Jure Sanguinis: Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve searched online for Italian citizenship requirements and feel more confused now than when you started, you’re not alone! There’s plenty of information floating around on the internet about the qualifications for dual citizenship, but it’s often confusing or incomplete. However, the process is simpler than you might think, and many people across the U.S. have become Italian citizens with some help.

In early 2025, the Italian Parliament (Parlamento italiano) passed Law 74/2025, which made significant changes to jure sanguinis requirements—especially for people claiming citizenship through grandparents or earlier generations.

To help you make sense of the process of becoming an Italian citizen through jure sanguinis (blood right), the experts at the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program have created a step-by-step overview below. We provide all of these services to our customers to help them gain Italian citizenship by jure sanguinis (by descent), with experts to help every step of the way.

It doesn’t matter if you need help with family research, translations, or navigating the consulates—we’ll be with you every step of the way. But first, here’s what to expect from the Italian citizenship process:

1. Determine Your Most Recent Italian-Born Ancestor

Since jure sanguinis citizenship laws are all about descent, determining your most recent Italian-born ancestor is the first critical step. Under Law 74/2025, only claims through a parent or grandparent who held exclusively Italian citizenship at the time of your birth are allowed.

Unfortunately, getting Italian citizenship through great-grandparents is no longer permitted unless your complete application was submitted before March 27, 2025. Another exception applies if your parent or adoptive parent had acquired Italian citizenship and then resided in Italy for at least two consecutive years before your birth or adoption.

Identifying your qualifying ancestor and confirming their citizenship status is essential. If you’re not sure where to start, a genealogist can help you kickstart your jure sanguinis application by researching who was born in Italy, whether they naturalized, and when.

2. Make an Appointment with Your Local Consulate

Do a search online to find the Italian consulate address for your region. Italian consulates are a vital step to acquiring your Italian dual citizenship. It’s important to make this appointment well in advance, as appointments at Italian consulates are difficult to get and not easily changed once issued. If you need to postpone the date, you risk delaying the process significantly.

3. Obtain Your Ancestor’s Naturalization Records

The date your ancestor became naturalized is critical, as your jure sanguinis rights depend on whether your qualifying Italian-born ancestor ever gave up their citizenship. If your ancestor never naturalized, your claim may still be valid.

Law 74/2025 emphasizes that the Italian ancestor must have held only Italian citizenship—dual nationals may disqualify the line. If your ancestor formally renounced Italian citizenship, your eligibility may be affected.

4. Obtain Your Ancestor’s Italian Vital Records

What documents do you need for Italian citizenship jure sanguinis? At a minimum, you’ll need to obtain a certified copy of birth certificates of Italian ancestors, plus possibly some additional records, especially if they were born in Italy and didn’t naturalize. Our expert team can ensure you collect the right records based on your jure sanguinis Italian citizenship path.

5. Obtain American Vital Records

You will require copies of all birth, marriage, and divorce certificates for you and everyone in your Italian ancestor’s lineage, as well as any appropriate death certificates. Make sure you can obtain all of these, and if not, seek assistance. If someone in the chain is not of Italian descent (such as a non-Italian spouse), their records are also often required.

6. Apostille Your American Vital Records

An apostille is a form of authentication like a notarization. It’s a way of certifying documents as official and legitimate in any country. This is a requirement for the Italian citizenship by descent application process, and apostilles must be obtained from the state where each document was issued. You cannot use photocopies—only certified originals or copies are valid.

7. Translate American Documents Into Italian

Every non-Italian document must be translated into Italian by a qualified translator. We provide professional translation services to ensure accuracy in your jure sanguinis application.

8. Present Documents at the Consulate Office

At your appointment, you will submit your full packet of documents in person (or by consular instructions). This includes your jure sanguinis documentation.

Important: Law 74/2025 eliminated the automatic transmission of Italian citizenship to minor children. If you plan to pass citizenship to your child, you must now file a formal declaration in person within one year of their birth, pay a €250 fee per child, and ensure that you—or the grandparent through whom you claimed citizenship—held only Italian citizenship at the time of the child’s birth. In most cases, both parents (or the legal guardian) must submit the declaration.

If your child was born before March 27, 2025, and your own citizenship application was submitted or recognized before that date, you may still file the required declaration under transitional provisions. In this case, the deadline to file is May 31, 2026.

9. Get Your Italian Passport

Once your Italian citizenship is approved, the consulate will either register you in AIRE (Registry of Italians Living Abroad) or provide instructions. Once you are registered, your final step is getting your Italian dual passport.

Jure sanguinis requirements changed significantly under Law 74/2025. In many cases, individuals who would have previously qualified may now be excluded. If you’re unsure about your eligibility or missed the March 27, 2025, cutoff date, you may need to explore alternate paths, such as residency or judicial appeal. Regardless of your current status, our team is ready to help you with the process of obtaining Italian citizenship by descent.

Common Roadblocks and How to Solve Them

• Missing or incorrect names on documents: Use affidavits, official amendments, or dual-language translations to reconcile differences. Many consulates will accept reasonable variations for a jure sanguinis application.
• Discrepancies in birth dates or places: Provide supplemental documentation or sworn statements to explain inconsistencies—especially if the records still clearly identify the same individual.
• Lost or unobtainable naturalization records: Request a certified letter from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stating no record exists, or search through U.S. National Archives and local court records if federal results are inconclusive.
• Proving “no record found” (for non-naturalized ancestors): Submit a “no record” letter from USCIS along with census records, voter registrations, and military files to support that your ancestor never naturalized—this is critical to proving your eligibility to become an Italian citizen by descent.

FAQs

What are the first steps for Italian citizenship by descent?

Start by identifying your most recent Italian-born ancestor and confirming their citizenship status.

What documents do I need for Italian citizenship jure sanguinis?

You’ll need Italian and U.S. vital records (birth, marriage, death, and divorce certificates), naturalization documents, apostilles, and certified translations.

What does jure sanguinis mean in English?

Jure sanguinis means “by right of blood” in Latin, referring to citizenship passed down through ancestry. This right is recognized by Italian nationality law, provided that specific conditions are met.

Get Help Understanding Italian Dual Citizenship Requirements

The fastest way to find out if you qualify for Italian citizenship is to consult an expert service like the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program. We’re here to help you navigate and understand the often-complex Italian dual citizenship requirements, gather the necessary documents, and more.

Our Italian citizenship program has helped hundreds of people discover whether they are eligible to become an Italian citizen. We have experts in every area of the process, from finding out about your family history to providing translations. We’re up to date on laws that have changed the process, like Law 74/2025, and we’ll make sure we minimize delays and errors.

Contact us today if you’re ready to get started on your journey to citizenship in Italy!

NOTE: Law 74/2025 is still subject to legal challenges and possible clarifications by Italian courts or Parliament. We strongly recommend checking back regularly to stay updated on the latest developments.