How do you obtain Italian citizenship?

Italian citizenship is a legal bond between the Italian State and the individual, who is granted civil and political rights that the citizen is free to exercise. Among other possibilities, an Italian citizen may participate in public competitions, reside in Italy and have rights that may be extended to cohabiting family members.

Law no. 91/1992 establishes the 4 criteria for the attribution of Italian citizenship:

Italian citizenship by marriage

Foreign citizens may apply for Italian nationality if they meet certain requirements (sufficient income, incensed, circumstances of merit, etc.) or on the basis of marriage to an Italian citizen (and the fulfilment of requirements specific to the case). A foreigner or stateless person (a person who is deprived of nationality for ethnic or security reasons, or who has never had it because he was born in Italy of foreign parents or married to an Italian citizen) may obtain Italian nationality, after applying and being accepted by the government, if he meets certain requirements.

  • You must have been resident in Italy for at least 2 years from the date of the marriage
  • If you were resident abroad, at least 3 years must have passed since the date of the marriage (you must be resident in Italy at the time of the application)
In the presence of born or adopted children, the time limits are reduced by 12 and 18 months if:
  • I the spouses are still bound by the marriage/civil union bond, there must be no dissolution, annulment or termination judgment in force
  • Knowledge of the Italian language obtained through the B1 level exam
  • Absence of criminal convictions and social dangerousness

Foreign citizens may apply for Italian nationality if they meet certain requirements (sufficient income, incensacity, circumstances of merit, etc.) or on the basis of marriage to an Italian citizen (and the fulfilment of requirements specific to the case). A foreigner or stateless person (a person who is deprived of nationality for ethnic or security reasons, or who has never had it because he was born in Italy of foreign parents or married to an Italian citizen) may obtain Italian nationality, upon application and acceptance of the same by the government, if:

  • you have been residing in Italy for at least 12 months and if you have children born or adopted within the marriage,

there are no children, the residency requirement in Italy rises to 24 months, i.e. 2 years of connivance with the Italian citizen.

If, on the other hand, one resides abroad, Italian nationality may only be acquired if: at least 18 months have passed since the marriage and there are children born to or adopted by the spouses; or after 36 months from the date of the marriage, provided that no dissolution, termination or annulment has occurred and if there is no legal separation underway.

  • Tax stamp of €16.00
  • Extract of the birth certificate complete with all particulars indicating the paternity and maternity of the applicant, and relative translation into Italian;
  • Criminal record certificates from the country of origin and any third countries of residence, and their translations into Italian;
  • Payment for the contribution of €250.00 into postal current account no. 809020 made out to the Ministry of the Interior – DLCI, description: citizenship
  • The personal details in Italian and foreign documents must coincide in all acts. Therefore, if there are any differences in the data reported (e.g. change of surname after marriage, different place of birth), it is necessary to produce appropriate documentation attesting to the exact personal details and the reasons that led to these changes (e.g. marriage certificate and consular certificate)
  • Certificate of Italian language level B1; as of 04 December 2018, the required documentation must also include: the integration agreement; or the qualification issued by a public or equal education institute recognised by the M.I.U.R.; or appropriate certification – issued by a certifying body recognised by the M.I.U.R. – certifying the possession of a level of knowledge of Italian language no lower than level B1 of the CEFR – Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.Whereas for the registration of a marriage, one needs the service of proxies and declarations and we refer you to this page for more information.

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Italian citizenship by residence (by naturalisation)

Italian citizenship by residence is granted by the Ministry of the Interior upon application to the Prefecture; citizenship by residence is granted to foreign citizens residing in Italy who meet at least one of the following requirements:

  • Foreign national born in Italy and legally residing in Italy for at least 3 years,
  • A foreign citizen who is the son or grandson in the direct line of Italian citizens by birth, legally residing in Italy for at least 3 years,
  • A foreign citizen over the age of 18, adopted by an Italian citizen, legally residing in Italy for at least 5 years, following the adoption,
  • Foreign citizen who has served, including abroad, for at least 5 years in the employ of the Italian State (the application for Italian citizenship is requested from the competent Consular Authority),
  • EU citizen residing legally in Italy for at least 4 years,
  • Stateless/refugee citizen residing legally in Italy for at least 5 years,
  • Non-EU citizen legally residing in Italy for at least 10 years

Other requirements Italian citizenship by residence

  • Knowledge of Italian language obtained by L2 b1 level exam
  • Income
  • Absence of criminal convictions and social dangerousness

  • Tax stamp of €16.00
  • Extract of the birth certificate complete with all particulars indicating the paternity and maternity of the applicant, and relative translation into Italian;
  • Criminal record certificates from the country of origin and any third countries of residence, and relative translations in Italian;
  • Photocopy of the residence permit/card (for non-EU citizens), or of the certificate of residence (issued by the commune of residence for EU citizens);
  • Tax declarations (CUD, UNICO, 730, ISEE, etc.) relating to income received in the last 3 years for those who use the income received by family members. For all the above-mentioned cases, a personal income (or that of family members included in the same family status) in the last 3 years prior to the year in which the application is submitted is required, the limits for each year being: euro 8,500.00 for applicants with Italian citizenship and no dependents, euro 10,500.00 for applicants with a dependent spouse, varying from euro 500.00 for each dependent minor, up to euro 2,000.00 for each dependent adult;
  • Payment receipt for the contribution of €250.00 to be paid into postal current account no. 809020 made out to the Ministry of the Interior – DLCI, description: citizenship
  • The personal details in the Italian and foreign documents must coincide in all acts. Therefore, if there are any differences in the information given (e.g. change of surname after marriage, different place of birth), it is necessary to produce appropriate documentation attesting to the exact personal details and the reasons that led to these changes (e.g. marriage certificate and consular certificate)
  • Certificate of Italian language level B1; as of 04 December 2018, the required documentation must also include: the integration agreement; or the qualification issued by a public or equal education institute recognised by the M.I.U.R.; or appropriate certification – issued by a certifying body recognised by the M.I.U.R. – certifying the possession of a level of knowledge of Italian language no lower than level B1 of the CEFR – Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Italian citizenship by birth

Italian citizenship is transmitted on the principle of ius sanguinis (right of blood), whereby a child born of an Italian father or mother is an Italian citizen. Foreign citizens, however, can only obtain Italian citizenship if they meet certain requirements.

  • by birth on Italian territory of unknown parents;
  • by birth on Italian territory of stateless parents (without citizenship);
  • for birth on Italian territory of foreign parents unable to transmit their nationality to the subject according to the law of their state of origin;
  • for a foreigner born in Italy, who has resided there legally and without interruption until reaching the age of majority, if he expresses the will to acquire it within one year of reaching the age of majority (Art. 4, § 2 of Law n° 91 of 5 February 1992)

Acquisition of Italian citizenship for legal benefit

Art. 4 of Law no. 91/1992 states that Italian citizenship may be obtained for the benefit of the law when:

  • the foreigner, or stateless person, descends in a straight line from an Italian citizen by birth (within the second degree)
  • the foreigner born in Italy and legally residing in the national territory until he reaches the age of majority

If you are looking for help with Italian citizenship paperwork

Timing and modalities for applying for citizenship

  • Applications for Italian citizenship may only be submitted ONLINE.
  • The competent Prefecture receives by appointment following verification of the documents and data submitted ONLINE.
  • The maximum time for processing and issuing the decree for Italian citizenship is 4 years.