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ItalyRecognition of citizenship by descentLimited

Citizenship by descent in Italy

Recognition of the Italian citizenship a person inherited from an Italian ancestor. The application is examined by the Italian consulate in the applicant's country of residence abroad, so there is no need to move or obtain a residence permit. What decides the case is proven descent and the ancestor's civil status at the time the next descendant in the chain was born — the right bypasses naturalisation and residence requirements. The conditions change often, so check the rules before filing.

Source: Consolato Generale d'Italia Brisbane — Citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis), new rules

Who falls under the transitional period and who under the new conditions

The date of the consular appointment booking relative to 27 March 2025 divides applicants into two groups with different requirements.

Booked an appointment before the reform

  • Booked and confirmed an appointment at the consulate before 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025
  • The case is examined under the rules in force before the reform, without the three new additional conditions
  • The same applies to people born in Italy — the new restrictions do not extend to them

Files an application after 24 May 2025

  • Born abroad and did not manage to book an appointment before 27 March 2025
  • Must prove one of three conditions: exclusively Italian citizenship of their own; exclusively Italian citizenship of a parent or a grandparent at the time of their birth; or two years of residence in Italy by the citizen parent after obtaining citizenship but before the applicant's birth
  • The right to recognition passes down no more than two generations — from a grandfather or grandmother to the parent and then to the applicant

When this programme will not suit you

You were once an Italian citizen and lost the citizenship after naturalising abroad no later than 15 August 1992

The citizenship reinstatement programme for former citizens: applications are accepted from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2027, the consular fee is EUR 250

You are not the descendant of an Italian but the spouse of an Italian citizen

Citizenship by marriage (iure matrimonii) — a separate procedure with its own conditions and documents

Your ancestor naturalised in another country before the next descendant in the chain was born

The chain of transmission of citizenship by descent is broken and recognition is impossible — consider a residence permit for work, family reunification or other grounds

You need a decision quickly, not an examination stretching over nearly two years

Residence permit programmes with shorter processing times will solve the task faster than recognition of citizenship by descent

Documents to gather

The documents fall into two groups: those on the Italian ancestor and those on the applicant.

  • Full birth certificate of the Italian ancestor
  • Marriage certificate of the ancestor, where applicable
  • Certificate of dissolution of the ancestor's marriage, where applicable
  • Death certificate of the ancestor, where applicable
  • Certificate of the ancestor's naturalisation or a certificate that there was no naturalisation
  • Birth certificate of the applicant
  • Marriage or divorce certificate of the applicant, where applicable
  • Apostille and a certified translation into Italian for all foreign documents

How the process runs

How recognition of citizenship by descent proceeds at the consulate.

  1. 1

    Booking an appointment through the Prenot@mi system

    The applicant books and confirms an appointment date at the consulate of their place of residence through the online Prenot@mi system — without a booking the application will not be accepted.

  2. 2

    Filing the application and documents in person

    The applicant attends the consulate in person and hands in the application with the complete set of documents on the ancestor and on themselves; a separate procedure applies to minors. All originals stay at the consulate and are not returned.

  3. 3

    Payment of the consular fee

    The EUR 600 fee is paid on filing. The law makes it compulsory regardless of the outcome — the money is not refunded, even if recognition is refused.

  4. 4

    Examination of the case by the consulate

    up to 730 days

    The consulate checks the chain of descent and the authenticity of the documents; the maximum examination period is 730 days under decree DPCM No. 33 of 17 January 2014. The authority may request further documents.

  5. 5

    Decision and registration with the Italian comune

    The reply arrives at the applicant's email address. On a positive decision the details are sent to the Italian comune, where the applicant is entered in the register of civil status records — from that moment the citizenship is recognised.

Timelines and rights

Validity

Recognised citizenship is open-ended and does not need renewing. The new rules were introduced by decree-law 36 of 28 March 2025, and law 74/2025 fixed them from 24 May 2025.

Work

Once recognised, the person works in Italy as a citizen: no residence permit and no work authorisation are needed.

Residence

Living in Italy is not required for recognition — the application is filed at the consulate in the country of residence abroad. Two years of residence in Italy are required of the citizen parent where recognition proceeds on that ground.

Who you can bring with you

Separate rules apply to children who do not acquire citizenship automatically.

Children born abroad without automatic transmission of citizenship
If at least one of the parents is an Italian citizen by birth, both parents file a joint declaration at the consulate within three years of the child's birth. The child acquires citizenship from the day after the declaration, not from birth — this is not citizenship by descent
Children under the transitional rules (who were minors on 24 May 2025)
Applies where the parent was recognised as a citizen on an application or appointment booking made before 27 March 2025. The parents file a declaration by 31 May 2026; the contribution is EUR 250 for children aged 3 to 18, payable to the Italian Ministry of the Interior
Relatives descending from the same ancestor
Several family members descending from one ancestor file separate applications but may use a shared set of documents on the ancestor, provided they all belong to the same consular district

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

There is no need to go through a residence permit and permanent residence: citizenship is recognised directly, bypassing the residence permit.

Route to citizenship

Citizenship by descent passes down a maximum of two generations — from a grandfather or grandmother to the parent and then to the child. Applicants born abroad must meet one of the conditions: hold Italian citizenship exclusively; have a parent or a grandparent who held Italian citizenship exclusively at the time of the applicant's birth; or have a citizen parent who lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years before the applicant's birth.

Frequently asked questions about Citizenship by descent

How much does it cost to apply for recognition of citizenship by descent?
The consular fee is EUR 600. It is paid on filing and is not refunded, even if recognition is refused: the fee is compulsory by law and does not guarantee a positive outcome.
What happens if I did not manage to book an appointment before 27 March 2025?
The application is examined under the new rules of law 74/2025: you must prove one of three conditions — exclusively Italian citizenship of the applicant; exclusively Italian citizenship of a parent or grandparent at the time of the applicant's birth; or two consecutive years of residence in Italy by the citizen parent after obtaining citizenship but before the applicant's birth. Those who booked and confirmed an appointment before 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025 follow the previous rules.
How is citizenship passed to minor children where it does not transfer automatically?
Since 24 May 2025 such children have a separate route: the parents file a joint declaration at the consulate within three years of the child's birth, provided at least one of them is an Italian citizen by birth. Under the transitional rules, for those who were still minors on 24 May 2025 the declaration can be filed by 31 May 2026. The contribution under this procedure is EUR 250 for children aged 3 to 18, payable to the Italian Ministry of the Interior, and the child acquires citizenship from the day after the declaration, not from birth.
How long does the consulate take to decide?
The law allows up to 730 days for examination under decree DPCM No. 33 of 17 January 2014. The reply arrives by email; on a positive decision the details are sent to the Italian comune for registration in the register of civil status records.
If I was previously an Italian citizen and lost the citizenship, does this programme suit me?
No, a separate reinstatement procedure applies to former citizens. Applications are accepted from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2027, and the consular fee is EUR 250. It is open to those born in Italy or who lived there for at least two consecutive years and lost their citizenship no later than 15 August 1992 through naturalisation abroad; citizenship is restored from the day after the declaration, not retrospectively.

Other ways to move to Italy

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Italy.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.