We provide legal assistance to individuals who want to obtain Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis / blood right), including assistance with cases of 1948 Court actions. Contact us for an initial assessment to check your eligibility.
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Citizenship is passed on from parent to child without limitation of generation, on the condition that none of the ancestors has ever renounced their citizenship. When a person claims to be of Italian parentage or ancestry but no proof of the fact can be found in Italian registers (i.e. citizenship claimed by great-grandparents), it is necessary to provide proof that all ancestors have maintained, and thereby passed on, their Italian citizenship. The acquisition of Italian citizenship does not bring any tax obligations, which are instead linked to moving residency in Italy.
If any of the below scenarios apply, a foreign citizen may be entitled to Italian citizenship (exceptions may apply depending on various factors):
and
• was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant’s birth; and
• the applicant never renounced his/her right to Italian citizenship
Example: Italian ancestor, Michele, was born in Naples on May 16th, 1936. He moves to London in 1954. His son, Emiliano, was born in London on November 28th, 1960. Emiliano is born an Italian citizen as his father never renounced his Italian citizenship.
and
• was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant’s birth; and
• the applicant was born after January 1st, 1948; and
• the applicant never renounced his/her right to Italian citizenship.
Example: Italian ancestor, Gloria, was born in Milan on February 11th, 1930 and she became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1971. Her son, Andrew, was born in Canada in 1952. Andrew is able to apply for Italian citizenship, as his mother was an Italian citizen at the time of his birth, and Andrew never renounced his right to Italian citizenship.
and
• The applicant's father was born in a Foreign Country, and
• The applicant’s paternal grandfather or grandmother was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant’s father’s birth, and
• Neither the applicant nor the applicant’s father ever renounced the right to Italian citizenship.
Example: Italian ancestor, Pietro, was born in Florence on September 9th, 1880, he emigrated to Argentina in 1910 and became a naturalized Argentinian citizen in 1940. His son, Raffaele, was born in Argentina in 1921. His grandchild, Tarcisio, was born in Argentina in 1952. Tarcisio is eligible to apply for Italian citizenship, proving that Raffaele and Tarcisio have never renounced Italian citizenship. If Tarcisio legally resides in Italy, he can apply for Italian citizenship at the relevant Town Hall where he has established his residency. If Tarcisio resides abroad, he can apply for Italian citizenship at the relevant Italian Consulate abroad.
and
• The applicant’s mother was born in a Foreign Country
• The applicant’s maternal grandfather or grandmother was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant’s mother’s birth
• The applicant was born after January 1, 1948, and
• Neither the applicant nor the applicant’s mother ever renounced the right to Italian citizenship
and
• The applicant’s paternal or maternal grandfather was born in a Foreign Country,
• The applicant's paternal or maternal great-grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant’s paternal or maternal grandfather’s birth
• Neither the applicant nor the applicant’s father/mother or grandfather/grandmother ever renounced the right to Italian citizenship.
Ancestry applications must be supported by vital records certificates (birth, marriage, death certificates) proving the relationship between the applicant and the Italian ancestors.
The eligibility assessment is also grounded on the consistency of the information contained in those certificates, where discrepancies within names, dates, and places of birth may be an issue for the Italian authorities. Ancestry applications can either be filed at the Italian Consulate of your jurisdiction or directly in Italy with a fast-track process, provided that the applicant takes Legal residency in Italy.
We provide advice and legal assistance for foreigners who may be entitled and would like to obtain Italian citizenship, including filing Court action against the rule that prevents the transmission of Italian citizenship by women before 1948.
Our service starts with an initial assessment to check your eligibility for Italian citizenship. Once we confirm you are eligible, we can assist you with document procurement, translation, and legalization of necessary documents for citizenship applications. After obtaining all documentation, we will process and complete the citizenship application. We also assist with the preparation of applications to be submitted to the town hall of residence in Italy.
YES
Please contact us and we will assess your eligibility free of charge and confirm the available options based on your case.
NO
Usually the transmission of Italian citizenship is interrupted if the Italian ancestor naturalized before the birth of his child. Anyway, some exemptions may occur, so please feel free to contact us for an evaluation free of charge.
NO
Citizenship is passed on from parent to child without limitation of generation, on the condition that neither the Italian parent nor the Italian ancestors ever renounced their citizenship.
YES
Process timeline depends on the local Italian authorities. In any case, it can take several months to obtain an appointment and around 2-3 years is the standard timeframe to have a decision. Delays may occur.
YES
You can take residency in Italy and proceed with the fast track process – standard timeline is 6-8 months, up to one year.
YES
All documents should be ready before the application. This applies to all processes when requesting Italian citizenship.
YES
The application for Italian citizenship by descent (through bloodline) should be submitted to the relevant local Italian authority over the place of residence. If residing abroad, the application will be handled by the Italian Consulate.
YES
On the day of the actual appointment you will need to submit all original documents in person and most likely will have an interview with the Consular officer.
YES
In case of Non-EU family members, they can come with you and apply for a permit of stay for family reasons.
Spouse: You should first obtain the recognition of your Italian citizenship and only then your spouse can submit her/his application for citizenship through marriage – please check our web page for more information on this matter.
Children: Minor children can apply with the parent if sharing the same residence address.
YES
The lawsuit may take 2-3 years. It usually consists of 2-3 court hearings, in which the Judge reviews the application and will then make a decision.
YES
The Mazzeschi Citizenship Department has vast experience in lawsuits at the Court of Rome, which may be the only available route in case of descendant from a female mother before 1948.
NO
The fast-track process is allowed only if you take residency in Italy and maintain it until the end of the process. The application should be submitted at the relevant Italian town hall.
NO
You can choose the Italian city where you prefer to take residency and apply for the fast track process.
YES
If you are a Non-EU citizen, you need a permit of stay to reside in Italy. During the fast track process, we will guide you through the process of obtaining an Italian permit of stay while the citizenship process is ongoing.
