Thought you missed your chance to get Italian citizenship through your family history? It’s time for a second look. Right now, Italy is considering a new law that could make it easier for people with Italian roots to become citizens without having to move and reside in Italy. This is about reclaiming your identity as Italian-born national while respecting your life as you built it over many years in your country.
IMPORTANT: please note that this article was last updated in February 2025. Since March 28, 2025 the Italian Government has enacted a new temporarty regulation and approved two proposals that change the legal and political landscape. Please find here the latest updates: New Rules for Italian Citizenship by Descent (2025 Update)
What is this about?
Proposals number 919 includes a provision which opens window a provision in Article 1 for opening a 4-year window of opportunity to submit applications for Italian citizenship. This allows individuals who lost their Italian citizenship before 1992 through naturalization to obtain it once again without moving to Italy. The discussion on this law started in the Italian Parliament in January 2024, and it’s expected to wrap up in a few months.
Source: Bill no. 919 presented by Senator Francesca La Marca last on January 24, 2025
Moreover, there is an an even more exciting development for those seeking Italian citizenship. Bill no. 295, currently under discussion in the Italian Parliament, could open new doors for the children of Italian-born parents who lost their citizenship by becoming citizens of other countries before 1992.
This bill proposes that children of citizen fathrs or mothers who lost their Italian citizenship due to work abroad, even if born before January 1, 1948, can now reclaim their citizenship. To do so, applicants must submit a declaration to the mayor of their municipality of residence (if they reside in Italy) or the appropriate consular authority (if they reside abroad), along with suitable documentation proving their descent. This change could significantly broaden the scope for many seeking to reconnect with their Italian heritage.
Source: Bills no. 295 and  no. 1211 presented by Senator Francesca La Marca, together with Bill no. 919
Recent Updates
On 13 January 2025 almost 70 Italian Parliament members signed to show their support for these bills and strenghtened the route towards their approval in the next months.
Source
On 25 February 2025 the Parliament ordered a series of hearings with extperts and relevant stakeholders selected by the MPs within the Parliamentary Committee that is examining the various Bills to amend the Italain Nationality Act (Commissione Affari Costituzionali in sede redigente).
Source: Italian Parliament – Senate – Commissione Affari Costituzionali in sede redigente, 25 february 2025 session minutes
For those who lost Italian citizenship:
Italian-born citizens who moved abroad and voluntarily acquired citizenship of another country before 1992 lost their Italian citizenship. They and their children born after are regarded as foreigners by Italy, despite speaking Italian and having Italian families. Since 1992, only the parents who were born in Italy have been able to reclaim Italian citizenship, but only if they return to live in Italy.
The new bills propose significant changes: the former Italian citizens (the parents) could regain their citizenship without needing to leave their lives in their current countries Bill no. 919). They must, however, submit their application within a 4-year window.
For the children of former Italian citizens:
Moreover, Bill no. 295 currently under discussion in the Italian Parliament, proposes that children of citizen fathers or mothers who lost their Italian citizenship due to work abroad, even if born before January 1, 1948, can now reclaim their citizenship.
How? They must submit a declaration to the mayor of their municipality of residence or the appropriate consular authority, along with suitable documentation proving their descent and how their parents obtained the citizenship of the country of residence.
This change could significantly broaden the scope for many seeking to reconnect with children’s Italian heritage at any age.
Who Does This Draft Law Affect?
According to the proposer, the former draft law – no. 919 – aims to address specific situations: it caters to Italian-born individuals who moved abroad and had to forfeit their Italian citizenship to fully integrate into their new country of residence. This is especially noteworthy as they would now have the opportunity to reacquire it without the need to move to Italy.
For instance, consider a man named Mario, who moved to the U.S. in 1965 for better job prospects and became an American citizen in 1971, renouncing his Italian citizenship in the process. Now he could have a chance to reclaim it through this new draft law. The same applies to women.
The latter proposal – Bill no. 295 – aims to help children of Italian-born parents who lost their Italian citizenship by becoming citizens of other countries before 1992. This bill is especially important for those whose parents lost their citizenship because they moved abroad for work, even if these children were born before January 1, 1948.
For instance, consider Josephine, the daughter of Mario, who was born in 1972 in the U.S. Because her father became an American citizen in 1971 and lost his Italian citizenship, she is currently not eligible to obtain an Italian passport. However, if Bill no. 295 will be approved by the Italian Parliament, she will be eligible again. She will have the possibility to submit an application at the local Italian Consulate and get dual Italian citizenship.
What If This Bills Are not Approved?
Under the current Italian law, the Italian-born citizens who moved abroad and forfeited their Italian citizenship by naturalizing in another country (like Mario in the U.S.A.) can get their Italian citizenship back, but they have to move to Italy. They can either
- Move to Italy and become Italian citizens automatically after 1 year of registered residence in any Italian municipality, OR
- Make a formal statement at the local Italian Consulate and move to Italy within 1 year time
This procedures are set by Article 13 of the Italian Nationality Act in force at present (see Section 1 under C and D).
Moreover, the children of parents (or grandparents) who were born in Italy and lost the Italian citizenship have an option to acquire Italian citizenship if they move to Italy and live there for 3 years.
This opportunity offers a more favorable condition compared to the standard 10-year residency usually required for obtaining Italian citizenship. It’s a special consideration for descendants of Italian-born citizens, as outlined in Article 9 of the Italian Nationality Act.
Practical Aspects for Potential Applicants
If you are one of those affected by the constraints of past legislation, this reopened window presents a meaningful opportunity.
As a child of a former Italian citizen – being it a mother or father –Â you can get Italian citizenship if you declare to the Italian Consulate that you want it.
Once they accept your declaration, you will be regarded as an Italian citizen from the date of such declaration. As a consequence, if you had children before that date, they are not Italian citizens and can get citizenship only by residing in Italy for 3 years (Article 9 §1a of the Italian National Act currently in force). If you are married, your spouse will be able to apply for citizenship only after three years (or 1 year and a half, if you have children, Article 5 of the Italian National Act).
What Lies Ahead
It’s crucial to remember that these are still draft laws and not yet in force. However, their alignment with contemporary needs and the the fact that they are currently under discussion in the Italian Parliament make them worth watching closely. If enacted, they will mark significant steps in updating Italian citizenship laws, potentially benefiting a wide array of individuals who have been affected by previous legislative limitations.
You’re welcome to read my guide here and follow the progress of the discussions in the Italian Parliament on the amendments to citizenship laws: Italian Citizenship Law: Follow Ancestry Bill Updates
Do you want to know more?
Follow me for updates to keep abreast of any progress of the discussion and changes in Italian citizenship laws.1
My grandmother was born in Italy. She naturalized in the US in 1952 and my father was born in 1953. I understand that, as of right now, I cannot pursue Jure Sanguinis because my father was born AFTER she naturalized and the line of descent was broken. However, if I’m reading your article correctly, if Bill 295 was to pass, it means that my father would be eligible to be an Italian citizen. Would that mean that the line of descent would be back open for me to apply for Jure Sanguinis?
Unfortnately not. Bill no. 295 refers to a procedure to acquire Italian citizenship with effect from the date the applicant makes a formal statement before the Consulate. There is no retroactive effect like in the case of citizenhsip by descent (jure sanguinis). So the children born before that date are not regarded as Italian citizens and cannot claim it.
Does Bill 295 only apply to children of the Italian who lost their citizenship? Or would that reopen the line to apply for Jure Sanguines through a grandparent?
Bill no. 295 only refers to applicants who lost Italian citizenship and to their children. The grandchildren are not included. Also, there is no opening in the sense of citizenship by lineage (jure sanguinis).
This would be amazing!! Thank you for keeping us updated! I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed it passes
My family and I (in the US) are researching gaining Italian citizenship via descent, Our last Italian born family member was my great-grandfather (my mom and aunts grandfather). He never naturalized in the US. Consulate appointments are not available and I’m being told that I won’t get one until 2029. Are we eligilbe to go through the courts? We would need an Italian lawyer? Thank you
Hello, Nikki! Yes, you’re eligible for applying in Court in Italy, if you can’t get an appointment in a reasonable time and foreeably will not make it to have your application process within the legal deadline of 2 years. The Courts have stated that the 2 years deadline include the waiting time for the appointment. We can help you with the process and you can prepare for that. The first step is to prove that you can’t get an appointment at teh Consulate. So document every attempt you make to set an appointment. On the Prenot@mi platform, make a screenshot each time the system gives a “no available appointments” log. Include all the screen, so that your name, the date and the log are fully visible. take at least 3 screenshots on different weeks. For the next steps, please check the information I published at this page.
My Trentini g.grandfather returned to Italy before 1920. Would he have automatically acquired Italian citizenship when Trentino became part of Italy ?
Hello Rosanna! It is likely that your great-grandfather got the Italian citizenship automatically by staying in Italy in 1920. In order to be 100% sure, you should get a “Certificato storico di residenza e cittadinanza” from the municipality in Italy. Good luck with your search!