Reform of Italian citizenship ius sanguinis

Decree-Law no. 36 of 28 March 2025 introduces restrictions on the recognition of citizenship by descent and anticipates a bill to strengthen the link between citizens abroad and the Italian State.

In 28 March 2025 the Council of Ministers approved Decree Law no. 36, which marks an important turning point in the regulation of Italian citizenship ius sanguinis, i.e. the transmission of citizenship by descent. The reform responds to the need to curb abuse and opportunistic practices by introducing a generational limit and new substantive requirements.

A generational limit to reduce automatism and abuse

One of the key elements of the reform is the restriction of automatism in the transmission of citizenship. From 28 March 2025, only those who have at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy will be Italian citizens from birth. This measure aims to prevent citizenship from being granted to people with too weak or merely formal ties to our country, discouraging those who temporarily travel to Italy solely to obtain an Italian passport.

Who will be able to apply for citizenship under the new Decree-Law No. 36 of 28 March 2025?

The reform came into force in part with Decree-Law no. 36 of 28 March 2025, definitively approved by Parliament on 20 May 2025 with 137 votes in favour, 83 against and 2 abstentions. The law substantially amends Law No. 91/1992 and introduces more restrictive criteria for citizenship iure sanguinis, especially for those born abroad and holding another citizenship.

From 27 March 2025, new applications for citizenship will not be accepted for those who

• was born abroad
• holds another citizenship (even if Italian by origin)
• and are descendants of Italians who do not meet the new eligibility criteria.

The only exceptions are the following cases

• a citizen parent or adopting parent was born in Italy;
• a parent or adopting citizen has been resident in Italy for at least two continuous years prior to the child’s birth or adoption;
• a grandparent (first degree ascendant of the parents or adoptive parents) was born in Italy.

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What does the bill provide for?

Alongside the decree-law, a bill has been presented that introduces further changes to enhance the effective link with Italy and link citizenship to a concrete relationship with the State. The main measures concern:

• The minor child of Italian citizens born or resident in Italy for at least two years will be able to obtain citizenship with a simple declaration by the parents.
• Those who have lost their citizenship can only regain it if they have been resident in Italy for at least two years.
• Immigrants with at least one Italian grandparent will be able to become citizens after three years of residence in Italy, reducing the time compared to other categories.
• Spouses of Italian citizens will be eligible for naturalisation only if they are resident in Italy.

Ius sanguinis and real link with the State: the 25-year obligation

The reform also introduces a new obligation to actively maintain citizenship: those born and living abroad will have to prove that they have exercised an Italian civic right or duty at least once every 25 years, such as:

• voting,
• renewing a passport,
• updating their identity card,
• being fiscally registered.

This symbolic and concrete rule reinforces the idea of citizenship as active belonging, and not only as a registry office inheritance.

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Numbers justifying the reform: increase in applications and pressure on services

Over the last ten years, Italian citizens living abroad have increased from 4.6 to 6.4 million (+40%). Countries with strong Italian emigration such as Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela have seen a substantial increase in applications for citizenship, with over 60,000 legal proceedings pending. The reform aims to avoid fraud, shortcuts and so-called “citizenship tourism” by relieving pressure on consulates and courts.

The new centralised procedure at the Farnesina

The handling of citizenship applications will no longer be entrusted to individual consulates, but to a special centralised office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina). This centralisation, which will come into force after a transitional period of about a year, aims to simplify, speed up and digitalise procedures, allowing consulates to concentrate on assisting citizens already recognised.

Citizenship based on identity, not just genealogy

The reform is not intended to be punitive, but selective. The principle of ius sanguinis is scaled down and oriented towards a modern vision of citizenship: not just descent, but cultural identity, civic belonging and responsibility towards the state.

Frequently asked questions about Italian citizenship ius sanguinis

What is Italian citizenship?

It is the legal status that recognises a person as a member of the Italian Republic, with civic rights and duties.

What is ius sanguinis?

It is the principle whereby citizenship is transmitted by descent from an Italian citizen, regardless of place of birth.

Who is now entitled to ius sanguinis citizenship under the new law?

Only those who have at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy, or who have parents or adoptive parents who were Italian citizens with at least two years of continuous residence in Italy prior to birth or adoption.

What changes with the 2025 law?

It limits automatic recognition to the second generation and introduces the obligation to maintain an active link with Italy, exercising civic rights or duties at least once every 25 years.

How does one apply for citizenship?

Under the reform, responsibility will be entrusted to a central office at the Farnesina, no longer to local consulates, to make the process more efficient and faster.

Citizenship as a conscious choice

With the new legislation, Italian citizenship becomes a choice to be actively maintained, and not an automatic inheritance. The principle of ius sanguinis does not disappear, but is conditioned on real elements of identity, culture and participation. Italy thus intends to protect the legal and symbolic value of its citizenship, entrusting it to those who demonstrate that they concretely identify with the country.