Italy · Citizenship
Naturalization rules: required residence years, language and civics requirements, and each country's dual-citizenship policy.
AI-drafted, editorial review pending. The official links below are checked — confirm specifics with the authority.
Naturalisation by residence normally requires 10 years of legal residence (5 for refugees and stateless people, 4 for EU citizens, 2 if a parent or grandparent was an Italian citizen by birth; marriage 2 years in Italy or 3 abroad, halved with children). You must show Italian at B1 level. Italy permits dual nationality, so you generally need not renounce your original citizenship.
Italian citizenship is governed by Law 91/1992, amended by Decree-Law 36/2025, which Parliament converted by Law 74 of 23 May 2025. Naturalisation by residence requires ten years of legal residence for non-EU nationals, five for recognised refugees and stateless people, and four for citizens of EU countries. The spouse of an Italian citizen can apply after two years of legal residence in Italy, or three years from the marriage if the couple lives abroad, with both periods halved when the couple has children. Since 2018, both marriage and naturalisation require Italian at no lower than B1. The 2025 reform cut from three years to two the residence needed by a foreigner whose parent or grandparent is or was an Italian citizen by birth, and it lets descendants of Italians who are citizens of countries of historic Italian emigration enter Italy for employment outside the annual quotas. It also ended unlimited transmission by descent: a person born abroad who holds another citizenship is considered never to have acquired Italian citizenship, unless the claim was filed (or an appointment received) by 27 March 2025, a parent or grandparent holds or held only Italian citizenship, or a parent lived in Italy for two continuous years after becoming Italian and before the child’s birth or adoption. The Constitutional Court upheld the rule in judgment 63 of April 2026, and in July 2026 it referred a question on its compatibility with EU citizenship to the Court of Justice of the EU. Former citizens who lost Italian citizenship under the 1912 law and were born in Italy or lived there for two continuous years can reacquire it by declaration between 1 July 2025 and 31 December 2027. Applications for marriage and naturalisation are filed online with the Interior Ministry.
- Naturalisation: 10 years’ legal residence (non-EU), 5 (refugees, stateless people), 4 (EU citizens); Italian at B1.
- Marriage: two years’ residence in Italy or three years abroad, halved with children.
- Since 2025, a foreigner whose parent or grandparent was Italian by birth needs two years’ residence, not three.
- Born abroad with another citizenship: no automatic citizenship by descent except in listed cases; the rule is before the EU Court of Justice.
- 1
Confirm your route and residence
Confirm your period: 10 years (non-EU), 5 (refugees, stateless people), 4 (EU), 2 if a parent or grandparent was Italian by birth, or the marriage route (2 years in Italy, 3 abroad, halved with children).
- 2
Prove Italian at B1
Demonstrate Italian at B1 level with a recognized certificate.
- 3
Meet good-character and other conditions
Meet the income threshold for the recent years and have a clean criminal record.
- 4
Apply to the nationality authority
Apply online to the Ministry of the Interior with residence, income, language and civil-status documents.
- 5
Take the oath
On approval, take the oath of allegiance at your municipality within the deadline (this is when citizenship takes effect).
- 6
Receive citizenship and a passport
You become an Italian citizen; Italy allows dual nationality. Apply for an Italian passport and ID card.
- Eligible route + qualifying residence period
- Continuous / legal residence conditions met
- Italian B1 certificate
- Good character / clean record
- Application + documents + fee
- Oath taken at the municipality
- Dual-nationality / renunciation rule handled
- Citizenship confirmed; passport applied
- Integrazione Migranti (Ministry of Labour portal) — Citizenship by marriage or naturalisation (in Italian)
Residence periods, marriage rules, B1 Italian and the online application.
- Integrazione Migranti (Ministry of Labour portal) — Decree-Law 36/2025 converted: the main changes (in Italian)
Law 74/2025: descent limits, the two-year route and reacquisition.
- Integrazione Migranti (Ministry of Labour portal) — Constitutional Court refers the descent reform to the EU Court of Justice (in Italian)
Order 147 of July 2026 and the exceptions in Article 3-bis.
- Ministry of the Interior — Citizenship (in Italian)
Interior Ministry citizenship information and online services.
- MAECI — Citizenship
Foreign Ministry guidance for citizenship by descent abroad.
Frequently asked questions
How many years of residence does Italy require?
Ten years for non-EU nationals, five for refugees and stateless people, four for EU citizens, and two since 2025 for a foreigner whose parent or grandparent was an Italian citizen by birth. A spouse of an Italian citizen can apply after two years’ residence in Italy or three years from the marriage if living abroad, halved when the couple has children.
Does Italy allow dual citizenship?
Yes — Italy permits dual nationality, so you generally keep your original citizenship.
Is an Italian-language certificate required?
Yes — you must provide a recognized certificate showing Italian at B1 level (with limited exceptions).
Government portals
- Italian Government — Official portal of the Italian Government
- Ministry of the Interior (residence) — Residence permits (permesso di soggiorno) and immigration
- Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) — Italian income tax, VAT, and tax code (codice fiscale)
- Visa for Italy (MAECI) — Visa requirements and applications from abroad