Italian citizenship by descent, also known as the Italian Jure Sanguinis, underwent a reform in March 2025 that has affected many waiting to claim it. Previously, having a generational tie to Italian citizenship was sufficient to claim it, but the new Law No. 74/2025, converted into Citizenship Decree No. 36/2025, now removes access to Italian citizenship through distant ancestry.
In 2026, to claim Italian citizenship by descent, applicants must prove their parent or grandparent was an Italian citizen at birth and had no dual citizenship at the time of their descendant’s birth or at the time of their death. This new citizenship reform in Italy tightens the path to Italian citizenship, while ending diaspora dreams for many. As traditional pathways become more restrictive, demand for La Dolce Vita is not disappearing; it is just changing direction. At Get Golden Visa, we see that demand is shifting towards legal, structured routes; one such route is the Italian Golden Visa.
What is Italian Citizenship by Descent?
In general, Italy offers a path to citizenship in three ways: by descent, by marriage, and by naturalization. Today, we will focus on Italian citizenship by descent. This citizenship is based on the Jure Sanguinis principle, which means “right of blood.” In other words, it gives you the right to claim citizenship through ancestors who were born in Italy and emigrated elsewhere.
Previously, there was no generational limit for Italian citizenship by descent. You could apply for citizenship before March 27, 2025, as long as you have an Italian-born ancestor who was alive in 1861, when Italy was unified.
However, after the new law decree, you can only be eligible to apply:
- If your parents or grandparents were Italians at birth and had no foreign citizenship at the time of your birth or at the time of their death.
- If one of your parents resided in Italy for 2 consecutive years after getting Italian citizenship and before your birth.
These amendments were accepted by the Constitutional Court in March 2026 to strengthen genuine ties with Italy.
Who Qualifies for Italian Citizenship by Descent?
As we have stated at the beginning of our article, there has been a change in Italian citizenship by descent. So, below you will find what will be valid before and after March 27, 2025.
Prior to March 2025 Italian Law: Citizenship by Descent Eligibility
Before March 28, 2025, there was no fixed limit on how many generations back you could go according to the Italian Ministry of Interior. In theory, you could go back many generations, as long as the chain of citizenship was never broken, unlike the other EU citizenship by descent schemes. Your ancestor must have been alive after 1861, when Italy became a unified country.
The requirements also include:
- You had to be able to prove that you are directly descended from an Italian citizen parent or from someone who still had the right to Italian citizenship through descent. In other words, your family line must clearly connect you to Italy.
- The citizenship had to be passed down without being broken. This means that in your family line, none of your Italian ancestors could have lost their citizenship before passing it on. For example, if your Italian ancestor became a citizen of another country before their child was born, then the chain would be broken.
- If your Italian ancestor is female, and she passed Italian citizenship to her child, that child must have been born on or after January 1, 1948. Women could not transmit citizenship until 1948.
- If any ancestor in your line became a citizen of another country before June 14, 1912, they were not allowed to pass Italian citizenship to their children at all.
After the Reformed Italian Citizenship Law: Citizenship by Descent Eligibility Criteria
Before the reform, having an Italian ancestor born after 1861 would be enough to claim Italian citizenship by descent. It did not matter how distant your ancestors were. You can even claim through your distant great-great-grandparents. All you needed was to prove your ties with them.
Only those who applied before 11.59 pm on 27 March 2025, Rome time, will be considered under the previous law. If you apply after that, you are subject to the new citizenship law.
As of 2026, you can qualify if you:
- Were born in Italy to an Italian mother or father
- Have a parent or grandparent who was only an Italian citizen
- Have a parent who lived in Italy for at least 2 years after becoming an Italian citizen and before you were born or adopted
- Had your citizenship already been recognized, or applied for before March 27, 2025
- In some cases, hold only Italian citizenship (and no other citizenships)
Children of Italian Citizens: How to Get Citizenship Automatically?
Previously, children born abroad to an Italian citizen parent could claim Italian citizenship automatically. However, under this new reform, citizenship is no longer automatically granted to children born in a foreign country. Foreign born children can only obtain Italian citizenship if:
- Their parents or legal guardians submit a declaration of intent to the Italian Consulate, or to the Italian Municipality if living in Italy.
- If the child was born before the law came into force, they can apply by May 31, 2029
- If the child was born after the law came into force, they must apply within 3 years of birth
Additionally, minor children no longer automatically acquire Italian citizenship if their parents do. They can only qualify if they:
- Live in Italy with their parent for at least 2 years
- If a child is born abroad and already has another citizenship, they must meet both standard citizenship rules and extra requirements to show a real connection to Italy
How to Prove Italian Citizenship by Descent
Acquiring Italian citizenship by descent requires proof of your ties to your Italian ancestry. You must gather the following documents before applying for citizenship.
Documents needed for Italian citizenship by descent
To prove your italian roots, you must provide the following documents:
- Your Italian parents’ or grandparents’ birth certificate issued in the last 6 months by the Italian comune
- Birth certificates of everyone in your family line (including you), legalized and translated into Italian
- The marriage certificate of your Italian ancestor
- If married in Italy, recent official extract
- If married abroad, long form, legalized, and translated
- Marriage certificates of all descendants in the line (including you), properly legalized and translated if needed
- Death certificates of family members in the line (if applicable), legalized and translated
- Proof that your Italian ancestor never became a citizen of another country, or if they did, a notarized copy of the naturalization certificate or additional records (if needed) showing correct birth details
- Application for Italian citizenship recognition
- Form 1, Form 2, Form 3 (if parent/grandparent is alive), and, Form 4 (if parent/grandparent is deceased)
- Copy of your valid passport
- Proof of residence (driver’s license, utility bill, or tax document)
- Payment of consular fees
- Appointment confirmation printout
- Proof your ancestor was only an Italian citizen
- Proof they lived in Italy for at least 2 consecutive years
How to Apply for Italian Citizenship Jure Sanguinis?
If you have made your research and discovered that you can submit eligible evidence to get Italian citizenship by descent, you can follow the basic steps stated below:
Step 1: Create your account and book an appointment
You must create an account on the Prenot@mi portal and book a virtual appointment under “Citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis).”
Step 2: Confirm your appointment
After booking, you must confirm your appointment online between 10 and 3 days before the scheduled date. If you are given an appointment from the waiting list, you must confirm it within 5 days. However, currently, it is no longer possible to join the waiting list.
Step 3: Prepare your application documents
You must collect all required documents, including family records, forms, translations, and legalizations (apostilles). All forms must be completed correctly and dated within the required timeframe.
Step 4: Send your application by mail to the Italian Consulate
On the day of your appointment, you must not go to the Consulate. Instead, you must send your entire application by certified mail.
You must mail your application to the Consulate on the exact appointment date. If you send it earlier, it will not be processed and will be returned to you.
Step 5: Prepare the envelope correctly
Your envelope must include your full name and address, the appointment date, and the request code generated by Prenot@mi. It must also contain all documents, forms, and payments.
Step 6: Payment confirmation
After your application is received, the Consulate will email you to confirm receipt of your payment. The fee is non-refundable, even if your application is rejected.
Step 7: Application processing and final decision
If your application meets all requirements, it will be processed within the legal timeframe. The Consulate may contact you if additional documents are needed.
Once the process is completed, you will receive an email with the final decision. Regardless of the outcome, your documents will not be returned. If it is successful, you can apply for your Italian passport.
How Long Does It Take to Get Italian Citizenship by Descent?
Getting Italian citizenship jure sanguinis typically takes between 9 months and 4 years, depending on the complexity of your application.
The Fees for Italian Jus Sanguinis Citizenship Application
Citizenship by descent application fee is €600 as of 2026. Additional consular charges may include:
- Signature authentication: €20
- Certified copies (per document): €10
- Translation certification (per document): €13
- Oath (if required): €15
How to Get Italian Dual Citizenship by Descent?
Italy allows dual citizenship. However, for Italian dual citizenship, you must also check your country of origin. If your home country does not allow you to hold a second citizenship, it may require you to renounce citizenship.
The matter is that if you apply for Italian citizenship by descent after March 2025, your ancestors must have had dual citizenship at the time of your birth or at the time of their death.
Remaining Options if You No Longer Qualify for Italian Citizenship by Descent
If you no longer qualify for citizenship through your Italian descent, you can prefer either citizenship by marriage or naturalization and get an EU passport if applicable.
Italian Citizenship by Marriage
According to the Italian Nationality Law, you can get citizenship if you marry an Italian citizen, but you must be married for a certain amount of time:
- If you live in Italy, you must have been married for 2 years
- If you live abroad, you must have been married for 3 years
- If you have children together (biological or adopted and under 18), the waiting time is cut in half
Also, before applying:
- Your marriage must be officially registered in Italy
- Your Italian spouse must be registered with AIRE (Italian citizens living abroad registry)
- You must prove you know Italian at the B1 level
Italian Citizenship by Naturalization
Initially, you should understand that Italian citizenship is not automatic; it requires legal residence. For non-EU citizens, this process takes 10 years of continuous residency; for EU citizens, 4 years. Additionally, you must demonstrate that you meet several requirements, such as proof of residence, income, and a B1-level Italian language certificate. Here, the most important requirement is legal, continuous residence in Italy, meaning you must move to Italy permanently.
You can get residency in Italy in several ways, but nowadays the most popular ones include Italy Golden Visa and the Italian Elective Residency Visa. Both options attract different types of relocaters. Italy Golden Visa is best for those who do not wish to relocate to Italy currently, as it imposes no residency requirement. It is usually preferred by those who plan to move to Italy in the long term, not now.
On the other hand, the Italian Elective Residency Visa is best suited for passive-income earners. With a stable passive income, you can qualify for this visa, but you must know that it requires at least 183 days of residency in Italy to maintain your status.
