I’m taking a break from taxes to share some news that came out of Italy today. I’ve talked with a number of accountants about this process, so I know there are a lot of us out there who will be affected.
Big News for Italian Citizenship by Descent: What the New 2025 Decree Means for You
Today, the Italian Council of Ministers released a new decree that could significantly impact many people hoping to claim Italian citizenship through descent. Here’s what you need to know about Decreto-Legge 28 marzo 2025, n. 36 and how it may affect you or your family.
✉️ What’s Changed?
This decree introduces restrictions for those seeking Italian citizenship jure sanguinis (by right of blood) and aims to limit claims from individuals born abroad who lack a recent or direct connection to Italy.
❌ Who Is Excluded Under the New Law?
Anyone born outside of Italy before or after March 28, 2025 is considered not to have acquired Italian citizenship, unless they meet new criteria, even if they descend from Italian ancestors. This applies to individuals who already hold another citizenship.
✅ Who Still Qualifies?
You can still claim or retain Italian citizenship if one the following are true:
- You filed your application (in court or through a consulate) before March 27, 2025 at 11:59 PM (Rome time).
- Your Italian parent or adoptive parent was born in Italy or resided in Italy for at least two consecutive years before your birth or adoption.
- Your grandparent (the parent of your Italian parent) was born in Italy.
🖉 What This Means for Ongoing and Future Cases
If you already had a case in progress before March 27, 2025, you are protected. The decree is not retroactive, so successful court rulings or consular applications submitted before the cutoff are still valid.
For new court petitions, the law adds strict rules:
- Petitioners must prove they are not excluded by the new law.
- Sworn affidavits and witness statements are no longer accepted. You must submit documented proof only.
🔄 Is This Final?
The decree takes immediate effect as of March 29, 2025, but it still needs to be converted into law by the Italian Parliament within 60 days. While changes are still possible, this is now the current legal framework.
🎉 My Case Was Already Decided – Am I Safe?
Yes! I was granted citizenship in September 2024 through a 1948 court case in L’Aquila, and I’m happy to report that this new law does not affect my status. If you’re in a similar situation with a court ruling or consular filing dated before March 27, you should be in the clear.
🤔 What about people who already have Italian Citizenship?
The general thinking is that this does not affect the citizenship of people who already have Italian citizenship. However, they are affected indirectly because their children might be restricted in their ability to be recognized as Italian citizens. The children of Italians will have to meet the requirements listed above in order to register as an Italian.
📖 Want to Learn More?
There are a number of resources popping up online covering this topic. The actual text has been published and is available here. It’s in Italian, but ChatGPT or Deepl can translate the file for you.
This article from Italy sheds some light on it from the Italian perspective: Corriere della Sera. It’s in Italian but your web browser should be able to translate it for you.
If you haven’t already joined the Facebook group Dual U.S-Italian Citizenship, you should do it now. They have two jumbo posts about this.
If Reddit is more your style, check out this post in the r/juresanguinis. “Megathread: Italy Tightens Rules on Citizenship for Descendants Abroad“