New Guidelines on Italian Citizenship by Descent (October 2024)

09 Dec New Guidelines on Italian Citizenship by Descent (October 2024)

Starting from October 3, 2024, significant changes have come into effect regarding Italian citizenship by descent. The Ministry of the Interior has clarified that citizenship applications must be rejected if the Italian ancestor acquired foreign citizenship while their child was still a minor.

Previously, in these cases, the legal system tended to recognize the right to citizenship nonetheless. These new rules apply only to future applications, leaving previously granted recognitions unchanged.

This change has a substantial impact, particularly for those applying for citizenship jure sanguinis. In the past, even if the Italian ancestor had acquired a second citizenship before the descendant reached adulthood, the right to Italian citizenship was still granted to the descendant. Now, under the new guidelines, the connection is considered severed if the ancestor acquired foreign citizenship before the descendant reached the age of majority.

However, this new regulation is not retroactive, meaning it will not affect citizenship recognitions already obtained in the past. Those who have already been granted Italian citizenship do not need to worry about losing this status as a result of these changes.

What Does This Mean for New Applications?

Those interested in applying for Italian citizenship by descent must now carefully consider the citizenship history of their Italian ancestor. If the ancestor obtained foreign citizenship while their children were still minors, the application may be rejected in line with the new guidelines.

Conclusions

The new directives represent a crucial change in the process of recognizing Italian citizenship by descent, strengthening evaluation criteria and introducing new restrictions for future applications. Anyone planning to initiate an application should consult an expert to determine if these changes impact their family situation.