Government enacts stricter rules for obtaining Italian citizenship by descent

Mar 28, 2025

Citizenship will only be recognized for those with at least one Italian grandparent.

Citizenship will only be recognized for those with at least one Italian grandparent. Obtaining recognition of Italian citizenship may become a more complex process. Today, in a Council of Ministers meeting, the Italian government approved a series of new restrictions aimed at strengthening the requirement for a genuine connection to Italy for individuals born abroad to Italian citizens.

While the principle of ius sanguinis (citizenship by descent) remains in place, the government’s objective is to “align Italian legislation with that of other European countries and ensure free movement in Europe only for those who maintain a real connection with Italy.”

According to the new decree, citizenship will only be recognized for those with at least one Italian grandparent, a change that already excludes many individuals who were previously eligible. The government argues that, over time, citizenship has been claimed by individuals with distant Italian ancestry who lack any actual ties to the country, clogging the system of many Town Halls and Italian Consulates.

Among the key changes in the draft decree:

• Consular offices will no longer process applications but will solely verify the Italian citizenship of residents within their consular district. Instead, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will centralize and manage the process.
• Processing times may increase from the current 24 months to up to 48 months.
• An annual cap on applications will be introduced, further limiting the number of recognitions granted.
• Application fees already doubled from €300 to €600 as of January.

The text of the Decree not available yet and more detailed information shall be shared upon its publication. The decree must be converted into law by Parliament within 60 days of its publication; otherwise, it will expire.

For an eligibility assessment, contact our citizenship team: citizenship@mazzeschi.it

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