There's no trick to it at all.

To reduce the cost of their European vacation by the huge sums involved, all your parents would need to do is to change nationality to that of any of the EU nations, or take out dual nationality.

Oh, and perhaps they might participate in funding the scheme - paid for by the taxes levied on EU nationals - or do you expect us to subsidise their trip by picking up the tab for them?

Peter

It is quite interesting that in San Diego, there is indeed a way for Italian Americans who were born here with parents who were Italian nationals ( or grandparents even) to apply for Italian citizenship. We are thinking of applying, but it is a long process and we are all visiting Italy in November 2009.

Just checking about the discounts and so sorry they won't apply to us. You would think they would extend the discount to the US, where so many Italians fled famine and adversity to settle here. The Italian Americans are also keeping the old heritage alive.....there are more Italian festivals here than in Italy! Check out the Boston festival sites, or our Sicilian Festival here in San Diego at www.sicilianfesta.com.

Cheers!

You may find that the discount is extended to your parents and it is worth asking. We were given discounts for being over 60 at a few places (not many) and others asked if we were over 65 (oh dear!) so they may get it at some sites. It seems a bit variable.

I think you will find it EU citizens only, there has been a lot of theads on this subject,

Thank you for your kind response. They will try asking. Perhaps in November (low season) it might work. Greetings from San Diego, California!

it is not discrimination. It is just like out-of state tuition. Even if you grow up in that state and your parents still live there, if you move to another state, your kid has to pay out of state tuition in the state you grew up in.

Italians on the whole do not appear to give Italian-Americans an leg up in their estimations. In their minds the only true Italians are the people born and brought up in Italy. Italian Americans are just Americans to them and we might as well been born on Mars and become naturalized Americans in their eyes.

It is just another case of rules being different in different countries so when you travel you just follow the rules of the country in which you are visiting.

BTW senior citizens of any country can get senior discounts for movie theaters,hotels,museums etc here in the USA. They may be asked to prove their age, not their citizenship.

rarely will this be accorded and if then by mistake

it always fries me too because EVERY museum and attraction and public transport in the US gives its senior fares and tickets to any older person -- so the argument that it is about reciprocity is entirely bogus

just a way to shaft Americans

oh and pompous whines about 'how we pay taxes in the EU to support these museums' is also bogus -- we pay taxes in the US to support our museums as well -- they still give senior discounts to all seniors from the EU when they visit