Can I still get Italian citizenship by descent after the 2025 changes if I was born abroad?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Since Decree-Law 36/2025, Italian law treats someone born abroad who holds another citizenship as never having been Italian, unless a condition applies: an application or lawsuit filed by 27 March 2025, a parent or grandparent holding only Italian citizenship, or a parent who lived in Italy for two continuous years after becoming Italian and before the birth.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
General rule	Born abroad and holding another citizenship = considered never to have acquired Italian citizenship, unless an exception applies	L. 91/1992, art. 3-bis.1
Filed in time	Status recognised, under the rules in force on 27 March 2025, on an application filed by 23:59 Rome time that day with the consulate or mayor	L. 91/1992, art. 3-bis.1(a)
Appointment in time	Application filed on an appointment date the office communicated by 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025	L. 91/1992, art. 3-bis.1(a-bis)
Court case in time	Status established by a court on a claim filed by 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025	L. 91/1992, art. 3-bis.1(b)
Only-Italian ancestor	A parent or grandparent has, or had at death, only Italian citizenship	L. 91/1992, art. 3-bis.1(c)
Parent lived in Italy	A parent or adoptive parent lived in Italy for at least 2 continuous years after becoming Italian and before the birth or adoption	L. 91/1992, art. 3-bis.1(d)
Living in Italy as a descendant	Citizenship can be granted after 2 years of legal residence if a parent or grandparent is or was Italian by birth	L. 91/1992, art. 9(1)(a)

The rule since 2025

Decree-Law 36 of 28 March 2025, converted by Law 74 of 23 May 2025, added article 3-bis to the citizenship law. It says that a person born abroad, including before the article came into force, who holds another citizenship is considered never to have acquired Italian citizenship, unless one of the listed conditions applies. It applies by way of exception to articles 1, 2, 3, 14 and 20 of the 1992 law and to earlier citizenship laws it names.

The exceptions

Claims filed by 27 March 2025. If your application, with the necessary documents, reached the consulate or the mayor by 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025, or you were given by that time an appointment to file it, it is decided under the rules in force on that date. The same applies to a court claim filed by then.
A parent or grandparent who is only Italian. The exception applies if a parent or grandparent holds, or held at death, exclusively Italian citizenship.
A parent who lived in Italy. The exception applies if a parent or adoptive parent lived in Italy for at least two continuous years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the child’s birth or adoption.

Minor children of Italians by birth

Article 4.1-bis lets a foreign minor whose father or mother is an Italian citizen by birth become a citizen if the parents or guardian declare it and either the child then lives legally in Italy for at least two continuous years, or the declaration is filed within three years of the birth (or of the date the parentage was established). A note on Normattiva says that, for children who were minors when Law 74/2025 came into force and whose parent is a citizen by birth under art. 3-bis(1)(a), (a-bis) or (b), the within-three-years declaration could be filed until 23:59 Rome time on 31 May 2026.

If you move to Italy

Article 9(1)(a), as quoted on the Ministry of the Interior’s page, allows a grant of citizenship to a foreigner whose father, mother or grandparent is or was an Italian citizen by birth after two years of legal residence in Italy.

Language: citizenship by residence requires Italian at B1 level (L. 91/1992, art. 9.1).

Sources

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.