The path to having Italian citizenship recognized became more complicated on March 28, 2025, when the Italian Council of Ministers approved changes to rules for the recognition of Italian citizenship by descent or jure sanguinis.
Before March 28, 2025, Italian citizenship could be recognized for foreign nationals through a great-great-grandparent, great-grandparent, grandparent or parent. By Italian law, Italian citizenship is passed from parent to child as long as the parent is an Italian citizen at the time of the child's birth (jus sanguinis citizenship). Historically, children born outside of Italy in jus soli countries could retain the Italian citizenship they received at birth, even if their parent or parents later naturalized.
While that naturalization rule still applies, the Italian Council of Ministers on March 28, 2025 approved a generational limit, allowing descendants to apply for recognition of Italian citizenship only if they have an Italian-born ancestor of the first or second degree (so a parent or a grandparent).
The decree is slated to be valid from March 28, 2025 and within 60 days, the Italian Parliament will need to convert the decree into law. However, according to the experts at Italian Citizenship Assistance, it’s possible that the Parliament will make significant changes to the decree before approving it.
If you’re wondering if there’s still hope on your family tree for your Italian citizenship journey, the experts have come in to answer the most frequently asked questions about the new Italian citizenship by descent laws.
Q: I was recently recognized as an Italian citizen, but I don’t yet have my Italian passport. Should I be worried about my status?
Once you’re recognized as an Italian citizen, you don’t have to worry about your status changing. If you were recognized through an Italian consulate, municipality or court case, you can still receive all the rights and privileges of that status, even with the new ruling.
Q: I have a pending citizenship application. Will the previous citizenship eligibility rule apply to me?
A: With the new rule, timing is crucial. If your Italian citizenship application was submitted to an Italian consulate or an Italian municipality by 11.59pm on March 27 (CET), the previous rules will apply to your case. Moreover, your case will also follow the old rule if you filed an Italian court case by 11.59pm on March 27 (CET).
Q: I am a recognized Italian citizen with a minor child or children. Can my children still have their Italian citizenship recognized?
A: For your child to be recognized as an Italian citizen, one of the following must be true. A request to register the child’s birth must have been submitted to an Italian consulate or comune (city hall) before March 28, 2025. Or, the child must have already been recognized before the date. If you or the other parent weren’t born in Italy, you or the other parent must have lived in Italy for two consecutive years before your child was born.
Q: Should I continue gathering paperwork if I’m working on a citizenship by descent case? What might happen next on my journey to Italian citizenship?
If you are working on a citizenship case through a parent or grandparent, your case will likely not change with the new law. For other situations, the experts recommend a wait-and-see approach. Further updates on the interpretation of the provisions included in the March 28, 2025 decree, and updates regarding the conversion into law of the aforementioned decree will be released as they become available.
Additional bills and provisions were proposed with the decree, but details will be released with the approval of the law at the end of May.
If you are interested in determining your eligibility to apply for Italian citizenship by descent, the team at ICA will offer a completely free preliminary assessment of your case, with no obligation attached. For more information about ICA, visit the organization’s website or contact info@italiancitizenshipassistance.com.
