Italian Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis) in 2025 — Complete Guide

⚠️ Important Update — March 2025

Italian citizenship law changed significantly in March 2025. Law 74/2025 introduced a two-generation limit for new applications filed after March 27, 2025. The eligibility rules described in this guide apply to applications filed before that date. If you are starting a new application now, read the updated guides below.

→ What changed with Law 74/2025 and who is still eligible
→ March 2026 Constitutional Court ruling — what to expect

Applying for Italian citizenship by descent (Jure Sanguinis) is one of the most common ways for people of Italian origin to obtain dual citizenship. This updated 2025 guide explains who qualifies, what documents are required, how the process works, and how to retrieve the official Italian records needed for your application.

If you need help locating Italian records for your application, you can learn more about our services here: Italian Roots Finder – Offerings.

Who qualifies for Italian citizenship by descent in 2025

Under current Italian law, Italian citizenship by descent can be claimed by anyone who can prove an unbroken line of Italian ancestors, provided that none of them renounced their citizenship before the next descendant was born.

Before you start, identify your last known Italian doancestor — name, birthplace, and approximate year — and check whether they became a citizen of another country before their child was born.

For official information provided by the Italian government, you can also refer to the Ministry of the Interior’s page on citizenship: Italian Ministry of the Interior – Citizenship

Many people refer to this process as obtaining Italian dual citizenship, since Jure Sanguinis allows you to keep your existing nationality.

Documents you’ll need for Italian citizenship by descent

From Italy

Birth certificate (estratto dell’atto di nascita)
Marriage certificate (if applicable)
Death certificate
Parish records for pre-1866 events

From your country

Birth, marriage, and death certificates for each generation
Naturalization certificate or “no record” letter
Apostilles and certified translations

Names may vary (Giuseppe/Joseph, double consonants, etc.). Prepare evidence showing they refer to the same person.

To see how we trace Italian birth, marriage, and death records, visit our Italian Genealogy page.

If your Italian ancestor emigrated to the United States, you may also need U.S. naturalization records. These can be found at the National Archives (NARA): NARA Naturalization Records

Where to apply for Italian citizenship by descent

Italian Consulate abroad: Most applicants apply here. Expect waiting lists and specific documentation requirements.
Municipality (Comune) in Italy: Faster route if you can establish legal residency in Italy.
Judicial route: Used when administrative routes are blocked or delayed, handled through Italian courts.

Step-by-step Italian citizenship by descent process

Confirm eligibility through your ancestor’s citizenship line.
Gather all vital records from both countries.
Order Italian civil or parish extracts.
Get apostilles and certified translations.
Review your documents for name or date discrepancies.
Book your consular or Comune appointment.
Submit and wait for verification.

Need help finding Italian records for your Italian dual citizenship application?

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Common mistakes to avoid

Not verifying ancestor’s naturalization date before their child’s birth.
Submitting untranslated or uncertified documents.
Ignoring name variations across generations.
Missing parish sources when civil archives are incomplete.

Timelines & tips for your Italian dual citizenship application

Depending on consulate workload and documentation, processing can take from months to several years. Parallelize tasks — request records while booking appointments — to save time.

FAQ

Can I apply through my great-grandparent?: Usually yes, if no ancestor in the line renounced Italian citizenship before the next generation’s birth.
Do spelling differences matter?: Minor variations are acceptable if supported by consistent evidence across documents.
What if my ancestor’s birth record is missing?: We search nearby years and parishes — often the record exists under a variant spelling or in church archives.