For decades, having an Italian great-grandparent or even a more distant ancestor was often enough to qualify for Italian citizenship through family lineage. That long-standing pathway has now been abruptly restricted following a surprise decree issued by the Italian government, making it significantly more difficult for people with Italian ancestry to claim citizenship.
New Decree Dramatically Changes Longstanding Citizenship Path
On March 28, the government introduced new regulations tightening the rules for citizenship claims based on jus sanguinis, the legal principle allowing individuals to obtain nationality through their bloodline. The decree took effect immediately and will now go to the Italian parliament for ratification within 60 days. While lawmakers could still amend parts of the measure during the parliamentary process, the new rules currently apply to all fresh applications.
The changes are expected to affect thousands of applicants worldwide who had been planning to pursue Italian citizenship through ancestry. For many people, especially those in the Americas where large Italian diaspora communities exist, the policy represents a dramatic shift from what was previously considered one of the most accessible citizenship programs in Europe.
Italian Passport Among the World’s Most Valuable
Part of the reason Italian citizenship has long been sought after is the power of the Italian passport. According to the Henley Passport Index, the Italian passport ranks among the most powerful travel documents in the world currently third globally for visa-free or visa-on-arrival access.
Holding an Italian passport allows citizens to travel freely throughout the European Union and many other countries. It also grants the right to live and work across EU member states, making it particularly attractive to people seeking new opportunities in Europe.
Until recently, Italy’s generous interpretation of jus sanguinis meant that descendants of Italians who emigrated generations ago could claim citizenship even if they had never lived in Italy or had minimal cultural connection to the country.
New Rules Require Closer Family Connection
Under the new decree, eligibility requirements have become far stricter. Applicants must now have at least one Italian parent or grandparent to qualify for citizenship through jus sanguinis. This change effectively eliminates claims based on great-grandparents or more distant ancestors, which had previously been common.
Another major shift is the introduction of a mandatory Italian language requirement. In the past, proof of language proficiency was required only for those applying for citizenship through residency or marriage. Under the new regulations, even those seeking citizenship through ancestry must now demonstrate competence in Italian.
Applicants will need to pass a five-part state language examination administered several times each year. Alternatively, they can submit proof of higher-level language certification if they live outside Italy.
The rules also introduce a residency component. Although applicants do not currently need to live in Italy when applying, they must demonstrate that they previously lived in the country for at least three years to qualify under the new framework.
Previous Rules Allowed Generational Claims
Before the decree, the requirements for citizenship through ancestry were considerably broader. Anyone who could prove they had an Italian ancestor who was alive after March 17, 1861; the date when the Kingdom of Italy was established could potentially qualify for citizenship.
Under that system, even individuals whose parents and grandparents never claimed citizenship could apply if they could trace their lineage back to an Italian great-grandparent or even further.
The process typically took about two years and involved collecting birth, marriage, and death certificates across multiple generations. Applicants also had to notarize and translate documents into Italian, and many paid private companies thousands of dollars to handle the complicated paperwork and genealogy research.
For many descendants of Italian immigrants, especially in North and South America, this pathway became a popular means of reconnecting with their heritage while gaining access to the European Union.
Government Says Reform Targets “Abuse” of System
Italian officials say the reforms were necessary to address what they describe as widespread abuse of the citizenship system.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the decree was designed to prevent people from obtaining citizenship merely as a convenience for travel or as a novelty.
“Being an Italian citizen is a serious matter, the granting of citizenship is a serious matter,” Tajani said Friday. “Unfortunately over the years there have been abuses and requests for citizenship that went a bit beyond the true interest in our country.”
The government argues that citizenship should represent a meaningful connection to Italy rather than a distant ancestral link.
Growing Number of Italians Living Abroad
The government’s concerns are partly driven by the rapid growth in the number of Italian citizens living outside the country.
Between 2014 and 2024, the number of Italian citizens residing abroad increased by roughly 40 percent, rising from 4.6 million to 6.4 million, according to the foreign ministry.
Much of this growth occurred in countries with historically large Italian immigrant communities, particularly Argentina and Brazil. In Argentina alone, the Italian consulate processed approximately 30,000 citizenship applications in 2024 an increase of 10,000 compared with the previous year.
In Brazil, consular officials handled about 20,000 requests in 2024, up from 14,000 in 2023.
Italian authorities say that many of these new citizens maintain little direct connection with Italy. Tajani noted that many do not live in the country, do not pay taxes there, and rarely participate in Italian elections.
He argued that citizenship should not be granted automatically to people whose ancestors emigrated centuries ago and who may have little familiarity with Italian culture or language.
Italy’s Unique Citizenship Rules
Italy’s reliance on jus sanguinis contrasts with the citizenship policies of many other countries.
Unlike the United States and several other nations, Italy does not grant automatic citizenship based on jus soli, or birthright citizenship. This means that even children born in Italy to foreign parents are not automatically considered Italian citizens.
Instead, those children must typically wait until they turn 18 and then apply for citizenship. To qualify, they must prove they have lived legally in Italy for at least ten years.
The absence of birthright citizenship has been the subject of ongoing political debate within Italy, with some advocates pushing for reforms that would make it easier for immigrants’ children to become citizens.
Changes to Application Process
The decree also introduces procedural changes to how citizenship applications will be handled.
Previously, Italian consulates around the world processed citizenship requests from applicants living abroad. Under the new rules, the process will be centralized and handled directly by the national government in Italy.
Applications will now be submitted online and will require an in-person interview as part of the process.
Following the announcement of the decree, many Italian consulates cancelled previously scheduled citizenship appointments that were set to take place after March 28, according to the foreign ministry.
Importantly, the new rules do not affect the approximately 60,000 citizenship applications that are currently pending at Italian consulates worldwide.
Impact on Italian Citizens Abroad
The decree also affects existing Italian citizens who live outside the country.
Italian citizens who were themselves born outside Italy will now be able to pass their citizenship to children born abroad only if they have lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years.
Additionally, the decree states that Italian citizens who hold dual nationality could lose their Italian citizenship if they fail to maintain active ties to the country.
Those ties include actions such as paying taxes, participating in elections, and regularly renewing passports and identification documents. According to the decree’s wording, individuals who obtain citizenship but never engage with Italy may eventually lose it.
The reforms also affect spouses of Italian citizens. Under the new rules, individuals who marry Italians must live in Italy for at least two years before becoming eligible to apply for citizenship through marriage.
At the same time, the cost of applying for citizenship has doubled from 300 euros to 600 euros.
Immigration consultants and legal experts say the decree has created confusion and concern among applicants who had been preparing to pursue citizenship.
Samantha Wilson, chief executive of Smart Move Italy, a company that assists people with citizenship applications, said the announcement has generated fear among clients.
“The Tajani Decree has created fear, confusion, and for some, a sense of loss,” Wilson said.
She argued that the decree may face legal challenges, claiming it was introduced quickly as an emergency measure and bypassed standard legislative procedures.
“This decree, in our view, is constitutionally weak,” she said. “It was rushed through as an emergency measure, bypassing the normal democratic process, and we fully expect it to be challenged by the courts, by the legal community, and by us.”
Uncertainty for Applicants and Property Buyers
Wilson said the uncertainty is already affecting people planning to move to Italy or invest in property there.
One of her clients, who had planned to travel to Italy on April 1 to submit an in-person citizenship application, has now cancelled the trip due to the policy change.
Another client in Wilson’s property division recently completed the purchase of a home in Italy but is now reconsidering the investment because the new rules may prevent her from obtaining Italian citizenship.
Although the buyer has already signed legal contracts and must complete the transaction, Wilson said the situation highlights how quickly the new regulations are influencing decisions.
Because the decree must still be approved by the Italian parliament, the rules could change during the legislative process. Lawmakers have 60 days to review, amend, and formally ratify the measure.
Meanwhile, Wilson says some applicants are rushing to submit court cases before the decree becomes permanent.
“For those who are applying through court and are ready, we’re doing everything we can to file their cases before the decree is ratified,” she said.
She added that the coming months could bring significant legal challenges.
“For those who are not yet ready to file, the only option now is to wait for Parliament’s decision within the 60-day window, for the Constitutional Court’s hearing in June, and beyond that, for the outcomes of what will likely be years of court challenges,” Wilson said. “We’ll be filing many of them.”
For now, the future of Italy’s citizenship-by-descent system remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the once-straightforward path to Italian citizenship through distant ancestry has become much more complicated.
