!

It will be your responsibility to print, sign, and mail the request forms. Certain states require vital record requests to be notarized. If you require notarization, Now Citizens has partnered with Blossom Notary to conveniently notarize forms via video call from the comfort of your own home.

We ask that you scan and email copies of every vital record and apostille you receive. We will use these scans to review the document and suggest corrections or amendments where necessary. If you purchase the Irish Now Compass Plan, Italian Now Compass+ Plan or Italian Now Compass Short & Simple Plan, we will also use these scans to translate records when required.

Now Citizens does not provide document collection on behalf of clients on Compass Plans, including for Italian birth and marriage records. If you are unable to retrieve a record, your assigned genealogist will provide further assistance options.

Some states do not allow descendants to gather records, even if the named person is long deceased. Where necessary, a third-party attorney can be contracted to petition a court order. A court order is a legal process to request permission to obtain vital records. The county or state court issues an approval document, allowing you to obtain the vital records. It is important to note that the court order process comes at a considerable cost, and is not covered in your Compass Plan.

ELITE PLANS

Your assigned genealogist will begin by emailing a limited power of attorney form. This limited power of attorney will grant your genealogist the permission to gather vital records that you are entitled to. It will require notarization and two witnesses to be present. Now Citizens has partnered with Blossom Notary to conveniently notarize forms via video call from the comfort of your own home. Witnesses must be present at the time of your call, and must join the video notarization session from separate devices. Blossom Notary can provide two witnesses for an additional fee if you are unable to do so. You are also welcome to use your own notary. Many banks can provide notarization services and two witnesses.

Some states do not recognize power of attorney as a valid means for obtaining vital records on behalf of someone. Depending on the age of the vital record, an additional verification document issued by the state, county, or city might be required. Your genealogist will provide instructions when necessary.

Some states do not allow descendants to gather records, even if the named person is long deceased. Where necessary, a third-party attorney can be contracted to petition a court order. A court order is a legal process to request permission to obtain vital records. The county or state court will issue an approval document, allowing you to obtain the vital records. It is important to note that the court order process comes at a considerable cost, and is not covered in your Elite Plan.

Your assigned genealogist will create a status tracking portal where you can follow along with what has been ordered, received, apostilled, and translated. Scans of records will be uploaded for you to view and download. A one-time use sign up link will be emailed directly to you by your genealogist. Any add-ons will receive a separate one-time use link to create their own account.

Once you’ve set up your account, you can access the portal at any time here.

Fees incurred by various government entities or third-parties will be itemized on an invoice that you can review and pay at any time from your status tracker.

After all documents have been gathered, your genealogist will organise them neatly into a binder. Once your outstanding invoice for third-party fees has been paid, Now Citizens will mail your completed binder to an address of your choice. This can be your home, a P.O. Box, a rental in Italy, or your chosen attorney’s office when the legal process is involved.