Recognition of Italian Citizenship iure sanguinis: Changes in Regulation and Consequences

Breaking news: the Italian Government approved a significant measure on the evening of 28 March 2025.

Specifically, following an extended session of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tajani, announced the approval of a Decree-Law, which was subsequently published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale the following day. The decree significantly restricts the submission of applications for recognition of Italian citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis) at Italian consular authorities abroad and at Italian courts.

What does the decree provide?

From 29 March 2025, the date of publication in the Gazzetta Ufficiale:

• A generational limit has been introduced for the transmission of citizenship, specifically up to two generations. From this date, only individuals with at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy will be able to submit an application for recognition of Italian citizenship by descent, whether administratively or judicially.

• The continuity of the citizenship transmission chain, unlike the previous regulations, must now be demonstrated by the applicant rather than the Ministry.

• The management of procedures has been centralised: the receipt and administrative examination of applications will no longer be handled by individual consular offices abroad, but by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Following this substantial change, consular authorities have suspended all appointment services relating to applications for Italian citizenship by descent.

This urgent measure, adopted by the Government, is already effective immediately due to its urgent nature, although it must still be converted into law. It follows another important measure approved at the end of December 2024 as part of the Budget Law, which came into effect on 1 January 2025: the introduction of a €600 application fee for each applicant, even in cases of joint submissions.