Every year, a lot of people look for guidance on how to get Italian citizenship. Some want to reconnect with Italian heritage. Others are after the practical side of European Union citizenship: the freedom to live, work, and study across 27 member states. For many applicants it is both, a link to family history and a status that opens up the EU.
Quick Answer: Italian citizenship is available through descent (€600 consular fee per adult), marriage (2 years of legal residence in Italy after the wedding, or 3 years if you live abroad, halved with children; €250) or residence (10 years for most non-EU nationals, 4 for EU citizens, 2 for foreigners with an Italian parent or grandparent; €250). For applications filed after 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025, people born abroad who hold another citizenship can be recognised by descent only through a parent or grandparent who holds (or held at death) only Italian citizenship, or an Italian parent who lived in Italy for 2 years before their birth. B1 Italian is required for the marriage and residence routes, not for descent. The legal time limits are 36 months for a consular descent decision and 24 months, extendable to 36, for marriage and residence; court cases often take several years.
Italy recently reformed its citizenship laws. The amendments adjusted who qualifies, especially for citizenship by descent, and spelled out what new applicants have to do. The framework has shifted enough that you need to check the current requirements before you start an application.
This guide covers the recognised routes to Italian citizenship (by descent, by marriage, and by residency). It explains the law as it stands in 2026, the documents you will need, and the problems applicants run into most often.
The Three Pathways to Italian Citizenship
There are three main routes to Italian citizenship: descent, marriage, or residency. Each one has its own eligibility rules, timeframes, and requirements.
| Pathway | Who Qualifies | Residency Required | Language Test | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| By Descent | Children/grandchildren of Italian citizens | None | No | €600 |
| By Marriage | Spouses of Italian citizens | 2–3 years married | B1 Italian | €250 |
| By Residency | Long-term residents | 4–10 years | B1 Italian | €250 |
What Is Italian Citizenship?
Italian citizenship is governed mainly by Law No. 91 of 5 February 1992, which sets the rules for acquiring, recognising, and losing nationality. It rests on the principle of jus sanguinis ("right of blood"), so citizenship has traditionally passed from parent to child wherever the child is born. Since 2025, people born abroad who hold another citizenship must also meet the art. 3-bis conditions described below.
Unlike countries with broad jus soli rules, being born in Italy does not by itself make you a citizen unless certain conditions are met. The biggest recent change is Decree-Law 36/2025, in force since 29 March 2025 and converted with amendments by Law 74/2025, which narrowed citizenship by descent. Law 11/2026 then changed how consulates handle descent applications: yearly intake caps per consulate, a 36-month time limit, and a central Foreign Ministry office for adults living abroad from 1 January 2029.
Italy also allows dual citizenship. You do not have to renounce your existing nationality when you acquire Italian citizenship, as long as your other country's laws also permit holding both.
How Do You Get Italian Citizenship by Descent?
New 2026 Rules
Until recently, Italian citizenship by descent had no generational limit. This changed with Decreto-Legge 36/2025 (28 March 2025), converted into Law No. 74/2025 (23 May 2025), which narrowed eligibility:
- Parent or grandparent test: a person born abroad who holds another citizenship is treated as never having acquired Italian citizenship unless a parent or grandparent holds, or held at the time of death, exclusively Italian citizenship (art. 3-bis(c)), an Italian parent lived in Italy for 2 years before the birth, or the application was filed by 27 March 2025. In practice this limits new claims to two generations.
- Exclusivity, not birthplace: the test is whether that parent or grandparent holds, or held at death, only Italian citizenship. Having been born in Italy is not enough on its own if they also held another nationality.
- The "minor issue": in July 2026 the Corte di Cassazione's joint civil divisions (Sezioni Unite, judgment 24045/2026) held that a child born abroad to an Italian parent in a country that grants citizenship by birth there was a dual citizen from birth and kept Italian citizenship even if the parent naturalised while the child was a minor. Only a minor who held Italian citizenship alone, and lived with that parent, could lose it with the parent (Corte di Cassazione).
Parent's Italian residence: even without a qualifying parent or grandparent above, you may still qualify if a parent or adoptive parent was an Italian citizen who lived in Italy for at least two continuous years before your birth or adoption (Law 74/2025).
Examples
- Eligible: your grandmother holds, or held at her death, only Italian citizenship (she never took another nationality), and the line from her to you is unbroken (if your parent was born before 1 January 1948, recognition through her needs a court claim)
- Not eligible on a new application: your only Italian link is a great-grandparent, because only a parent or grandparent can meet the exclusive-citizenship test
- Not eligible on a new application: your Italian grandfather was born in Italy but also became a US citizen, your parent was born in the US, and your parent never lived in Italy for 2 years before your birth
Grandfathered Applications:
Applications filed with the consulate or comune, with the required documents, by 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025, applications filed on the day of an appointment that was communicated by that time, and court claims filed by that time are decided under the previous rules (art. 3-bis(a), (a-bis) and (b)). Keep copies of your booking confirmations and submission receipts.
Minor children's deadline, 31 May 2029:
Parents with jure sanguinis citizenship recognised on an application or court claim filed by 27 March 2025 can file declarations for children who were minors on 24 May 2025 until 31 May 2029 (extended from 31 May 2026 by Decree-Law 200/2025) to preserve their rights under the previous rules.
The 1948 Rule (Court Cases)
Before 1948, Italian women could not pass citizenship to children born before 1 January 1948. Descendants affected by this could pursue recognition through the Italian courts, which historically upheld claims based on constitutional equality. Court claims filed by 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025 are still decided under the old law. The 2025 reform (Law 74/2025) now restricts descent claims in general, and in 2026 the Constitutional Court upheld the reform (judgment no. 63/2026), so this route is narrower than it used to be; a related EU-law question referred to the EU Court of Justice in July 2026 was still pending in October 2026. Get current legal advice before relying on it.
Where to Apply: Consulate vs Comune vs Court
| Venue | Who Can Apply | Wait Time | Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consulate | Applicants abroad | Legal limit 36 months; yearly intake capped per consulate until the end of 2028 | €600 per adult applicant |
| Comune | Residents in Italy | Varies by comune | Comune contribution of up to €600 per adult |
| Court | 1948 cases, denial of justice | Often several years | €600 court fee per claimant + legal fees |
Costs and Timelines
Application Fee
€600 per adult at a consulate; €600 court fee per claimant
Apostilles
€5–50/doc
Translations
€30–150/page
1948 Legal Fees
$6,000–15,000+
Rough total budgets (estimates, not official figures):
- DIY consulate application: $1,000–5,000
- With professional assistance: $5,000–15,000+
- 1948 court cases: $6,000–20,000+
- Comune route (including relocation): $10,000–25,000+
Italian Citizenship by Descent Guide
Read Full Guide
How Do You Get Italian Citizenship by Marriage?
Spouses of Italian citizens may apply after:
- 2 years of legal residence in Italy after the marriage (1 year with children)
- 3 years from the date of the marriage if you live abroad (1.5 years with children)
You will need a B1 Italian language certificate, a valid marriage registered in Italy, and a clean criminal record. The fee is €250, and the legal time limit for a decision is 24 months, extendable to 36.
Language exemption: following Constitutional Court judgment no. 25/2025 (deposited 7 March 2025), applicants who cannot reach B1 Italian because of age, a serious illness, or a disability, certified by a public health authority, are exempt from the language requirement. This applies to both the residency and marriage routes.
Documents Required
- Italian marriage extract
- Applicant's birth certificate (apostilled, translated)
- Criminal records from all countries since age 14
- B1 Italian certificate
- Spouse's ID and AIRE registration
- Proof of residence
Italian Citizenship by Marriage Guide
Read Full Guide
How Do You Get Italian Citizenship by Residency?
Residency requirements vary by status:
| Applicant Type | Years Required | Other Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Non-EU nationals | 10 years | Clean record, income, B1 Italian |
| EU nationals | 4 years | Clean record, income, B1 Italian |
| Refugees/stateless | 5 years | Recognition of status, B1 Italian |
| Italian descendants | 2 years | Parent/grandparent was Italian |
Applications go through the Ministero dell'Interno online portal.
Italy Golden Visa Guide
Read Full Guide
What Alternative Pathways Exist?
- Territories ceded to Yugoslavia: Law 124/2006 (arts 17-bis and 17-ter of Law 91/1992) recognises former Italian citizens who lived in territories ceded to Yugoslavia under the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty or the 1975 Osimo Treaty, and their descendants of Italian language and culture. The separate route for former Austro-Hungarian territories (Law 379/2000) has expired.
- Distinguished Service: Citizenship by Presidential Decree for exceptional contributions to Italy (no residence required)
What Documents Do You Need?
Post-March 2025 Applications
If you were born abroad and hold another citizenship, you need proof that a parent or grandparent holds, or held at death, only Italian citizenship, or that your Italian parent lived in Italy for 2 continuous years before your birth. Evidence can include:
- Negative certificates of citizenship from other countries
- Certificates of renunciation of foreign citizenship
- Non-enrolment in foreign electoral registers
- Historical residence certificates (2+ years in Italy)
Document Freshness
- Apostilles: Do not expire
- Birth/death certificates: No expiration
- Criminal records: Within 3–6 months
Translation Types
| Type | When Required | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Certified/Straight | US consulates | €30–60/page |
| Consulate-Legalised | Applications in Italy | €50–100/page |
| Court Sworn | 1948 judicial cases | €80–150/page |
Apostille Exemptions
- USCIS/NARA documents: No apostille needed at US consulates if kept sealed
- Vienna Convention: Multilingual extracts from 23 signatory countries exempt
- Italian documents: No apostille needed for use in Italy
What Is the Application Timeline?
- Step 1 (1–2 weeks): Confirm eligibility and identify issues
- Step 2 (3–12 months): Collect documents, apostilles, translations
- Step 3 (1–2 months): Assemble dossier
- Step 4 (Variable): Book appointment or file case
- Step 5 (Same day): Submit and pay fees
- Step 6 (up to 36 months): Application review
- Step 7 (1–6 months): Decision issued
- Step 8 (1–2 months): Oath (marriage and residence routes only) and passport
What Mistakes Should You Avoid?
- Name/date discrepancies: Spelling variations between certificates
- Missing records: Lost or destroyed documents
- No apostille/translation: Documents rejected without proper legalisation
- Naturalisation conflicts: Ancestor naturalised before next birth
- Consulate caps: until the end of 2028 each consulate accepts only a capped number of adult descent applications a year (Law 11/2026), so appointments can be scarce
- Missing criminal checks: Need records from every country since age 14
What Happens After You Get Citizenship?
Italian citizens get visa-free travel to a large number of countries, plus the freedom to live, work, and study across the EU. If you live abroad, you must register with AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero).
Tax Considerations
Citizenship does not make you a tax resident. Italy taxes by residence, not nationality. Since 2024 you are an Italian tax resident if, for most of the tax year (more than 183 days, counting parts of days), you have your residence or your domicile in Italy (the place where your personal and family relationships mainly develop), or you are physically present there. Being registered as resident with the comune (anagrafe) for most of the year is a presumption you can rebut with evidence, not a separate test (TUIR art. 2, as amended by D.Lgs. 209/2023).
How Can You Reacquire Italian Citizenship?
- Standard: Declaration + 1 year residence in Italy
- Special (1 July 2025 to 31 December 2027): Declaration for those born in Italy, or who lived there for at least 2 continuous years, who lost citizenship under Law 555/1912 (Law 91/1992 art. 17)
Sources
- Italian Citizenship Law (No. 91/1992), current text on Normattiva
- Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Citizenship
- Ministero dell'Interno - Citizenship Applications
- Law 11/2026 (consular processing of citizenship recognition), Normattiva
- Constitutional Court judgment 63/2026, press release of 30 April 2026
- Constitutional Court order 147/2026 (reference to the EU Court of Justice), press release of 23 July 2026
- Corte di Cassazione, Sezioni Unite, judgment 24045/2026
Why Movingto Makes the Difference
Securing Italian citizenship is more than a legal process — it's a chance to reclaim heritage, strengthen family ties, and unlock EU opportunities. The journey can feel overwhelming with evolving laws, documentation hurdles, and long consulate wait times.
At Movingto, we help with jure sanguinis, marriage, and residency applications, from building a compliant document portfolio to navigating consulate backlogs. A court claim in Italy is filed by an Italian lawyer you instruct.
Related Italy guides: Italian citizenship by descent · Italian citizenship by marriage · Taxes in Italy