General information
Italian citizenship is currently regulated by Law no. 91/1992 (and regulations for its implementation: specifically DPR no. 572 of 12 October 1993 and DPR no. 362 of 18 April 1994) which, in contrast with previous laws, reassesses the importance of individual intention in the acquisition or loss of citizenship and recognises the right to hold more than one citizenship simultaneously.
Citizenship legislation applies to:
• persons born Italian who have lost their citizenship and wish to reinstate it;
• descendents of Italian citizens claiming citizenship;
• foreigners applying for Italian citizenship.
Italian citizenship through parents/ancestors (iure sanguinis)
Children of Italian parents (mother or father) who are Italian citizens. 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.
Transmission of citizenship through maternal lineage is possible only for persons born after January 1st 1948.
A minor child living with a parent at the moment in which that parent becomes an Italian citizen also acquires Italian citizenship. Contrary to past legislation, current legislation recognises the right to hold more than one citizenship simultaneously.
Ascertainment of citizenship. When a person claims to be of Italian parentage or ancestry but no proof of the fact can be found in Italian registers, it is necessary to provide proof that all ancestors have maintained, and thereby passed on, their Italian citizenship. The authority legally valid to ascertain these facts depends on the person’s place of residence: for foreign residents, the diplomatic-consular mission in the country of residence; for residents in Italy the Ufficio di Stato Civile of the city of residence.
To determine if you are eligible for Italian citizenship, the Italian Consulate must look at the law that was in effect in Italy at the time of your birth. Individuals can become citizens under several very different sections of law or can automatically lose the citizenship through the naturalization of either of the parents.
If you are claiming citizenship through an Italian citizen mother or grandmother, you must also provide information about your father or grandfather, because Italian citizenship may be affected by the naturalization of their respective spouses.
The following categories may help you find which one applies to your case:
Category 1: (direct descent): father born in Italy, Italian citizen at the moment of your birth and you never renounced your right to Italian citizenship.
Category 2: (direct descent): mother born in Italy, Italian citizen at the moment of your birth - occurred after January 1st 1948 - and you never renounced your right to Italian citizenship.
Category 3: father born in the United States or other Country (except Italy), your grandfather was Italian at the time of his birth and neither you nor your father ever renounced your right to the Italian Citizenship.
Category 4: mother born in the United States or other Country (except Italy), your grandfather was Italian at the time of her birth and neither you, born after Jan. 1st 1948 nor your motehr ever renounced your right to the Italian Citizenship.
Category 5: your direct paternal or maternal ancestors were born in the United States from Italian parents and they never renounced their right to Italian citizenship.
Citizenship by Marriage to an Italian Citizen
The foreign spouse of an Italian citizen may apply for Italian citizenship to the Prefettura after being married for 2 years, if they reside in Italy, and to the Italian Consulate after being married for 3 years if they reside abroad.
The above periods are reduced by half if the spouses have biological or adopted children.
Two basic requirements to be met prior to submitting the application are:
• the marriage must have already been registered at the Town Hall in Italy.
• the Italian spouse must be registered at the Consulate as an Italian Citizen Residing Abroad (A.I.R.E.).
The application will be evaluated by the Italian Ministry of Interior and will take 730 days (2 years) for the process, from the day in which complete documentation has been submitted. For additional information, click here.
Italian citizenship is currently regulated by Law no. 91/1992 (and regulations for its implementation: specifically DPR no. 572 of 12 October 1993 and DPR no. 362 of 18 April 1994) which, in contrast with previous laws, reassesses the importance of individual intention in the acquisition or loss of citizenship and recognises the right to hold more than one citizenship simultaneously.
Citizenship legislation applies to:
• persons born Italian who have lost their citizenship and wish to reinstate it;
• descendents of Italian citizens claiming citizenship;
• foreigners applying for Italian citizenship.
Italian citizenship through parents/ancestors (iure sanguinis)
Children of Italian parents (mother or father) who are Italian citizens. 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.
Transmission of citizenship through maternal lineage is possible only for persons born after January 1st 1948.
A minor child living with a parent at the moment in which that parent becomes an Italian citizen also acquires Italian citizenship. Contrary to past legislation, current legislation recognises the right to hold more than one citizenship simultaneously.
Ascertainment of citizenship. When a person claims to be of Italian parentage or ancestry but no proof of the fact can be found in Italian registers, it is necessary to provide proof that all ancestors have maintained, and thereby passed on, their Italian citizenship. The authority legally valid to ascertain these facts depends on the person’s place of residence: for foreign residents, the diplomatic-consular mission in the country of residence; for residents in Italy the Ufficio di Stato Civile of the city of residence.
To determine if you are eligible for Italian citizenship, the Italian Consulate must look at the law that was in effect in Italy at the time of your birth. Individuals can become citizens under several very different sections of law or can automatically lose the citizenship through the naturalization of either of the parents.
If you are claiming citizenship through an Italian citizen mother or grandmother, you must also provide information about your father or grandfather, because Italian citizenship may be affected by the naturalization of their respective spouses.
The following categories may help you find which one applies to your case:
Category 1: (direct descent): father born in Italy, Italian citizen at the moment of your birth and you never renounced your right to Italian citizenship.
Category 2: (direct descent): mother born in Italy, Italian citizen at the moment of your birth - occurred after January 1st 1948 - and you never renounced your right to Italian citizenship.
Category 3: father born in the United States or other Country (except Italy), your grandfather was Italian at the time of his birth and neither you nor your father ever renounced your right to the Italian Citizenship.
Category 4: mother born in the United States or other Country (except Italy), your grandfather was Italian at the time of her birth and neither you, born after Jan. 1st 1948 nor your motehr ever renounced your right to the Italian Citizenship.
Category 5: your direct paternal or maternal ancestors were born in the United States from Italian parents and they never renounced their right to Italian citizenship.
Citizenship by Marriage to an Italian Citizen
The foreign spouse of an Italian citizen may apply for Italian citizenship to the Prefettura after being married for 2 years, if they reside in Italy, and to the Italian Consulate after being married for 3 years if they reside abroad.
The above periods are reduced by half if the spouses have biological or adopted children.
Two basic requirements to be met prior to submitting the application are:
• the marriage must have already been registered at the Town Hall in Italy.
• the Italian spouse must be registered at the Consulate as an Italian Citizen Residing Abroad (A.I.R.E.).
The application will be evaluated by the Italian Ministry of Interior and will take 730 days (2 years) for the process, from the day in which complete documentation has been submitted. For additional information, click here.