Our Citizenship by Descent Programmes
Italy is uniquely positioned when it comes to obtaining Citizenship by Descent - it's considered a birth right. Through jure sanguinis ('by right of blood'), it's passed from generation to generation. There are no limits on how far removed you can be from your last Italian-born ancestor.
What Can I Expect from Italian Citizenship by Heritage?
Italy is a beautiful country with a rich culture. Renowned for its stunning architecture, relaxing pace of life and, of course, its incredible cuisine, Italy is naturally a popular destination – be it temporarily for travellers, or more permanently for those seeking a new home.
- Freedom of movement throughout the European Union (EU), and the ability to live and work anywhere in the EU - without restriction.
- Access to affordable healthcare and opportunities to study at world-class education institutions.
- No personal income, capital gains or inheritance tax, and there’s no tax on foreign income.
- Italian citizenship by descent, once obtained, can be extended to cover spouses and children.
- Beautiful Mediterranean setting with a very low violent crime rate - a very desirable place to live.
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Italian Citizenship-by-Descent Requirements
You don’t need to donate, make an investment, or pay due diligence fees. There's no requirement to speak the native language or meet a certain percentage in your heritage. To be eligible, you need to meet the following requirements:
You need to have had an Italian ancestor who was alive after March, 17 1861.
Did your Italian ancestor ever gain citizenship in another country? If so, it must have occurred after July 1, 1912, and after the birth of his or her child.
If your Italian ancestor never obtained foreign citizenship, you will most likely qualify for an Italian passport by descent automatically.
Are there women in your direct ancestral line? If so, the children of these women must have been born after January 1, 1948, to pass on Italian citizenship.
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How Do I Apply for Italian Citizenship by Descent?
There are three paths to Italian citizenship:
- Consular Processing: this is for those living outside of Italy who wish to seek recognition at their local Italian embassy or consulate.
- Court Processing: this is for those with a ‘1948 case’ (someone who descends from an Italian woman with children born pre-1948), or a loophole to qualifying in need of special consideration – i.e. the need to get around long consular wait times.
- Direct in Italy: this is for those who want to establish residence in Italy and apply directly at an Italian municipality.
To apply you’ll need to have gathered important records (like birth, marriage, death, and naturalisation certificates) to recreate your family tree and register your claim.
When compiled, your citizenship dossier is duly legalised, translated and handed either to an Italian municipality (if you’re residing in Italy), or an Italian consulate (if you’re outside Italy).
How Long Does It Take to Get an Italian Citizenship?
By law, your citizenship application should be processed within 730 days or less. Due to this being such a lengthy process, applicants may be allowed to skip the consulate and instead seek immediate recognition of their application in court. This reduces the processing time significantly.
Does Italy Offer Dual Citizenship?
Yes, it does.
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We’ll help you make the process of applying for an Italian passport by descent one that’s as smooth as possible. Start your journey towards becoming an Italian citizen by completing the form below.