Category: Services for foreign nationals
In 2025, the rules governing Italian citizenship underwent a profound reform, and a great deal of confusion has been circulating ever since. "New citizenship law 2025" is among the most frequent searches, often accompanied by an understandable fear: "Is everything harder now? Is my application still valid?". In this article we clear things up by distinguishing what has really changed from what has remained the same — because the reform mainly affects one specific path, and not all of them.
The law in two lines
The reform stems from Decree-Law no. 36 of 28 March 2025, converted with amendments into Law no. 74 of 23 May 2025. It amends the historic Law no. 91 of 1992 and mainly redesigns the rules on citizenship by descent (ius sanguinis), while leaving the other paths largely unchanged.
What changes: citizenship by descent
This is where the heart of the reform lies. Until 2025, it was enough to prove descent from an Italian ancestor with official documents to obtain recognition of citizenship, even many generations back. Under Law 74/2025:
- Ius sanguinis is no longer automatic for those born abroad who already hold another citizenship.
- Two-generation limit: citizenship is transmitted automatically only to those who have at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy, or to those whose parent legally resided in Italy for at least two years before the child's birth.
- Previous applications protected: anyone who submitted an application (administrative or judicial), accompanied by the required documentation, by 11:59 p.m. on 27 March 2025 continues to follow the old rules.
- Centralised handling: applications by descent no longer go through individual consulates, but through a centralised office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
There is, however, also a positive development: for those who have a parent or grandparent who was an Italian citizen by birth but do not qualify for automatic recognition, the residence requirement for citizenship by naturalisation is reduced to 2 years (instead of 3), all other requirements remaining unchanged.
What does NOT change: residence and marriage
If you are considering citizenship by residence or by marriage, the good news is that the substantive requirements have remained the same. The reform did not touch them.
For citizenship by residence, the years of legal and continuous residence required remain unchanged:
| Case | Years of residence |
|---|---|
| Non-EU citizen | 10 years |
| EU citizen | 4 years |
| Stateless person or recognised refugee | 5 years |
| Born in Italy / descendant up to the 2nd degree | 3 years |
The other requirements also remain identical: sufficient income over the last three years (at least €8,263.31 per year for the applicant alone), an Italian language certificate at level B1, no disqualifying criminal record, a fee of €250 and a €16 revenue stamp. The application is submitted, as before, on the Ministry of the Interior's ALI portal.
For citizenship by marriage (now extended to civil unions as well), the requirement is still 2 years of legal residence in Italy after the marriage (3 years if residing abroad), halved if the couple has children. Here too: no income requirement, B1 certificate required, €250 fee. The procedure on ALI is unchanged.
What changes for minor children
One aspect of the reform directly concerns those obtaining citizenship by residence or marriage: cohabiting minor children.
Previously, a cohabiting minor automatically acquired citizenship at the moment of the parent's oath. Now, for acquisitions from 24 May 2025 onwards, cohabitation alone is no longer enough: the minor must also have been legally and continuously resident in Italy for at least two years at the time the parent acquires citizenship. If the minor is less than two years old, the requirement is met if they have resided in Italy since birth.
Please note: this part of the law is subject to interpretations that are not yet fully settled: each situation must be assessed individually, checking the dates and the residence documentation.
Dates to remember
- 27 March 2025 (11:59 p.m.): deadline for applications for recognition by descent under the old rules.
- 24 May 2025: entry into force of the conversion law (no. 74/2025), from which the new rules on minor children take effect.
What you can do to avoid mistakes
The most delicate point of any citizenship application remains the residence documentation, which must be proven with the historical certificate of residence issued by the Municipality. An error in the dates or an improperly documented residence can compromise the calculation of the years. That is why it is worth having your position checked before submitting the application.
GR Servizi helps you understand your position
The reform has made the picture more complex, but for those aiming at citizenship by residence or marriage the path remains essentially the same. GR Servizi in Turin checks with you whether you meet the requirements, reviews your documentation (including your historical residence record), prepares and submits the application on the ALI portal and follows you through the process until the oath.
Sources: Ministry of the Interior – Citizenship | Decree-Law no. 36 of 28 March 2025, converted into Law no. 74 of 23 May 2025 | Law no. 91 of 5 February 1992. The legislation is subject to interpretation: always check your specific situation before starting the procedure.