Why Italy has made it harder to become Italian

What was the law until now?

Previously, anyone who could prove that they had an Italian ancestor alive after the unification of Italy in 1861 could seek citizenship. The process took about two years with “expenses ranging from the cost of notarising and translating documents to to thousands of dollars to hire companies to do all the legwork,” according to a report by CNN.

This meant that even if someone’s parents and grandparents were not citizens, people could still apply for Italian citizenship based on the status of an even earlier generation. Millions of Italians emigrated to the Americas in the 19th and 20th centuries, often to escape poverty.

What are the new rules?

Under the new decree, which was announced on Friday and came into effect immediately, applicants must have at least one Italian parent or grandparent to seek citizenship through bloodlines. Also, dual nationals can lose their Italian citizenship if they “don’t engage” by paying taxes, voting, or renewing their passports.

It is now mandatory for applicants to demonstrate their “Italian language proficiency, which was previously only needed for naturalisation through residency or marriage,” according to the CNN report.

Why has Italy changed the law?

Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani said stricter regulations were required to thwart “abusers” who had few ties to the country, and only coveted its passport. “Citizenship cannot be automatic for those who have an ancestor who emigrated centuries ago, without any cultural or linguistic ties to the country,” Tajani said at a news conference in Rome on March 28.

According to the minister, the number of Italian citizens abroad increased by about 40% in the last 10 years, going up from 4.6 million in 2014 to 6.4 million in 2024. The surge in passport applications in recent years has overwhelmed many institutions. Courts have struggled to process passport requests, and consulates and municipal offices have been inundated with requests for old birth, death and marriage records.

Some experts criticised the old system for granting citizenship to people with long-lost ancestry but denying birthright citizenship to the children of immigrants. Children of even documented immigrants become Italian citizens only after turning 18, and living in Italy since their birth. The new citizenship law does not change this.