30 Mar Italy Imposes Stricter Rules on Citizenship by Descent
In a major policy shift, Italy’s government has introduced new, stricter requirements for obtaining Italian citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis)
This decree announcing significant changes, approved on Friday, drastically narrows eligibility, aiming to prevent what officials described as widespread misuse of the system.
Previous Citizenship Rules
Before the recent changes, individuals could claim Italian citizenship if they could prove they had an Italian ancestor who was alive on or after March 17, 1861—the date of Italy’s unification—and that no one in their direct lineage had renounced Italian citizenship before the birth of the next generation.
This system allowed millions of people, especially in countries with large Italian diasporas such as the United States, Brazil, and Argentina, to apply for citizenship. Many obtained Italian passports without ever residing in Italy.
New, Stricter Eligibility Criteria
Under the new decree, citizenship by descent is now limited to individuals who meet at least one of the following conditions:
- They have an Italian parent or grandparent born in Italy, or
- They have an Italian parent who lived in Italy for at least two continuous years.
This change eliminates eligibility for those with more distant Italian ancestry unless their parent or grandparent meets the new residency requirement.
Who is Still Eligible?
Despite the stricter rules, individuals who have already obtained Italian citizenship through a court ruling or by successfully applying through an Italian municipality or consulate will retain their citizenship.
Additionally, people who submitted their citizenship applications before midnight on March 27, 2024, will still be processed under the previous rules, according to Italian media reports.
Reasons Behind the Change
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized that the government’s decision was driven by concerns over the “commercialisation of Italian passports.”
Tajani claimed that companies were making large profits by helping people trace their Italian ancestry and obtain the necessary documents for their applications, overwhelming consular and municipal offices with requests.
“The granting of citizenship is a serious thing, and there has been abuse [of the system] in past years,” Tajani said after a ministerial summit on Friday.
He stressed that the government was taking firm action against those who “want to make money from the opportunity of becoming an Italian citizen.”
Government’s Broader Plans for Citizenship Reform
The government argues that many people obtaining Italian citizenship through ancestry have no genuine connection to the country.
Ruling coalition MPs have long criticized the existing system, saying it allows people to claim citizenship without proving an “emotional bond” with Italy.
Tajani echoed this sentiment, stating that one goal of the new rules was to “boost the emotional link between Italy and the citizen [living] abroad.”
Boom in Citizenship Applications Cited as a Key Factor
The Italian foreign ministry highlighted a dramatic increase in applications over the past decade, reporting that successful citizenship claims rose by 40%—from 4.6 million to 6.4 million.
In Argentina alone, the number of successful claims jumped from 20,000 in 2023 to 30,000 in 2024. The ministry also revealed that there are currently 60,000 pending citizenship-by-descent applications.
Prior to the new decree, it was estimated that between 60 and 80 million people worldwide with Italian ancestry were potentially eligible for citizenship.
Upcoming Legal and Policy Changes
The government has signaled that Friday’s decree is only the first step in a broader overhaul of Italy’s citizenship laws.
Two draft laws (disegni di legge) currently under discussion could introduce further restrictions:
- Stricter Registration Requirements
- Under one proposal, individuals born abroad would have to register their birth certificates with Italian authorities before turning 25 to retain eligibility for citizenship later in life.
- Italian citizens living abroad would be required to actively exercise their “rights and duties,” such as voting in Italian elections or renewing their passports at least once every 25 years, to maintain citizenship.
- Higher Fees for Citizenship Applications
- A second draft law proposes increasing the citizenship application fee from €600 to €700.
These proposed measures have yet to be approved by Italy’s parliament, but they indicate the government’s intent to further tighten citizenship regulations.
Impact on the Italian Diaspora
The changes are expected to significantly impact people of Italian descent, especially in countries with large Italian communities. Many who had been eligible under the old rules may now find themselves excluded.
Critics argue that the government’s reforms overlook the historical and cultural ties that many descendants of Italian immigrants still feel to Italy. Others believe the changes are necessary to ensure that Italian citizenship is granted only to those with a direct and meaningful connection to the country.
What Comes Next?
It remains unclear whether the government will offer any transition period or special exemptions for pending applications. Many legal experts anticipate lawsuits from individuals who had started the application process but are now ineligible under the new rules.
As Italy moves forward with its citizenship reforms, those affected—along with legal experts and advocacy groups—will be watching closely to see how the changes are implemented and whether any further adjustments or legal challenges arise.