Understanding the Recent Changes to Italian Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis)

April 1, 2025

If you’ve been considering applying for Italian citizenship through your ancestry, you need to be aware of significant changes recently announced by the Italian government. On March 28, 2025, an emergency decree was approved that alters the rules for jure sanguinis (citizenship by right of blood).


What Are the Main Changes?

For many years, Italy allowed citizenship to be passed down through generations with few limits, as long as the line wasn’t broken. The new decree changes this significantly:

  1. Two-Generation Limit: Generally, automatic Italian citizenship by descent is now limited to applicants who have at least one parent born in Italy OR at least one grandparent born in Italy.
  2. Impact on More Distant Ancestry: If your closest ancestor born in Italy is a great-grandparent or further back, you likely no longer qualify for automatic citizenship recognition by descent under these new rules. The previous path for unlimited generations has been closed for new applicants.
  3. Protection for Pending Applications: There’s good news for those already in the process. Any complete citizenship application formally submitted to an Italian consulate, municipality, or court on or before March 27, 2025, will still be evaluated based on the old, more expansive rules. If your application was already successfully processed, your citizenship is not affected.


Why the Change?

The Italian government indicated these changes aim to ensure individuals claiming citizenship have a more direct, recent connection to Italy and to manage the high volume of applications.


What Happens Next? Important 60-Day Window

This change was introduced via an emergency decree. The Italian Parliament now has 60 days (from March 28, 2025) to review this decree. During this period, they can vote to make it permanent law, modify its terms, or even reject it. While it’s currently in effect, the final version could potentially see adjustments.


How italMe Can Help

At italMe, we understand these changes create uncertainty. We are closely monitoring the situation, including the parliamentary review process, and will provide updates as they become available.

The rules around citizenship can be complex, especially with these new developments. If you have questions about how this reform affects your specific situation or want to explore alternative pathways to Italian citizenship (like residency or marriage), we strongly encourage you to schedule a free consultation with our specialists.


Sources:

  • Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Communiqué on Citizenship Law Changes (March 28, 2025)

  • Il Sole 24 Ore – News Article on Citizenship Law Changes (March 29, 2025)

Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on the decree issued March 28, 2025, and should not be considered legal advice. Eligibility can only be confirmed after a detailed review of individual circumstances.