How to Apply for Italian Citizenship by Descent in 2025: A Practical Guide Under the New Rules

On March 28, 2025, the Italian government introduced a surprise decree that significantly alters the rules for acquiring Italian citizenship through ancestry commonly known as jure sanguinis. This update has generated widespread attention, especially among individuals of Italian descent living abroad who are either in the process of applying or planning to apply for recognition.

What Changed?

Under the newly announced decree-law, the scope of eligibility for citizenship by descent has been drastically narrowed. Previously, applicants could claim citizenship through a great-grandparent or even more distant ancestors, provided they could establish an unbroken line of Italian citizenship. The 2025 reform, however, introduces a strict generational limit: now, only individuals with a parent or grandparent born in Italy are eligible to apply.

In essence, your link to Italian citizenship must be no more than two generations removed from someone born in Italy. This means:

• Eligible: You have a parent or grandparent born in Italy.

• No longer eligible: Your Italian ancestor is a great-grandparent or earlier, and no one in the line has already been recognized.

  
  

Does This Apply to Everyone?

Yes, the decree applies to anyone who has not yet submitted an application. If you already filed your application before the cutoff March 27, 2025, at 11:59 PM Rome time your case should be evaluated under the old rules, regardless of whether it was submitted through a consulate, local municipality (comune), or via the court system in Italy.

It’s important to note that this generational limitation appears to override any assumptions that a sibling or parent’s successful application could validate yours retroactively. Each application will now be assessed individually within the new two-generation framework.

Why the Sudden Change?

The Italian government has presented this move as a measure to modernize and streamline the citizenship recognition process. Critics, however, argue that the real motivation may be to reduce the backlog of applications at Italian consulates and courts, which have struggled to handle growing demand from the global Italian diaspora.

The influx of applicants many of whom have no recent or direct ties to Italy has raised concerns about administrative feasibility, especially in countries like Brazil, the U.S., and Argentina, where thousands of people are eligible under the broader interpretation of the old law.

What's Next?

The decree is immediately enforceable, but it still requires confirmation by the Italian Parliament within 60 days to become permanent law. Given the current political composition of Parliament, the likelihood of confirmation is high, although some amendments could be introduced during discussions.

At the same time, two proposed legislative bills are gaining traction. These proposals aim to centralize all future jure sanguinis applications under a single authority in Rome, removing jurisdiction from individual consulates and local Italian towns. If passed, this could lead to a more uniform but possibly more rigid application process.

What Should You Do If You’re Affected?

If your ancestral link to Italy is beyond the new generational limit (i.e., great-grandparent or earlier), and you haven’t yet filed an application, it’s wise to hold off for now. The situation remains fluid, and clarity is expected in the coming weeks as Parliament debates the decree and accompanying reforms.

On the other hand, if you are within the two-generation limit and meet all other eligibility criteria, now is the time to prepare your documentation carefully. Having everything ready could prove advantageous, especially if more restrictive measures are introduced later in the year.

How to Apply for Italian Citizenship by Descent in 2025: A Practical Guide Under the New Rules

Following the new decree-law announced on March 28, 2025, acquiring Italian citizenship by descent (cittadinanza per discendenza) has become more exclusive but still possible for many. If your parent or grandparent was born in Italy, you may still qualify. Here’s a step-by-step guide on what documents you'll need and how to prepare, followed by a comparison with similar ancestry-based citizenship laws in other European countries.

 Documents Required for Citizenship by Descent

The specific documents can vary slightly depending on your consulate or if you’re applying directly in Italy, but the core requirements remain consistent. Here's a general list:

1. Proof of Lineage

You must prove an unbroken chain from you to your Italian ancestor (now restricted to parent or grandparent):

• Birth certificate of the Italian-born parent/grandparent

• Marriage certificate of the ancestor (if applicable)

• Birth certificates of each generation in between (translated and legalized)

• Marriage certificates of each generation in between

• Your own birth and (if applicable) marriage certificate

2. Proof That Your Ancestor Did Not Renounce Citizenship

You must demonstrate that your Italian ancestor did not naturalize as a citizen of another country before the birth of the next person in the lineage:

• Naturalization records (or official statement of “no record found”) from relevant foreign authorities

• For U.S. applicants: Certificate of Naturalization or Census Records

3. Your Personal Documents

• Valid passport and IDs

• Proof of residency (for consulate applications)

• Translations and apostilles for all foreign-issued documents

4. Application Forms

• Application declaration form

• Appointment confirmation (if applying via consulate)

5. Fees

• Application fee (usually €300 or equivalent, payable to the consulate or comune)

  
  

Important Note: All non-Italian documents must be officially translated into Italian and legalized (via Apostille or consular certification).

Application Pathways

You may apply through:

1. An Italian Consulate in Your Country of Residence  If you reside outside Italy.

2. A Municipality in Italy (Comune)  This option is only viable if you’re legally residing in Italy.

3. Italian Courts In rare legal exceptions (e.g., 1948 Rule cases), you may appeal directly in court.

Under the new law, processing times may be shortened due to tighter eligibility criteria, but consular backlogs still exist.

 How Italy Compares with Other European Citizenship-by-Ancestry Laws

Several other European countries offer jus sanguinis citizenship, but with varying requirements:

Ireland

• One of the most flexible systems.

• You can claim Irish citizenship if one of your grandparents was born in Ireland.

• You must register your birth in the Foreign Births Register before applying.

Poland

• Citizenship is passed from generation to generation without a generational cutoff, as long as no one renounced Polish citizenship.

• Complex documentation requirements, especially for Eastern European archives.

Portugal

• You may be eligible through Sephardic Jewish ancestry or through parents/grandparents.

• Involves a cultural connection and vetting by Jewish communities.

Germany

• More restrictive.

• Citizenship can be passed if the German parent did not lose citizenship before the child’s birth, but special provisions exist for Nazi persecution victims.

Spain

• Offers citizenship through Sephardic Jewish heritage, and simplified processes for nationals of Latin American countries, but not a wide jure sanguinis path like Italy.

  
  

This policy shift is one of the most consequential changes to Italian citizenship law in recent years. For many, it marks the end of a long-standing pathway to reconnect with Italian heritage. For others, it may offer a last window of opportunity albeit narrower than before to establish legal recognition of their Italian roots.

At NewsAndAid, we are committed to helping you navigate these evolving immigration laws. As always, we will continue to monitor the developments closely and provide reliable, timely updates. If you're considering applying or are uncertain about your eligibility, seek professional guidance and keep your documentation in order.

Stay informed, stay prepared, and stay connected.