CITIZENSHIP & HERITAGE
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Italy

Citizenship by descent, in plain words.

Furthest routine descent
Grandparent
Fee
€600 per adult
Watch out
Since 2025 the parent or grandparent must have held only Italian citizenship.

The rules

  • Since Decree-Law 36/2025, made law by Law 74/2025 (March–May 2025), descent is limited to a parent or grandparent.
  • That parent or grandparent must have held exclusively Italian citizenship (no other nationality).
  • Fee: €600 per adult.
  • Through the mother's line: only for children born on or after 1 January 1948. Earlier births need a court case (the so-called 1948 case).

Documents to check

Check the official application checklist for this route before ordering records. It may ask for birth records linking each generation, name-change or marriage records, and proof of the ancestor’s citizenship. Special routes may need additional evidence. The consulate can confirm which documents, translations and certifications apply to you.

Official source

https://www.esteri.it/en/servizi-opportunita/italiani-all-estero/cittadinanza/

Checked 8 November 2026.

Verify before applying. Rules and fees change. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Check the official source above, or ask the country's embassy or consulate, before you send anything.