Citizenship and Adoption

Cittadinanza – link informazioni generali 

Informativa sul trattamento dei dati personali ai fini del riconoscimento della cittadinanza italiana iure sanguinis o della sua acquisizione per naturalizzazione (artt. 5 e 7, nonché art. 9, comma 1, lettera c, e comma 2 della legge n. 91/1992) (Regolamento Generale sulla Protezione dei Dati (UE) 2016/679, art. 13 e 14).

The decree-law of March 28, 2025, No. 36, was converted with amendments into Law No. 74 of May 23, 2025, effective from May 24, 2025.

The conversion law reforms Law No. 91 of February 5, 1992, the full updated text of which is available at the following link.

Particular attention is drawn to the new Article 3-bis:

Notwithstanding Articles 1, 2, 3, 14, and 20 of this law, Article 5 of Law No. 123 of April 21, 1983, Articles 1, 2, 7, 10, 12, and 19 of Law No. 555 of June 13, 1912, and Articles 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 of the Civil Code approved by Royal Decree No. 2358 of June 25, 1865, a person born abroad—even before the effective date of this article—who holds another citizenship, is considered never to have acquired Italian citizenship, unless one of the following conditions applies:

a) The person’s citizenship status is recognized, in compliance with the law applicable as of March 27, 2025, following an application, with the necessary documentation, submitted to the competent consular office or mayor no later than 23:59 Rome time on the same date;

a-bis) The person’s citizenship status is recognized, in compliance with the law applicable as of March 27, 2025, following an application, with the necessary documentation, submitted to the competent consular office or mayor on the day appointed and communicated to the applicant by the competent office, no later than 23:59 Rome time on March 27, 2025;

b) The person’s citizenship status is judicially ascertained, in compliance with the law applicable as of March 27, 2025, following a judicial application submitted no later than 23:59 Rome time on the same date;

c) A first- or second-degree ancestor held, or held at the time of death, exclusively Italian citizenship;

d) A parent or adopter resided continuously in Italy for at least two years following the acquisition of Italian citizenship and before the child’s birth or adoption.

Therefore, according to the new Law No. 91 of 1992, Italian citizenship by right of blood (iure sanguinis) is recognized for:

• The applicant born in Italy on any date;

• The applicant who holds exclusively Italian citizenship, i.e., who does not have and cannot have any other citizenship;

• The applicant who falls under one of the cases listed in letters a), a-bis), b), c), and d) of Article 3-bis.

In light of the new law, it is clarified that:

1. Only applications submitted before 23:59 Italian time on March 27, 2025, accompanied by the necessary documentation, will be processed under the previous regulations.

“Submitted” applications mean:

• Delivered to the consular office counter before the specified date and time;

• Sent by mail with tracking that shows a date and time before the deadline;

• Sent by mail without tracking but received by the consular office before the deadline;

• Received via the Fast-It portal before the deadline.

2. Only applications, accompanied by the necessary documentation, submitted to the consular office on the date appointed and communicated to the applicant by the competent office by 23:59 Rome time on March 27, 2025, will be processed under the previous regulations.

“Appointment communicated by the competent office” means the confirmation sent by email from the Prenot@mi portal or the official email address of the consular section competent for the application.

3. In all other cases, the new regulations apply.

Consular fees applicable are available on this page.

Required documentation

Applicants must provide:

• What is specified in Circular K.28.1 of April 8, 1991, from the Ministry of the Interior, namely:

  • Extract of the birth certificate of the Italian ancestor who emigrated abroad, issued by the Italian municipality where they were born;

  • Birth certificates, with official Italian translation, of all direct descendants, including the person claiming Italian citizenship;

  • Marriage certificate of the Italian ancestor who emigrated abroad, with official Italian translation if issued abroad;

  • Marriage certificates of all direct descendants, including the parents of the person claiming citizenship;

  • Certificate issued by competent authorities of the foreign country of emigration, with official Italian translation, certifying that the Italian ancestor did not acquire citizenship of the foreign country before the birth of the applicant’s ancestor;

  • Certificate issued by the competent Italian consular authority certifying that neither the direct ancestors nor the applicant ever renounced Italian citizenship according to Article 7 of Law No. 555 of June 13, 1912;

  • Certificate of residence.

To apply the new regulations, it is also necessary to provide:

• To prove exclusive possession of Italian citizenship (by way of example):

  • Negative citizenship certificates;

  • Declarations of renunciation of citizenship;

  • Certificates of non-registration in electoral rolls;

• To prove continuous residence in Italy for at least two years:

  • Historical citizenship certificate.

Using the links on the right, it is possible to access information about other specific ways to acquire Italian citizenship:

• Acquisition of citizenship “by benefit of law” (minor children);

• Acquisition of citizenship of minor children living with a parent who is not a citizen from birth;

• Reacquisition of citizenship;

• Naturalization by marriage;

• Recognition under special laws;

• Certificate of “non-renunciation.”

Page updated on 07/02/2025