How To Become An Italian Citizen

Italian citizenship applications are being submitted with escalating frequency, but the process of receiving citizenship has evolved in recent years and, in some ways, become more complicated. A drastic drop in the percentage of applications accepted has resulted, contrasting with the increase in requests for citizenship.

Obtaining Italian citizenship is governed by law no.91 of 1992, and the changes made by laws no.94 of 2009 and n.132 of 2018. The changes introduced have resulted in increased difficulty in submitting and receiving approved applications.

With these points in mind, it is becoming necessary to have the assistance of an experienced professional when submitting an application for citizenship, to ensure that you meet the necessary requirements to apply.

Italian citizenship: who is eligible

The qualifications for becoming an Italian citizen differ according to the status of the applicant. Citizenship can be obtained in different ways, including birth right citizenship 'jus sanguinis' (blood rite) and 'jus solis' (law of the soil), through marriage, naturalisation, and other special circumstances.

Those born in Italy are not automatically Italian citizens, unless a parent is an Italian citizen; those who are born in Italy to foreign parents can become Italian at 18 (age of majority).

In the same way, a child adopted in Italy can be recognized as an Italian citizen if one of the parents is or they choose to become a citizen at 18.

In the case of children born or adopted in Italy by non-Italian parents, to become an Italian citizen must be made within a year of turning 18.

Children born abroad from Italian citizens will also be considered Italian but must transcribe their birth certificate to the Italian Municipality.

If a cohabiting parent acquires Italian citizenship, the minor will automatically be entitled to citizenship, too.

Any other way of acquiring Italian citizenship must be done by request to the competent authority, which may be the local consulate of the place of residence, or at the Italian Civil Court.

Dual citizenship is an appealing option for many, and subject to foreign law, is possible through either an administrative application at the applicant's local consulate, or if the case is more complicated, by judicial application via legal representation at the court of Rome.

For Italian Descendants

The descendants of Italian nationals, even if born abroad, are able to obtain Italian citizenship, without generational limitations, as long as the transmission of citizenship has never been interrupted. An interruption can be, for example, an ancestor that formally renounced their Italian...