Italian Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis): Complete Guide

Introduction

Italian citizenship by descent, also known as jure sanguinis (“right of blood”), is one of the most popular ways to obtain Italian citizenship 🇮🇹.
This path applies to millions of people worldwide — especially in the United States, Latin America, Canada, and Australia — who descend from Italian emigrants.

📌 Basic principle: if you have an Italian ancestor who never renounced Italian citizenship before the birth of their descendants, you may claim Italian citizenship, even if you were born abroad and do not speak Italian.

Legal framework

Italian citizenship by descent is based on:

• Law no. 555/1912, which regulated the transmission of Italian citizenship,
• Law no. 91/1992, which defines the current rules on citizenship,
• Constitutional Court rulings and ministerial circulars clarifying special cases (especially maternal line issues).

Who is eligible for citizenship by descent

In general, you are eligible if you:

• descend from an Italian citizen (father, mother, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc.),
• can prove continuity of citizenship (no ancestor renounced Italian citizenship before the birth of the next descendant),
• can provide all necessary genealogical documentation.

👉 There is no generational limit, as long as you can prove the bloodline.

Important exceptions

1. Maternal line before 1948
   • Italian women could transmit citizenship to their children only if born on or after January 1, 1948.
   • For children born before that date, a judicial case in Italy is required.
2. Naturalization of the ancestor
   • If the Italian ancestor became a naturalized foreign citizen before their child’s birth, the chain is broken.
   • If they naturalized after the child’s birth, the right is preserved.

Main requirements

• An Italian-born ancestor 🇮🇹 who was an Italian citizen at the time of their child’s birth.
• Proof that none of the descendants renounced Italian citizenship.
• Collection of official certificates (birth, marriage, death, naturalization).

Required documents

To apply for jure sanguinis citizenship, you will need:

• Birth certificate of the Italian ancestor (estratto dell’atto di nascita from the Comune in Italy),
• Birth, marriage, and death certificates for each descendant down to the applicant,
• Naturalization or non-naturalization certificates of the ancestor,
• Translations and legalization (apostille or sworn translation),
• Applicant’s valid ID,
• Application forms provided by the Consulate or Comune.

Where to apply: the 2025 reform

Traditionally, applications could be filed:

1. At the Italian Consulate abroad,
2. At the Comune (municipality) in Italy,
3. Through a judicial claim (maternal line before 1948).

⏳ This system created massive waiting times, with huge differences across countries (over 10 years in the US, just months in parts of South America).

What changed in 2025

With the 2025 reform, all new applications for citizenship by descent are now centralized in Rome:

• Consulates still receive documentation, but no longer process or decide cases.
• Applications are digitally transmitted to Rome.
• Processing is handled by the Ministry of the Interior – Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration, with the technical coordination of the Farnesina (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
• Comuni in Italy remain competent only for those with actual residence in Italy.
• The judicial route remains necessary for maternal line cases before 1948.

📌 The aim is to make waiting times uniform (theoretically 2–3 years) and reduce the historical backlog in Consulates.

Step-by-step procedure

1. Genealogical research to identify the Italian ancestor.
2. Request certificates in Italy and abroad.
3. Translate and legalize documents.
4. Submit the application at the Consulate (which forwards to Rome) or at the Comune (only if resident in Italy).
5. Review by the Ministry of the Interior in Rome.
6. Registration with AIRE (Registry of Italians Abroad) if living outside Italy.
7. Issuance of the citizenship certificate and possibility to apply for an Italian passport 🇮🇹.

Processing times and costs

• Consulate → Rome: currently estimated at 2–3 years.
• Comune in Italy: around 1–2 years.
• Judicial route: 1–3 years.

💶 Main costs:

• Revenue stamps and administrative fees,
• Translation and apostille costs,
• Legal fees (if judicial or assisted procedure).

Benefits of Italian citizenship

• Italian passport 🇪🇺 with visa-free access to over 190 countries.
• Right to live and work in all EU member states 🌍.
• Access to public healthcare and education in Italy.
• Citizenship automatically passed to children.
• Stronger connection to cultural and family roots.

Common mistakes and reasons for denial

❌ Incomplete or inconsistent documents.
❌ Errors in names or dates across generations.
❌ Missing naturalization or non-naturalization certificates.
❌ Application filed at the wrong Consulate (not territorially competent).

Practical tips

💡 Start with thorough genealogical research.
💡 Check Italian municipal archives for original records.
💡 Use sworn translators for official documents.
💡 Work with experienced professionals to avoid mistakes and delays.

Conclusion

Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) remains a unique opportunity for millions of people of Italian heritage.
While the procedure can be long and complex, the 2025 reform — centralizing all cases in Rome — is designed to standardize waiting times and reduce delays.

📌 Golden rule: prove the uninterrupted bloodline, gather all documents, and carefully follow the procedure.