Skip to content Italian citizenship by descent is based on the principle of Iure Sanguinis, meaning “right of blood”. Under this principle, Italian citizens may transmit citizenship to their descendants through the family line.
However, following the 2025 reform, not all descendants of Italian citizens automatically qualify for recognition of Italian citizenship. The current rules must be assessed carefully, especially for individuals born abroad who also hold another citizenship.
People whose Italian citizenship by descent is recognised are generally entitled to the same rights and duties as other Italian citizens.
For a broader introduction, have a look at our guide on Italian citizenship and learn more about the other types of citizenship you may be eligible for.
Who qualifies for the Italian citizenship by descent?
Italian citizenship by descent may be recognised where the applicant can prove an uninterrupted line of transmission from an Italian citizen ancestor and where all current legal requirements must be met.
Under the rules introduced by Decree-Law No. 36/2025, converted into Law No. 74/2025, individuals born abroad who hold another citizenship are generally considered not to have automatically acquired Italian citizenship, unless one of the exceptions provided by Article 3-bis of Law No. 91/1992 applies.
These exceptions include, among others:
- cases where the applicant’s citizenship was already recognised under the previous rules;
- administrative applications, accompanied by the necessary documentation, submitted no later than 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025;
- qualifying appointments communicated by the competent office by 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025;
- judicial claims filed no later than 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025;
- cases where a parent or grandparent holds, or held at the time of death, exclusively Italian citizenship;
- cases where a parent or adoptive parent was legally resident in Italy for at least two continuous years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the applicant’s birth or adoption.
The applicant must still prove no interruption of the line of transmission under the applicable law.
Can I get Italian citizenship if my great-grandparents were Italian?
Before the 2025 reform, authorities considered Italian citizenship by descent transmissible without generation limits. This provided that no interruption of the line of transmission had occured.
Today, the existence of an Italian great-grandparent is not, by itself, sufficient. Applicants must still prove the full line of descent and must also meet the new eligibility criteria introduced by Article 3-bis of Law No. 91/1992, where applicable.
This means that many applications based on remote ancestry must now be assessed in light of certain parameters:
- the applicant’s place of birth,
- other citizenships held,
- the existence of a qualifying link with Italy.
Qualifying links are, for instance, an exclusively Italian parent or grandparent. Alternatively, a parent who resided in Italy for the required period before the applicant’s birth or adoption.
Maternal-line cases
Italian citizenship may also be transmitted through the maternal line, but historical limitations may apply. As a general rule, children born to an Italian mother before 1 January 1948 may require judicial proceedings, because under the old legislation women could not transmit citizenship in the same way as men before the entry into force of the Italian Constitution.
How far back do you have to go to get Italian citizenship?
After the 2025 reform, relying on a remote Italian ancestor may no longer be sufficient unless the applicant also falls within one of the exceptions provided by the current law.
In particular, for individuals born abroad who hold another citizenship, recognition may be possible only if one of the conditions provided by Article 3-bis applies, such as:
- a parent or grandparent who holds, or held at the time of death, exclusively Italian citizenship;
- a parent or adoptive parent who legally resided in Italy for at least two continuous years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the applicant’s birth or adoption;
- an application, qualifying appointment or judicial claim filed within the transitional deadlines provided by the law.
One must understand the requirement relating to the parent’s residence in Italy precisely: the parent or adoptive parent must have resided in Italy for at least two continuous years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the birth or adoption of the child.
Learn more about the new rules in our article on Italian Citizenship by Descent: Changes in 2025.
Citizenship acquisition process for minor children
Law No. 199 of 30 December 2025 introduced significant changes to the Italian citizenship acquisition process for certain minor children of Italian citizens by birth.
For children born abroad to an Italian citizen by birth who does not automatically transmit citizenship, the parents or legal guardian may submit a declaration of intent for the child to acquire Italian citizenship, provided that the legal requirements are met.
Under the ordinary rule, one may submit the declaration within three years from the child’s birth. Alternatively, from the date of established filiation, including adoption.
A separate transitional rule applies to certain children who were minors on 24 May 2025. For children who fall within this transitional category, authorities extended the deadline to 31 May 2029.
If the child reaches the age of majority before that date, they must submit the declaration directly within the same deadline.
Learn more about the new rules in our article on the citizenship acquisition process for minor children.
Special cases related to Italian ancestry
Some individuals with Italian ancestry may acquire Italian citizenship by benefit of law rather than through the ordinary recognition of citizenship by descent.
A foreign or stateless person whose father, mother, or direct ascendant up to the second degree is or was an Italian citizen by birth may acquire Italian citizenship in specific cases, including where the person:
- performs military service for the Italian State and declares in advance the intention to acquire Italian citizenship;
- holds public employment for the Italian State, in Italy or abroad, and declares the intention to acquire Italian citizenship;
- upon reaching the age of majority, legally resides in Italy for at least two years and declares, within one year, the intention to acquire Italian citizenship.
These cases are not the same as ordinary citizenship recognition iure sanguinis. They are specific routes to acquiring citizenship by benefit of law. Accordingly, one must assess them under the relevant legal provisions.
What documents do I need to get Italian citizenship by descent?
To apply for recognition of Italian citizenship by descent, applicants must prove their connection with the Italian ancestor. Furthermore, they must prove the uninterrupted transmission of citizenship through each generation.
The documents generally required may include:
- birth certificate of the Italian ancestor;
- birth certificates of all persons in the direct line of descent, including the applicant;
- marriage certificates of the Italian ancestor and of the descendants in the direct line, where applicable;
- death certificates, where required by the competent authority;
- certificates proving whether and when the Italian ancestor acquired a foreign citizenship, or confirming non-naturalisation;
- documents showing that no person in the direct line renounced Italian citizenship, where required;
- documents proving the applicant’s residence;
- valid passport or other identity document;
- documents proving that one of the Article 3-bis exceptions applies, where required.
Applicants must legalise or apostille foreign documents and translate them into Italian. The competent authority may request additional documents depending on the applicant’s personal and family history.
How long does it take to get the Italian citizenship by descent?
Italian municipalities usually process citizenship by descent applications within approximately six months from the date of submission. However, timing may vary depending on the specific case.
For applications submitted abroad through Italian consular authorities, processing times are generally different and may be significantly longer. This depends on the competent Consulate and local procedural rules.
Can you get Italian citizenship by descent through DNA test?
No. Italian citizenship by descent cannot be recognised solely through a DNA test.
How to get Italian citizenship by descent
Applicants residing in Italy must submit the application for recognition of Italian citizenship by descent to the Civil Registrar of the Italian municipality where they have established legal residence.
Applicants residing abroad must currently submit the application to the Italian consular authority competent for their place of residence, subject to appointment availability and local procedural rules.
If you are looking for support in applying for Italian citizenship, take a look at our page dedicated to the services offered by Studio A&P for Italian citizenship by descent.
To find out more about the other types of Italian citizenship available, read our articles on: