Italy shifting to stricter citizenship by descent regulations

In March 2025, Italy enacted significant reforms to its citizenship laws, particularly affecting individuals seeking citizenship through distant ancestry. These changes have narrowed eligibility criteria, increased application fees, and centralized processing, impacting millions of people worldwide who previously qualified under more lenient rules.

Stricter Ancestral Requirements

Under the new legislation, only individuals with at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy are eligible for citizenship by descent. This marks a departure from the previous policy, which allowed applicants to claim citizenship if they could trace their lineage to an Italian ancestor alive after the country’s unification in 1861. The reform aims to address concerns over the integrity of Italian citizenship and the administrative burden posed by a surge in applications, particularly from countries with large Italian diasporas like Argentina and Brazil.

 

Increased Application Fees

The 2025 Budget Law introduced higher fees for citizenship applications:

• Applications submitted through Italian consulates abroad now incur a fee of €600 per adult applicant, up from €300.
• Municipalities in Italy can charge up to €600 for processing applications. Retrieval of civil status certificates over 100 years old may cost up to €300 per document.

These fees apply to all applications submitted from January 1, 2025, onwards, including those scheduled before this date.

 

Centralized Processing and Application Caps

The reform centralizes the processing of citizenship applications in Rome, relieving consulates of this responsibility. Additionally, an annual cap on the number of applications has been introduced, potentially extending processing times from the current 24 months to up to 48 months.

Public Reaction and Criticism

The changes have sparked criticism from various quarters. Many applicants who had invested time and resources into the process now find themselves ineligible. Critics argue that the reforms disproportionately affect individuals with legitimate ties to Italy and question the fairness of imposing stricter requirements on descendants while children born and raised in Italy to immigrant parents must wait until age 18 to apply for citizenship.

 

Conclusion

Italy’s overhaul of its citizenship by descent laws reflects a shift towards more stringent eligibility criteria and administrative control. While intended to preserve the integrity of Italian citizenship and manage application volumes, these reforms have significant implications for individuals seeking to reconnect with their Italian heritage. Prospective applicants must now navigate a more complex and costly process, with stricter ancestral requirements and longer processing times.