Citizenship Through Grandparent (Jure Sanguinis)

Italian citizenship by descent through a grandparent (jure sanguinis, meaning "right of blood") allows you to claim Italian citizenship based on bloodline connection to an Italian grandparent. This pathway remains active, but underwent major restrictions effective May 24, 2025, when Italy's government introduced a hard two-generation limit. If your grandparent was Italian and you can prove an unbroken chain of citizenship transmission from that grandparent through your parent to you, you may qualify—but the rules are now stricter than they were before.

The pathway is governed by Law No. 91 of February 5, 1992, as amended by Law No. 74/2025 (the "Tajani Decree"). A critical deadline of March 27, 2025, at 11:59 PM Rome time determined which rules apply to your case: applications filed before that date follow the previous rules; applications filed after are subject to the new restrictions. On March 12, 2026, Italy's Constitutional Court upheld the new law, confirming the two-generation limit is constitutional.

This overview covers who qualifies, what documents you must gather, and what rights you gain. For step-by-step application instructions, fees, processing times, and appointment details, see the separate How to Apply document.

If your claim passes through a female ancestor who gave birth before January 1, 1948, you must pursue a judicial case in Italian court rather than the standard consular process.

Why the 1948 Rule Exists

Before January 1, 1948, Italian law did not recognize women's independent right to pass citizenship to their children. A woman could only transmit citizenship if her child was born in wedlock and the father was Italian. This rule was changed by the Italian Constitution, effective January 1, 1948.

How to Pursue a 1948 Case

You must file a petition in the Italian court with jurisdiction over the municipality where your Italian ancestor was born. As of June 22, 2022, cases are no longer centralized in Rome but are filed in regional county seat courts. There are 26 regional courts with jurisdiction: Ancona, Bari, Bologna, Brescia, Cagliari, Caltanissetta, Catania, Firenze, Genova, L'Aquila, Lecce, Messina, Milano, Napoli, Palermo, Perugia, Potenza, Reggio Calabria, Roma, Salerno, Torino, Trento, Trieste, Udine, Venezia, and Verona.

Timeline for 1948 Cases

The judicial procedure typically follows this timeline:

1. File the claim in court
2. Judge appointment (average: 2 to 6 months)
3. First hearing scheduled (usually 6–8 months after appointment)
4. First hearing held; judge may request additional documents
5. Final judgment issued (4 to 10 months after last hearing)

Total timeline from filing to final judgment: typically 12 to 24 months. However, this does not include the 6 to 12 months required to gather documents, so the entire process from document gathering to final judgment is typically 18 to 36 months.

Success Rate and Costs

1948 cases have a very high success rate (95%+) for properly documented cases. The cost typically ranges from €3,000 to €8,000, depending on lawyer's fees, case complexity, and administrative costs.

Once your Italian citizenship is recognized, you gain the following rights and benefits:

Citizenship Status

• You become a full Italian citizen with all associated rights and protections
• You can hold dual citizenship (Italy permits holding multiple nationalities simultaneously)

Work and Residency

• Right to live, work, and study in all EU countries without visa restrictions
• Right to live and work in Italy without needing a visa or work permit
• Access to Italian public services on the same basis as Italian-born citizens

Travel

• Eligibility to hold an Italian passport, which allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to 190+ countries
• Right to consular protection and assistance abroad from Italian embassies and consulates

Political Rights

• Right to vote in Italian elections (both national and local)
• Right to stand as a candidate in Italian elections
• Right to participate in referendums

Family and Succession

• Right to pass Italian citizenship to your children born after your recognition (with important conditions under Law 74/2025; see below)
• Right to inherit Italian property and assets
• Right to sponsor family members for Italian residency

Social and Economic Rights

• Access to Italian social security, healthcare, and pension systems
• Right to own property in Italy
• Right to conduct business in Italy

Transmission to Your Children

Once recognized as an Italian citizen, you can pass Italian citizenship to your children. However, Law 74/2025 introduced new restrictions:

• Minor children born abroad can only acquire Italian citizenship if you make a declaration to the Italian authorities within one year of the child's birth (or adoption)
• For children who were minors as of May 24, 2025, the deadline to make this declaration is May 31, 2026
• If you do not make the declaration within the deadline, your child does not automatically acquire Italian citizenship

This is a critical change. If you have minor children, you must act quickly to declare their citizenship after your own recognition is granted.

Law 74/2025 and the Two-Generation Limit (May 24, 2025)

On March 28, 2025, Italy's government issued Decree-Law No. 36/2025 (the "Tajani Decree"), which introduced the most significant restriction to jure sanguinis eligibility in decades: a hard two-generation limit. The decree was converted into Law No. 74/2025 on May 23, 2025, and took full effect on May 24, 2025.

The law introduced Article 3-bis to Law 91/1992, which fundamentally changed eligibility criteria. The key change: you can now only claim citizenship through a grandparent (second-generation ancestor), not through a great-grandparent or more distant ancestor—unless you filed your application before March 27, 2025.

Constitutional Court Ruling (March 12, 2026)

On March 12, 2026, Italy's Constitutional Court upheld Law 74/2025, declaring constitutional challenges partly unfounded and partly inadmissible. The Court confirmed that:

• The two-generation limit is constitutionally legitimate
• The retroactive application of the law does not violate constitutional principles
• Applicants who did not meet the deadline of March 27, 2025, cannot claim citizenship through ancestors beyond the second generation

A full written ruling was expected by April 2026 and may contain important nuances.

Pending Constitutional Questions

Three additional constitutional questions raised by courts in Mantua and Campobasso are still pending before the Constitutional Court. These may address remaining legal issues not fully resolved by the March 2026 ruling.

Supreme Court (Cassation) Review Expected April 14, 2026

Italy's Supreme Court (Corte di Cassazione, Sezioni Unite) is scheduled to rule on April 14, 2026 on the "minor issue"—whether naturalization abroad while a child was a minor causes loss of Italian citizenship. This ruling could affect some applicants' eligibility.

Palermo Court Relief (February 2026)

In February 2026, Palermo's court ruled in favor of applicants blocked by consulate delays, allowing recognition under old rules if pre-decree appointment attempts were proven. This suggests some courts may provide relief for applicants who attempted to apply before March 27, 2025, but were unable to secure appointments due to consulate backlogs.

Fee Increase (January 1, 2025)

The consular fee for jure sanguinis applications doubled from €300 to €600 per adult applicant, effective January 1, 2025.

Centralization Reform (Bill 1683, January 2026)

Bill 1683, passed in January 2026, will shift adult jure sanguinis cases to a centralized office in Rome starting in 2029. Under the new framework, the administrative review period may extend up to 36 months, compared with shorter timelines previously applied to consular procedures. During the transition period (through 2028), consulates will continue processing existing cases, though limitations may be placed on the number of new applications accepted each year.

Critical Deadline: March 27, 2025 (Now Passed)

Applications submitted before 11:59 PM Rome time on March 27, 2025, are processed under the previous, more lenient rules that allow claims through great-grandparents and beyond. Applications submitted after this date are subject to the two-generation limit.

If an appointment was confirmed by the consulate before March 27, 2025, your application will be processed under the old rules even if submitted after the deadline.

This deadline has passed. If you did not meet it and your claim traces through a great-grandparent or more distant ancestor, you do not qualify under the new law (unless you pursue a 1948 case through the courts).

Document Accuracy is Critical

Italian consulates are extremely strict with document requirements and will reject applications for minor discrepancies or inconsistencies in names, dates, and places. Even small errors will result in rejection.

All documents must be:

• Certified copies in long form (not abstract or summary form)
• Accurate and consistent across all documents (names, dates, places must match exactly)
• Current (vital records typically must be issued within the last six months)

Incomplete Applications Will Be Rejected

The entire required documentation must be submitted at once. Incomplete submissions will not be processed, and no clarifications will be provided. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected, and you must book a new appointment and pay the fee again.

Naturalization Date is the Most Critical Evidence

The date your ancestor naturalized in another country is the single most critical piece of evidence. If your ancestor naturalized before your parent was born, the citizenship chain is broken and you are not eligible.

For U.S. cases, the naturalization certificate must show your ancestor's correct date of birth. If the date of birth does not appear on the certificate, you must obtain a certified copy of the declaration of intention, petition for naturalization, or oath of allegiance from NARA (National Archives and Records Administration).

The 1948 Rule is Not a Disqualification

If your claim passes through a female ancestor who gave birth before January 1, 1948, you are not ineligible—you simply must pursue the judicial route instead of the consular route. 1948 cases have a very high success rate (95%+) for properly documented cases.

Consular Backlogs and Appointment Availability

Many consulates worldwide have long waiting times or limited appointments. As of March 2026, it is no longer possible to join waiting lists at consulates. Some consulates have suspended all citizenship-by-descent appointments.

If a consulate fails to respond within 24 months, you can file a judicial appeal. Many applicants have successfully challenged consular delays in court.

Exclusive Citizenship Requirement

Under Article 3-bis of Law 91/1992, your Italian ancestor must have held exclusively Italian citizenship at the time your parent was born. If your ancestor held dual citizenship, you do not qualify under the standard route unless one of the specific exceptions applies (grandfathered application, two-year residency in Italy, or 1948 case).

Alternative Pathways for Those Beyond the Second Generation

If your claim traces through a great-grandparent or more distant ancestor and you did not meet the March 27, 2025 deadline, alternative routes remain available:

• Citizenship by residency (naturalization): 10 years for non-EU citizens; reduced to 2 years if you have an Italian-born parent or grandparent (regardless of whether they acquired foreign citizenship)
• Citizenship by marriage: 2 years of marriage to an Italian citizen if residing in Italy
• Reacquisition: For those born in Italy or who resided in Italy for at least two consecutive years and lost citizenship, reacquisition is possible between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027, for a fee of €250

Document Gathering Takes Time

The process of gathering documents typically takes 6 to 12 months before an application can be filed. Do not underestimate the time required to obtain certified copies, apostilles, and translations.

Consulate Jurisdiction Requirements

You must apply at the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over your place of legal residence. Proof of residence within the consular jurisdiction is required.

Professional Assistance Strongly Recommended

Given the complexity of the law, the strictness of document requirements, and the high stakes of the application, professional assistance from an immigration lawyer or citizenship specialist is strongly recommended. This is especially important for:

• 1948 cases
• Cases with document discrepancies or name variations
• Cases where a consulate has already rejected an application
• Cases involving naturalization records that are difficult to obtain

You qualify for Italian citizenship by descent through a grandparent if you can prove an unbroken chain of citizenship transmission from your Italian grandparent through your parent to you, and your grandparent held exclusively Italian citizenship at the critical moment (or you meet one of the specific exceptions). The process requires gathering extensive vital records, obtaining apostilles and translations, and submitting a complete application to the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over your residence—or, if your claim involves a female ancestor who gave birth before 1948, filing a judicial case in Italian court.

The 2025 reform significantly restricted eligibility, but the Constitutional Court has upheld the new law. If you did not meet the March 27, 2025 deadline and your claim traces through a great-grandparent or more distant ancestor, you do not qualify under the new rules, though alternative pathways (residency-based naturalization, reacquisition) may be available.

Once recognized, you become a full Italian citizen with the right to live, work, and study throughout the EU, hold an Italian passport, vote in Italian elections, and pass citizenship to your children (subject to new declaration requirements).