The Italian citizenship language test exemption has been reinforced by the Constitutional Court with judgment 25/2025, declared the requirement to prove knowledge of the Italian language (level B1) for obtaining citizenship, whether through residence or marriage, to be unlawful for applicants with severe, certified limitations in language learning due to age, illness, or disability.
The provision, introduced in 2018 and widely debated, excluded individuals from submitting an application for Italian citizenship if they were unable to pass the language test, without taking into account their personal, medical, or any certified learning disabilities.
Prior to this ruling, exemptions from presenting the B1 language certificate were only granted to holders of an EU long-term residence permit valid for Italy, those who met the requirements of the Integration Agreement, and individuals with a qualification issued by Italian public schools or state-recognized private institutions.
Through this ruling, the Court has established a precedent for a more inclusive process for granting citizenship, affirming that language barriers arising from physical or mental conditions shall not obstruct the recognition of Italian citizenship. Applicants with certified limitations will no longer be subject to the language test requirement in order to obtain citizenship.
This decision represents a significant advancement toward more equitable legislation, upholding individual rights and enhancing the integration process for those seeking Italian citizenship, even in the presence of language-related challenges caused by disabilities.
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Expand Your Knowledge about Italian citizenship language test exemption
This article was written by Giuditta De Ricco and Irene Lauretta.
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