Italian Citizenship - La cittadinanza italiana
How Citizenship Works in Italy
In general, Italian citizenship follows a principle called ius sanguinis, or blood right: a person born of Italian parents is Italian, regardless of their place of birth or residence, as long as their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents have not renounced their Italian citizenship to acquire another one. If the child of Italian parents is born abroad, their birth must be transcribed into a civil status registry in Italy.
There is no ius soli (right of territory) in Italy: a person born in Italy is not automatically Italian. The child of foreign citizens living in Italy may apply for Italian citizenship when they turn 18.
How to Obtain Italian Citizenship
Italian citizenship can be obtained by descent, marriage, or naturalisation. Citizenship by descent is possible if you have Italian ancestors, while marriage to an Italian citizen grants the right to apply after a specific period, which is shorter if you have children together. Naturalisation, or citizenship by residency, requires 10 years of legal residency in Italy, which can be reduced for EU citizens or those with refugee status.
Italian Citizenship by Descent
You may be able to acquire Italian citizenship if you have an Italian ancestor. To obtain citizenship through this route, you need to prove your descent by providing birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates for all the members of the family involved in the process.
A new law approved in March 2025 restricts the transmission of citizenship to two generations, so that you can only apply for citizenship if one of your parents or grandparents is or was Italian. Furthermore, the parent must have resided in Italy for at least two years or the grandparent must have been born in Italy and have never renounced his or her Italian citizenship. The new law is already effective, but may be still be modified in the near future as specific regulations are being enforced. We discuss it in a special video and on our blog: have a look and write your opinion!
Italian Citizenship by Marriage
Marriage to an Italian citizen grants the right to apply for citizenship after a specific period of time. If you live in Italy, the waiting period is 2 years, while if you live abroad, the waiting period is 3 years, reduced to 1 year and 1.5 years, respectively, if you have children together.
To acquire Italian citizenship by marriage you have to pass a B1 level Italian examination to prove your language proficiency, and be free of any criminal record.
Italian Citizenship by Residency
You can apply for Italian citizenship if you have resided legally in Italy for a continuous period of time: the general requirement is 10 years of continuous residency, reduced to 4 years for EU citizens or 5 years for stateless persons and refugees. You need to show proof of a sufficient income and a clean criminal record. A B1 level Italian proficiency certification is also required, and you have to pass a test di integrazione, a questionnaire designed to ascertain whether you are well integrated into Italian society.
How to Apply for Italian Citizenship
If you live abroad, you need to apply for citizenship through the Italian Embassy or Consulate in your country. If you live in Italy, you can send your application and documents to the local Prefettura through an online system. In this case, you will need to identify yourself through the SPID (Public Digital Identity System), a digital ID available from Italian post offices and other local providers. The Italian government has 24 months to approve or deny your request, which can be further prolonged for another year.
You do not need to be represented by a lawyer to apply for citizenship; however, since the process is long and complicated and the amount of documents required can be overwhelming, a lot of people seek the counsel of a law firm. There are Italian law firms that specialise in the acquisition of citizenship for their clients, which may end up being a lengthly and costly process.
Italian Language Certification - L'esame B1 Cittadinanza
If you need a language proficiency certification to apply for citizenship, you will have to take an exam called B1 Cittadinanza. You can take the exam either in Italy or abroad, in schools recognised by one of the four certifying bodies approved by the Italian government:
- Università per Stranieri di Perugia - CELI certification
- Università per Stranieri di Siena - CILS certification
- Università Roma Tre - CERT certification
- Società Dante Alighieri - PLIDA certification
Here in Italy there are many recognised schools where you can take the exam. If you do not live in Italy, you can contact the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in the city closest to you and ask for specific information.
There are two B1 level certifications: B1 Standard and B1 Cittadinanza. The B1 Standard certification is more generic, it is valid for obtaining citizenship, but also for studying or working in Italy, while the B1 Cittadinanza certification is only for obtaining citizenship. The B1 Cittadinanza certification is easier, because the exam has fewer tests to pass, and these tests are slightly easier. However, if you fail one test of the standard B1 exam, you can retake that test only. This is not possible in the B1 Cittadinanza examination: if you fail one test, you have to retake the whole examination.
The B1 CILS certification, the one given by the Università per Stranieri di Siena, consists of 4 parts:
- a listening exam, consisting of two tests, of approximately 30 minutes;
- a reading exam, with two tests, of approximately 40 minutes;
- a written exam, one test of approximately 40 minutes;
- the oral exam, with two tests, of approximately 5 minutes.
To be able to pass all these tests, you need to know the Italian language at an intermediate level, and you need to be able to communicate in everyday situations in Italy, from relations with people, shops, and institutions, and you need to know specific grammar topics.
Please note that the B1 Italian certification is not required for those who have taken a qualification in Italy, such as middle school or high school, or who have an unlimited EU residence permit.
