Skip to content Learn how Italian citizenship applies to children born in Italy, children born abroad to Italian parents and minors adopted by Italian citizens.
Italian citizenship rules for minors depend on the child’s place of birth, the citizenships held by the child and the parents, the legal basis on which a parent is Italian and, in adoption cases, the recognition of the adoption in Italy.
Following the 2025 citizenship reform, a child born abroad to an Italian parent does not always acquire Italian citizenship automatically. Further changes introduced by Budget Law No. 199 of December 30, 2025 extended the deadline for certain parental declarations from one to three years and removed the €250 contribution for that specific procedure from January 1, 2026.
Below you will find an overview of the main citizenship routes available to children born in Italy, born abroad or adopted by Italian citizens.
For a broader introduction to the subject, see our guide on Italian citizenship.
What are the requirements for Italian citizenship for minors?
There is no single citizenship procedure covering every minor. The applicable rules depend primarily on whether the child was born in Italy or abroad, whether a parent is already Italian and whether citizenship is acquired automatically or through a declaration.
Children born in Italy to foreign parents
Being born in Italy does not generally result in automatic Italian citizenship.
A child acquires Italian citizenship at birth only in limited circumstances, including when:
- both parents are unknown or stateless;
- the child cannot acquire either parent’s citizenship under the applicable foreign law;
- a child of unknown parents is found in Italy and possession of another citizenship cannot be established.
A person born in Italy to foreign parents may become an Italian citizen after reaching the age of 18, provided that they have resided legally and continuously in Italy from birth. The declaration must be submitted within one year of reaching adulthood.
A minor may also acquire citizenship when a parent acquires or reacquires Italian citizenship. Under the rules applicable from May 24, 2025, the child must live with the parent and must generally have resided legally in Italy for at least two continuous years. If the child is under two years old, legal residence must continue from birth.
Children born abroad to Italian parents
Article 3-bis of Law No. 91/1992 introduced limits on the automatic transmission of citizenship to persons born abroad who possess another citizenship.
A child born abroad may still acquire Italian citizenship automatically when, for example:
- the child does not possess another citizenship;
- a parent or grandparent possessed exclusively Italian citizenship at the time of the child’s birth;
- if the parent or grandparent died before the birth, they possessed exclusively Italian citizenship at the time of death;
- an Italian parent resided in Italy for at least two continuous years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the child’s birth;
- the case falls within one of the applications, appointments or court proceedings protected by the transitional provisions.
The existence of one of these conditions does not restore a citizenship line that had already been interrupted. The ordinary requirements for transmission through the Italian parent must also be satisfied.
Where exclusive Italian citizenship must be demonstrated, the authorities may require official foreign documents confirming that the relevant parent or grandparent did not possess another citizenship. Personal declarations alone are generally insufficient.
The Constitutional Court subsequently examined Article 3-bis in Judgment No. 63/2026, confirming the distinction between citizenship that had already been officially recognised and citizenship that had not yet been established through an administrative or judicial procedure.
Citizenship by benefit of law
A child born abroad who does not acquire citizenship automatically may qualify for citizenship by benefit of law under Article 4, paragraph 1-bis, of Law No. 91/1992.
This procedure is available to a foreign or stateless minor whose father or mother is an Italian citizen by birth.
The parents or legal guardian must declare their intention for the child to acquire Italian citizenship. At least one of the following conditions must then be met:
- after the declaration, the child resides legally and continuously in Italy for at least two years; or
- the declaration is submitted within three years of the child’s birth or the later establishment of filiation with the Italian citizen.
The three-year deadline also applies where filiation is established through adoption.
Citizenship acquired through this procedure does not take effect retrospectively from birth. It takes effect from the day following completion of the conditions and formalities required by law.
After reaching adulthood, the person may renounce the citizenship acquired through this procedure, provided that they possess another citizenship.
Budget Law No. 199/2025 extended the declaration period from one to three years and removed the €250 contribution for declarations submitted under Article 4, paragraph 1-bis, letter b).
Minors adopted by Italian citizens
As a general principle, a foreign minor adopted by an Italian citizen acquires Italian citizenship under Article 3 of Law No. 91/1992.
However, when the adopted child was born abroad and possesses another citizenship, Article 3-bis must also be considered.
Automatic citizenship may depend on whether:
- an adoptive parent or grandparent possesses exclusively Italian citizenship;
- the Italian adoptive parent resided in Italy for at least two continuous years after acquiring citizenship and before the adoption;
- another protected condition under Article 3-bis applies.
Where automatic acquisition is not available and the adoptive parent is an Italian citizen by birth, the child may qualify through the benefit-of-law procedure. The declaration may be submitted within three years from the legal establishment of the adoptive relationship.
The foreign adoption must also be recognised as effective and properly registered in Italy.
An adoption completed after the adopted person has reached adulthood does not result in automatic citizenship. An adult adopted by an Italian citizen may instead apply for citizenship after five years of legal residence in Italy following the adoption.
Transitional deadline for children who were minors in May 2025
A special transitional provision applies to individuals who:
- were minors on May 24, 2025; and
- are children of Italian citizens by birth covered by Article 3-bis, paragraph 1, letters a), a-bis) or b).
For this category, the declaration under Article 4, paragraph 1-bis, letter b), may be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Rome time on May 31, 2029.
The deadline was originally May 31, 2026, but was extended by Decree-Law No. 200/2025, as converted by Law No. 26 of February 27, 2026.
The extension did not broaden the category of eligible individuals. It only extended the deadline for those who were already minors on May 24, 2025.
If the child reaches the age of 18 before May 31, 2029, the declaration must be submitted personally by the individual within the same deadline.
Documents needed and timing to apply
The documents required depend on the child’s circumstances and the legal basis of the citizenship procedure.
They may include:
- the child’s full birth certificate;
- the parents’ birth and marriage certificates;
- evidence of the parent’s Italian citizenship;
- documents showing how and when the parent acquired Italian citizenship;
- evidence of the child’s other citizenships;
- certificates concerning the citizenships held by parents or grandparents;
- historical Italian residence certificates;
- documents establishing filiation or parental responsibility;
- adoption judgments and Italian recognition or registration documents;
- certified translations, apostilles or legalisations.
Where citizenship is claimed because a parent or grandparent possessed exclusively Italian citizenship, official evidence from the relevant foreign authorities may be required.
Processing times vary according to:
- the type of citizenship procedure;
- the availability of civil-status documents;
- the country in which the documents were issued;
- the need for apostilles, legalisation or translations;
- the municipality or consulate handling the case.
Unlike the former version of this insight, a general 120-day processing time should not be indicated, because the relevant procedure and authority may differ considerably from case to case.
Is the €250 contribution required?
From January 1, 2026, the €250 contribution is not required for declarations submitted under Article 4, paragraph 1-bis, letter b), within three years of birth or the later establishment of filiation or adoption.
The exemption does not automatically apply to every citizenship procedure involving a minor. In particular, the alternative route based on two years of residence in Italy after the declaration is not covered by the specific exemption introduced for letter b).
Declarations submitted before January 1, 2026 remain valid, but contributions already paid are not refundable.
Applying for Italian citizenship for minors
The competent authority normally depends on the child’s place of residence.
Families residing abroad generally submit the relevant documents or declaration to the Italian consulate responsible for their place of residence.
Families residing in Italy generally apply through the civil-status office of the competent municipality.
The procedure also depends on how citizenship is acquired:
- where citizenship is automatic, the foreign birth certificate is normally submitted for transcription in the Italian civil-status registers;
- where citizenship is acquired by benefit of law, the parents or legal guardian must submit a formal declaration;
- in adoption cases, the foreign adoption may first need to be recognised and registered in Italy;
- where a parent acquires or reacquires Italian citizenship, the child’s residence and family situation must be verified.
Transcription of a foreign birth certificate records citizenship that has already been acquired. It does not itself replace the legal assessment of whether the child met the requirements for citizenship at birth.