Final approval has been given by the Chamber of Deputies to the citizenship decree. Now law after its second reading, the decree includes, among other things, stricter rules on dual citizenship. It establishes that individuals of Italian descent born abroad may obtain an Italian passport through jus sanguinis (right of blood) only up to two generations — that is, only if they have a parent or grandparent who was born in Italy.

The new regulation establishes that Italian citizenship will no longer be automatically granted to individuals born abroad who also hold a different nationality.

Additionally, those born outside Italy before the law takes effect will be ineligible for recognition of citizenship unless they meet one of the following criteria: They submitted a formal request, along with the required documents, to the appropriate consular office or local mayor by March 27, 2025, and had their Italian citizenship officially acknowledged; Their Italian citizenship was confirmed by a court following legal action filed no later than the same date; One of their Italian parents or adoptive parents was born in Italy; An Italian parent or adoptive parent had been living in Italy continuously for at least two years before the child’s birth or adoption; A direct ancestor (parent or adoptive parent’s parent) who was an Italian citizen was born in Italy.

The purpose of the legislative reform is to tie the automatic inheritance of citizenship to the presence of a genuine connection to Italy, both on the part of the Italian forebears and the descendant receiving citizenship. While the government retains the core principle of jus sanguinis (citizenship by descent), the new measure emphasizes the importance of maintaining a real bond with Italy for those born abroad to Italian nationals. This move also aligns Italy’s approach with that of other European countries and ensures that only those with a meaningful relationship to Italy can benefit from the rights of EU free movement.

The required period of legal residence in Italy for a foreign national to apply for citizenship—when they have a parent or grandparent who was an Italian citizen by birth—has been shortened from three years to two.

Finally, individuals who were either born in Italy or resided there continuously for at least two years and who lost their citizenship under certain articles of Law No. 555 of 1912 will have the opportunity to reacquire it by submitting a formal declaration between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027.