Italy Citizenship by Descent: Here’s What Changed in 2025

Italy Citizenship by descent allows individuals with Italian ancestry to claim citizenship, often without residency.

While Italy previously had no generational limit, as of March 2025, new Decree-Law 36/2025 (now Law 74/2025) restricts eligibility to those with either a parent or grandparent born in Italy, or a parent who lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years before the applicant’s birth.

Now how does Italy citizenship by descent work, and what do the new legal updates entail?

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• What are the new citizenship by descent rules in Italy?
• Is there a generational limit for Italian citizenship?
• Can I get Italian citizenship through my grandparents?
• What are the advantages of having Italian citizenship?

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Is Italy No Longer Giving Citizenship by Descent?

Despite growing concerns online, Italy has not ended its citizenship by descent program. The right to claim Italian citizenship through ancestry remains legally recognized and protected.

However, confusion has intensified in 2025 due to recent legal reforms that introduced stricter eligibility rules for new applicants.

Much of the uncertainty stems not only from long processing times and stricter documentation standards, but also from a misunderstanding of the 2025 decree-law, which limited future claims to those with a closer generational link or those who applied before the cutoff.

Many mistakenly believe the entire program has been abolished, when in fact it has simply become more restrictive.

Additionally, Italian consulates worldwide are experiencing heavy backlogs, with some applicants waiting years just to secure an appointment.

Requirements for apostilles, certified translations, and unbroken documentation have also become more rigorous.

Any gaps in the citizenship line such as unclear naturalization records, can cause significant delays or denials.

For complex claims, including those involving maternal-line cases before 1948 (the 1948 Rule), pursuing judicial recognition in Italian courts remains an effective workaround.

These court petitions often yield faster results and provide a legal avenue for applicants whose cases no longer qualify under the revised administrative rules.

How Does Italian Citizenship by Descent Work?

Italian citizenship by descent is based on the principle of jus sanguinis, or “right of blood.” This means that citizenship is passed down through family lineage rather than by birthplace.

However, as of March 2025, significant restrictions now apply.

Under the new law, individuals born abroad can now only acquire Italian citizenship by descent if one of the following applies:

• They submitted a complete application (with all required documents) to an Italian consulate, municipality (comune), or court before or on March 27, 2025;
• They submit an application after March 27, 2025, but had already secured an appointment and received confirmation from the relevant authority before that date;
• They have a parent or grandparent who currently holds or held only Italian citizenship at the time of death;
• They have a parent or adoptive parent who was legally residing in Italy for at least two consecutive years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before their birth or adoption.

These changes effectively end the open-ended generational eligibility that previously allowed people to claim citizenship through great-grandparents or even earlier ancestors.

Notably, judicial 1948 cases for maternal-line claims where the Italian mother gave birth before January 1, 1948, are still recognized and not subject to the new restrictions.

As before, applicants must also show that the Italian ancestor did not naturalize in another country prior to the birth of their child.

If naturalization occurred beforehand, the citizenship line is considered broken and the claim may be denied.

Italian Citizenship by Descent Through a Great-Grandparent

As of 2025, obtaining Italian citizenship through a great-grandparent is no longer guaranteed, unless your case meets certain transitional conditions or exceptions outlined in the recent legal reform.

Previously, Italy placed no generational limit on citizenship by descent, as long as the citizenship line remained unbroken.

Many applicants successfully claimed Italian nationality through great-grandparents or even earlier ancestors under this liberal interpretation of jus sanguinis (right of blood).

What Documents Are Needed for Italian Citizenship by Descent?

The core documents typically include:

• Birth, marriage, and death certificates for each person in the lineage (from your Italian ancestor down to you)
• Your ancestor’s Italian birth certificate or another official document proving they were born in Italy and held Italian citizenship
• Naturalization records from the country where your ancestor emigrated:
  • If your ancestor naturalized, you must show it occurred after the birth of the next person in the lineage
  • If they did not naturalize, a “no record of naturalization” letter from the relevant government agency is required
• Apostilles for all foreign-issued documents, as a form of international legalization
• Certified translations into Italian for all non-Italian documents

It’s important to note that Italian consulates may have slightly different requirements, especially regarding formatting, translations, and the order in which documents should be submitted.

Some may also request proof of name consistency across records, affidavits for spelling variations, or additional supporting evidence.

Due to the administrative complexity, many applicants choose to consult with legal experts or genealogical researchers to streamline the process and avoid costly delays.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Italian Citizenship by Descent?

How Long Does It Take to Get Italian Citizenship by Descent?

If you’re applying through an Italian consulate abroad, expect to wait 1 to 4 years, depending on the consulate’s location and workload.

Some consulates in North America, South America, and Australia are known for long backlogs; sometimes taking years just to schedule an appointment.

For those pursuing a 1948 case through the Italian courts, the process typically takes 1 to 2 years.

While the timeline is often shorter than the consular route, the legal process is formal and must be handled carefully.

Applicants who relocate to Italy and apply directly through a local municipality may complete the process faster, often within 6 months to 1 year.

However, this route requires temporary residence in Italy and registration with the local comune, which may not be practical for everyone.

Overall, while the right to citizenship is established by law, the actual process is often slowed by bureaucracy, demand, and regional variation.

What Are the Benefits of Italian Citizenship?

As a citizen of Italy, you also become a citizen of the European Union, giving you access to one of the world’s most desirable citizenship blocs.

One of the most valued benefits is EU citizenship, which grants the freedom to live, work, and study in any EU or EEA country, including popular destinations like France, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands.

This mobility is particularly appealing to expats, students, and business owners seeking flexibility across Europe.

Italian citizens enjoy full access to Italy’s public healthcare system (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale) and its subsidized education system, from public schools to prestigious universities.

These public services are high-quality and often significantly more affordable than private or international alternatives.

From a financial and legal standpoint, citizenship also simplifies inheritance and property ownership in Italy.

As a citizen, you face fewer restrictions when buying real estate, and your rights to inherit property are better protected under Italian law.

Globally, Italian citizens benefit from visa-free access to over 122 countries, including Japan and most of Latin America.

This travel freedom makes an Italian passport one of the strongest in the world.

Lastly, Italy allows dual citizenship, meaning you can retain your original nationality while holding Italian citizenship, provided your home country also permits it.

This dual status can offer the best of both worlds: deepened cultural identity and expanded global rights.

Conclusión

Italian citizenship by descent remains a viable option, especially for those with a parent or grandparent who held or still holds Italian citizenship.

However, the 2025 reforms have tightened the rules, eliminating the previously open-ended generational pathway.

Applicants must now meet more specific conditions, and citizenship is no longer automatic in many cases.

Given the stricter eligibility criteria, documentation demands, and regional differences in processing, consulting an experienced advisor or legal expert is highly recommended.

Professional support can help you interpret the new regulations, prepare a compliant application, and avoid delays or rejections especially if your case involves maternal-line claims, court filings, or appointments scheduled before the law takes effect.

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Adam es un autor reconocido internacionalmente en temas financieros, con más de 830 millones de respuestas en Quora, un libro muy vendido en Amazon y colaborador de Forbes.