Italy has tightened its rules for dual Italian citizenship via lineage, narrowing access to citizenship to only those with parents or grandparents born in Italy.
Previously, Harris Beach Murtha had assisted numerous U.S. residents in achieving dual Italian citizenship. Since 1992, Italy had allowed dual citizenship with the United States based upon the principle of “jure sanguinis,” which is Latin for “blood right.” To qualify, an applicant had to prove Italian ancestry with a demonstrable unbroken line of citizenship.
Under a new Italian law, only applicants with parents or grandparents born in Italy can acquire citizenship by descent. Those with Italian-born ancestors who are great grandparents or later are no longer eligible. This group is believed to comprise most Italian Americans, of which there are an estimated 20 million.
The good news: the law is already facing legal challenges and if you filed a citizenship application or judicial claim before March 27, 2025, your application will be processed under the old rules. There are currently about 60,000 applications under review.
The law change is the result of many Italians complaining the old rules allowed in people with little connection to the country, culturally or linguistically. They complained the less-restrictive rules were allowing people to conveniently obtain passports, while some children born in Italy to immigrants are denied birthright citizenship.
Along with the law change, the Italian government will now process citizenship applications online, as opposed to processing at Italian consulates. And, applicants must appear in Italy for face-to-face interviews. Those who receive citizenship but don’t renew their passports, vote or pay taxes are at risk of losing their citizenship.
Who Still Qualifies?
The benefits to dual citizenship are many. Citizens of Italy have access to the country’s education and health care systems. They can travel, work and live freely, not only in Italy, but in any of the 27 European Union countries. They can buy property in Italy and vote in Italy’s elections. They can also pass citizenship on to their children and future generations.
Citizenship is still available to applicants who have an:
- Italian parent or grandparent born in Italy.
- Italian parent or grandparent who holds, or held, only Italian citizenship.
- Italian parent who legally resided in Italy for at least two consecutive years before their birth.
Minor or adopted children born abroad to at least one Italian parent still may acquire citizenship if their parent or legal guardian formally declares their intent to acquire citizenship in person before a vital records clerk within one year of the child’s birth. The declaration may be submitted after the one-year deadline if the minor establishes legal residence in Italy and resides continuously in Italy for at least two years after the declaration is submitted by the parents.
The new law is complex and has other components to consider when applying for citizenship. Please consult an attorney if you are considering this process.
How Harris Beach Murtha Helps
Harris Beach Murtha provides comprehensive legal services to U.S. residents who want to apply for dual Italian citizenship. Our Immigration attorneys have deep experience with this process and have helped many:
- Obtain birth, death, marriage, divorce and other genealogical records
- Amend or correct vital records
- Request declaratory judgments on missing birth, marriage or divorce certificates
- Request one and the same declarations
- File petitions to reclaim the family’s original name
- File applications to obtain U.S. naturalization documents or letters stipulating no records exist
- File citizenship applications, including to the town of residence in Italy
How Much Does it Cost to Apply for Italian Dual Citizenship?
The cost of applying for Italian dual citizenship depends on several factors. You may have to pay filing fees and fees for documents and translation services. There are costs, but they are not prohibitive.
Harris Beach’s Italian citizenship lawyers are well-schooled in the requirements for Italian citizenship. They’ll help you determine if you qualify for Italian citizenship and what documents you need to apply. They’ll also help if you have missing records necessary for Italian dual citizenship.
If you are interested in connecting with your Italian heritage and enjoying the benefits of Italian dual citizenship, please reach out to our Italian citizenship attorney Ross B. Hofherr at (212) 313-5482 and rhofherr@harrisbeachmurtha.com, or the Harris Beach attorney with whom you most frequently work.
This alert is not a substitute for advice of counsel on specific legal issues.
Harris Beach Murtha’s lawyers and consultants practice from offices throughout Connecticut in Bantam, Hartford, New Haven and Stamford; New York state in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Long Island and White Plains, as well as in Boston, Massachusetts, and Newark, New Jersey.
