Gizane Campos On March 28, 2025, the Italian government introduced a new Decree-Law No. 36, bringing major changes to its citizenship by descent (“iure sanguinis”) rules. Before this change, people could get Italian citizenship if they could prove they had an Italian ancestor who was born or passed away in Italy after 1861.
The new law restricts Italian citizenship by descent to just two generations, meaning only children or grandchildren of Italian citizens can claim citizenship. Therefore, if your Italian ancestry goes further back than your grandparents, you may no longer qualify. The law also requires applicants to have an “effective bond” (vincolo effettivo) with Italy, such as living in the country recently or having direct family ties there.
The Italian government made this change due to the overwhelming number of citizenship applications. An estimated amount of 80 million people worldwide could be eligible for Italian citizenship by descent. This figure is based on the global Italian diaspora, which includes descendants of Italian immigrants, especially in countries like Argentina, Brazil, the United States, and other regions with larger Italian communities.
New Requirements for Italian Citizenship by Descent
These are the changes to Italian citizenship by descent that are now part of Decree-Law No. 36, adopted on March 28, 2025.
- Italian citizenship by descent is now restricted to two generations, meaning only those with a parent or grandparent born in Italy can apply.
- If the applicant’s parent acquired Italian citizenship by descent, this parent should have lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years before the birth of the applicant.
- If your Italian citizenship was officially recognized (by court or government) before March 27, 2025, at 11:59 PM (Rome time), you can still qualify.
- The applicant has at least one parent or grandparent who was born in Italy.
Applications Submitted by March 27, 2025: Those who submitted their applications on or before March 27, 2025, will have their cases processed under the previous regulations. This means that if your application was filed by this date, it will be evaluated based on the laws that were in effect at the time of submission.
The law also makes it harder to prove eligibility for citizenship and an Italian passport. Applicants can no longer use sworn statements or testimonies as proof in court. Instead, they must provide official documents and show that there are no legal barriers to their citizenship claim.
The law is not yet final, and there will be more updates on the government’s decisions in the future.
Is it still possible to obtain Italian citizenship if the family connection is more distant?
Right now, a decree law is in effect. We need to wait for the bill to be approved to see if there will be other ways to obtain Italian citizenship through distant family connections.
How will this new law the Italian citizenship by descent application process?
Residents abroad will no longer apply through consulates. Instead, they will apply through a special centralized office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina). There will be a transition period of about a year to set up this office.
Alternative Routes to Italian Citizenship
Aside of obtaining citizenship through descent in Italy there are also other routes to explore, which include:
Citizenship through residency: To obtain Italian citizenship through residency, you must legally reside in Italy for 10 years. The process begins with obtaining a visa to enter the country. After five years of continuous legal residence, you become eligible for permanent residency. Once you have legally lived in Italy for 10 years, you can apply for Italian citizenship, provided you meet other requirements such as financial stability and integration into Italian society.
To start the residency process, individuals must first obtain a visa. Italy offers several options, including:
- Italy Golden Visa: This visa is designed for investors who wish to obtain Italian residency by making a qualifying investment. Applicants can invest in government bonds, innovative startups, or businesses that contribute to Italy’s economy.
- Italy Elective Residence Visa: This visa is ideal for retirees or financially independent individuals who want to live in Italy without working. Applicants must prove they have sufficient financial resources to support themselves without needing employment in the country.
- Italy Digital Nomad Visa: This visa is intended for remote workers and freelancers who work for clients or employers outside of Italy. It allows digital professionals to live in Italy while continuing their work for foreign companies.
Under Article 9 of Law 91/1992, individuals can apply for Italian citizenship after three years of legal residence in Italy if they are descendants of the second generation of Italians who became citizens of another country. This rule applies to those who do not qualify for Italian citizenship by descent but still have Italian ancestry.
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