Italy Amends Citizenship Laws for Descendants: New Rules In Effect

In a move to refine citizenship eligibility for descendants of Italians, Italy's parliament has ratified a law requiring prospective applicants to prove that they have at least one parent or grandparent who was a citizen by birth. Previously, under the ‘jus sanguinis’ law, anyone with an Italian ancestor who lived after the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy on March 17, 1861 could claim citizenship. The Italian government, which cited the need to enhance legitimate ties between Italy and its citizens abroad, aims to reduce the risk of misuse and commercialization of Italian passports. This legislative shift comes in light of a significant uptick in citizens living abroad—an increase of 40% from 2014 to 2024, culminating in approximately 6.4 million citizens. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized that while descendants will still have pathways to citizenship, stipulations will be set to prevent abuse of the system, thereby reinforcing the seriousness of citizenship.

The foreign ministry further explained that these changes are intended to streamline consular services and prioritize individuals with a genuine connection to Italy, thereby addressing the backlog of over 60,000 citizenship verification cases.