Italian citizenship may be acquired in several ways: descent from an Italian citizen, marriage or civil union with a citizen, lawful residence over time, and certain cases concerning those born or raised in Italy. Each route has its own conditions and its own procedure.
The firm assists those who wish to check whether they meet the requirements, those whose application has been pending for a long time without a reply, and those who have received a negative decision.
The main routes
- By residence: this requires a period of lawful and uninterrupted residence in Italy, of different length depending on the situation (Union citizens, non-EU nationals, stateless persons and refugees are not treated in the same way).
- By marriage or civil union with an Italian citizen, with time limits that vary according to residence and the presence of children.
- By descent, where citizenship has passed down from an Italian ancestor without interruption.
- For those born in Italy to foreign parents and who have resided there lawfully and without interruption until the age of majority, under the conditions laid down by law.
The rules in this field have changed more than once over the years. Which rules apply also depends on when the relevant facts occurred: this is one of the reasons why the check must be made on the individual case and not by analogy with other people's experience.
The points where applications become complicated
- Continuity of residence: gaps in the civil registry, even short ones or due to administrative errors, may affect the calculation of the period.
- Civil status documents issued abroad, which must be translated and legalised according to the rules of the country of origin.
- Knowledge of the Italian language, in the cases where the relevant certification is required.
- Criminal records, which are subject to assessment.
- The length of the procedure and the remedies available when the deadline for its conclusion has been greatly exceeded.
If the application is stalled or has been rejected
Where the procedure exceeds the time limits set by law without a decision, there are means of pressing for its conclusion. If instead a rejection has arrived, it may be challenged within a time limit running from service: here too, the date of service is the first thing to keep.
What to prepare
- passport and residence permit;
- a historical certificate of residence or, in any event, the material needed to reconstruct the period spent in Italy;
- civil status records (birth, marriage) and any translations already held;
- the receipt of the application filed, if one is pending, with the file number;
- every communication received from the authorities, with the date.
How the consultation works
The preliminary check of the requirements and the examination of the documents can also be done remotely, writing in your own language. How the appointment request works is described in the dedicated guide.
Related areas
Residence permit · International protection · Family reunification · How remote consultation works
This page is for information purposes and describes the areas the firm works in. It does not replace the examination of the individual case, which requires an assessment of the documents and of the specific circumstances. For advice, you may request an appointment.