Everything you need to know about Italian citizenship by descent after the March 2025 law changes — eligibility, required documents, application routes, costs, and processing times. Written by an Italy-based sworn translator with 15 years of hands-on experience preparing citizenship document packages.
⚠️ Last updated April 2026 — reflects Law 74/2025 and the Italian Constitutional Court ruling of 12 March 2026.
Step 1: Who Can Still Apply — Eligibility After Law 74/2025
The 2025 law changed who qualifies, but it did not close the door entirely.
You are still eligible if: ✓ Your Italian parent or grandparent held exclusively Italian citizenship at the time of your birth or death ✓ Your Italian parent was born abroad but lived in Italy for at least 2 consecutive years before your birth ✓ Your application was filed before 27 March 2025 — old rules still apply ✓ You tried to book a consulate appointment before that date but could not due to lack of availability, and you have documentary evidence (emails, waitlists) ✓ Your case involves a female ancestor (1948 rule) — these are constitutional equality cases, unaffected by Law 74/2025
You are no longer eligible (for new applications) if: ✗ Your Italian ancestor is a great-grandparent or more distant relative — generational limit now applies to applications filed after 27 March 2025
On 12 March 2026, the Italian Constitutional Court upheld Law 74/2025, confirming the generational limit. Strategy is now more important than ever — speak to a specialist citizenship lawyer before deciding how to proceed. Natalia can refer you to vetted lawyers free of charge.
Step 2: Gather Your Documents
Document collection is typically the most time-consuming part. You need records for every person in the direct lineage from your Italian-born ancestor down to yourself.
Vital records (for each generation): — Birth certificates — long form, with parents' full names — Marriage certificates — long form, showing previous marital status — Death certificates (if applicable) — Divorce decrees and certificates of no appeal (CoNA) — One-and-the-same affidavits (OATS) where names differ across documents
Naturalisation records for the Italian-born ancestor: — If they naturalised: Certificate of Naturalisation, Declaration of Intention, Petition, Oath of Allegiance — If they never naturalised: Certificate of Non-Existence (CONE) from NARA/USCIS, Letter of No Record, first US Census after arrival showing alien status — Ship manifests and passenger lists (useful corroboration)
Where to find US records: vital records from state Departments of Health or county offices. Naturalisation records post-1906 from USCIS; pre-1906 from county courts or NARA.
Step 3: Apostille Your Documents and Have Them Sworn in Italy
Every non-Italian document must be apostilled and accompanied by a sworn Italian translation. These are two separate requirements — both are mandatory.
Apostille: issued by the Secretary of State in the US state where the document was issued. In New York, documents must first be notarised and authenticated by the County Clerk. Never remove an apostille — doing so invalidates the document.
Sworn translation: this is where many applicants go wrong. The translation must be sworn (asseverata) before an Italian tribunal by a translator physically based in Italy. A US-certified translation — even apostilled — does not satisfy this requirement and will be rejected by Italian comuni and consulates.
The asseverazione is a legal oath taken in person before an Italian court. It cannot be replicated remotely or via apostille. A translator based in the US cannot perform it. This is the most common cause of document rejection at the submission stage.
Step 4: Choose Your Application Route
There are three main ways to apply.
Route A — Italian Consulate in your country of residence The traditional approach. Apply at the consulate with jurisdiction over your address via the Prenot@Mi portal. Application fee: €600 per adult (non-refundable, from 2025). Waiting times: from 6 months (Washington DC) to 8+ years (San Francisco).
Route B — Directly at a comune in Italy (fastest) Establish temporary residency in Italy and apply at your local comune. Processing typically takes 6–12 months — far shorter than most consulates. Documents required are identical. Natalia is based in Italy and can liaise directly with specific comuni on your behalf.
Route C — Italian courts (1948 cases and consulate delays) Required if your lineage passes through a female ancestor with a child born before 1 January 1948, or if your consulate has failed to process your case within 730 days. Success rates are high for properly documented cases. Since June 2022, jurisdiction is determined by your Italian ancestor's birthplace, not centralised in Rome.
Step 5: Timelines — What to Expect
Processing times vary significantly depending on your route. Italian courts (1948 / delay cases): 12–18 months for legal proceedings. Consulate — Washington DC: ~6–12 months for appointment + 1–2 years processing Consulate — New York: 1–3 years for appointment + 1–2 years processing Consulate — San Francisco: 3–8+ years for appointment. Currently among the longest waits. Consulate — Toronto / Montreal: 2–5 years for appointment + 1–2 years processing
By law, consulates have up to 24 months from submission to complete their review. If 730 days pass without a decision, you may be eligible to pursue the court route.
Step 6: Costs — What to Budget
Main costs:
— Government application fee: €600 per adult (from 2025, non-refundable). Minor children can be included in a parent's application at no extra charge. — Apostille fees: approximately $20–$30 per document in the US. A typical 3-generation application may require 10–20 apostilles. — Sworn translation fees: charged per document. Request a quote based on your specific document list. — Document retrieval: fees to obtain certified copies from state archives, NARA, or USCIS (NARA charges $65 per CONE request). — Genealogist (optional): if records are missing. Natalia refers you to vetted genealogists free of charge. — Citizenship lawyer (optional but advisable post-2025): particularly important for borderline cases, 1948 cases, or the court route.
Typical total range: $1,500–$4,000+ for a straightforward 2–3 generation consulate application.
Step 7: After Approval — Passport and Children
Once your citizenship is recognised, you will be registered in the AIRE (Registry of Italian Citizens Residing Abroad) through your ancestor's birth comune. AIRE registration must be in place before you can apply for an Italian passport.
Italian passport: book an appointment through Prenot@Mi at your local consulate. Fee: approximately $135 (late 2025). Processing takes several weeks to a few months.
Your children: minor children (under 18) at the time of your recognition become Italian citizens automatically. For children born after your recognition, register their birth with Italian authorities before they turn 18.
For 1948 court cases: after the court judgment becomes final (60-day appeal period), register the ruling with your local consulate and the Italian comune where your ancestor was born.
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