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Citizenship by descent and adoption

Italian citizenship legislation changed in 2025, and the new text of the law is available at the following link.

As of 1 January 2029, the receipt and processing of applications for recognition of Italian citizenship status by adults residing abroad will fall under the exclusive competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome.

Until 31 December 2028, diplomatic-consular offices will be able to accept, pursuant to article 10, paragraph 6, of Legislative Decree no. 71 of 3 February 2011, as amended by Law no. 11 of 19 January 2026, a limited number of applications for recognition of citizenship.

At present, all available appointment slots for 2026 and 2027 are fully booked. Updates will be published on this website.
LEGISLATION PRIOR TO 27 MARCH 2025

When the Prior Legislation Applies

The prior legislation applies only in the following cases:

  1. Applications submitted before 27 March 2025 at 11:59 pm Italian time, accompanied by the necessary documentation, follow the previous legislation.

An application is considered “submitted” if it was:

  • Handed in at the Consular Office counter before the above date and time
  • Sent by tracked mail with a date and time stamp prior to the above deadline
  • Sent by untracked mail and received by the Consular Office before the above deadline
  • Received via Fast-It before the above deadline
  1. Applications, accompanied by the necessary documentation, submitted to the Consular Office on the date of an appointment set and communicated to the applicant by the competent office by 11:59 pm Rome time on 27 March 2025, follow the previous legislation.

An “appointment communicated to the applicant by the competent office” means confirmation received by the applicant via email from the Prenot@mi portal or from the institutional email address of the Consular Office section responsible for the application.

Current Legislation (After 27 March 2025)

Decree-Law No. 36 of 28 March 2025 was converted, with amendments, into Law No. 74 of 23 May 2025, effective from 24 May 2025. The conversion law reforms Law No. 91 of 5 February 1992, whose new full text is now in force.

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

a) the applicant’s citizen status is recognized, under the rules applicable as of 27 March 2025, following an application with the necessary documentation submitted to the competent consular office or mayor no later than 11:59 pm Rome time on that same date;

a-bis) the applicant’s citizen status is recognized, under the rules applicable as of 27 March 2025, following an application with the necessary documentation submitted to the competent consular office or mayor on the date of an appointment communicated to the applicant by the competent office by 11:59 pm Rome time on that same date of 27 March 2025;

b) the applicant’s citizen status is judicially ascertained, under the rules applicable as of 27 March 2025, following a judicial application filed no later than 11:59 pm Rome time on that same date;

c) a first- or second-degree ascendant holds, or held at the time of death, exclusively Italian citizenship;

d) a parent or adoptive parent was resident in Italy for at least two continuous years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the birth or adoption of the child.

Therefore, under the new Law No. 91/1992, the following are recognized as Italian citizens iure sanguinis (from birth):

  • The applicant born in Italy, on any date

  • The applicant who holds exclusively Italian citizenship — that is, who has no other citizenship and cannot acquire any other

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

Fees and Required Documentation

Applicable consular fees are available in the consular fee schedule.

Under Circular K.28.1 of 8 April 1991 (Ministry of the Interior), applicants must provide:

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

  • Birth certificates, apostilled and officially translated into Italian (NAATI), of all direct-line descendants, including the person claiming Italian citizenship

  • The marriage certificate of the Italian ancestor who emigrated abroad, with official Italian (NAATI) translation and apostille, if issued abroad

  • Marriage certificates (apostilled and NAATI-translated) of direct-line descendants, including the parents of the person claiming Italian citizenship

  • A certificate from the competent authorities of the foreign country of emigration, officially translated into Italian (apostilled and translated), certifying that the emigrating Italian ancestor did not acquire the citizenship of that foreign country before the birth of the applicant’s ascendant

  • A certificate from the competent Italian consular authority certifying that neither the direct-line ascendants nor the person claiming Italian citizenship ever renounced it under Article 7 of Law No. 555 of 13 June 1912

  • A residency certificate

For the new legislation, applicants must additionally provide:

To demonstrate exclusive possession of Italian citizenship (for example):

  • Negative citizenship certificates

  • Certificates of renunciation of citizenship

  • Certificates of non-enrollment in electoral rolls

To demonstrate at least two continuous years of residency in Italy:

  • Historical residency certificate

Forms

Citizenship by descent application form

Certificate application for Italian Municipality (Comune)