Italian Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis)

Do you have Italian lineage and wonder if you’re eligible for dual citizenship? Italian citizenship by descent—known as jure sanguinis (or jus sanguinis)—has long provided a pathway for people with Italian heritage to reconnect with their roots and secure an Italian passport. However, recent changes to Italian citizenship law under Law 74/2025 (formerly Decree Law No. 36/2025) have introduced significant new restrictions that may affect your eligibility.

Below, we’ll walk through how the updated Italian citizenship law impacts jus sanguinis citizenship applications and how the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program can help you determine whether you still qualify.

What Is Italian Citizenship by Descent?

Jure sanguinis (“by right of blood”) allows individuals to claim Italian citizenship based on their line of descent from an Italian-born ancestor. This process is grounded in the principle that Italian nationality passes from parent to child, even if the child is born abroad.

For many years, there were no generational limits, and applicants could often claim citizenship through great-grandparents or even earlier ancestors. That has now changed due to Law 74/2025.

New Changes Under Italian Law 74/2025

Effective May 24, 2025, Italy enacted stricter eligibility rules for jure sanguinis claims. These rules—part of what’s known as the “Tajani Decree”—require applicants born abroad to prove a direct and exclusive connection to Italy.

Important updates include:

• You can now only claim citizenship by descent through a parent or grandparent (no longer through great-grandparents or earlier generations).
• Your Italian parent or grandparent must have held only Italian citizenship (not, for instance, U.S./Italian dual citizenship) at the time of your birth or, if deceased, at the time of their death.
• If you were born abroad and hold another citizenship, you may still qualify for Italian citizenship if your parent or adoptive parent was legally and continuously residing in Italy for at least two years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before your birth or adoption.
• Children are no longer automatically considered citizens unless a parent formally declares citizenship at the consulate within 1 year of the child’s birth (or by May 31, 2026, for those born on or before March 27, 2025).
• If that deadline is missed, the child will need to reside in Italy for 2 years and meet Italian language requirements to apply.
• Applicants who submitted their full application by March 27, 2025—including all required documents—are still processed under the old law.

Who Is Eligible for Italian Citizenship Jure Sanguinis?

You may still qualify if you meet the updated eligibility rules under Italian citizenship law. These include:

• You are of Italian descent and can prove an unbroken line of citizenship.
• Your parent or grandparent was born in Italy and was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth (or their death, if they died before your birth).
• Your parent or grandparent was exclusively Italian (not naturalized elsewhere) at the time of your birth or at the time of their death (if they died before you were born).
• You have the required birth records, naturalization records, and other documentation to support your claim.
• You or your parent were born after January 1, 1948, if the claim is through a maternal line.

Note: The 1948 Rule still applies. If your Italian ancestor is a woman born before January 1, 1948, she cannot pass on citizenship to children born before that date. The new law does not eliminate this gender-based restriction, but judicial petitions through Italian courts remain an option for these cases.

Examples of Eligible Individuals

• Your father was born in Italy and never became a citizen of a foreign country before your birth.
• Your mother was born in Italy, held only Italian citizenship when you were born, and you were born after January 1, 1948.
• Your grandfather was born in Italy and had not been naturalized elsewhere before your parent was born. Your parent and grandparent held only Italian citizenship at the relevant time.

If you’re unsure whether your line qualifies, contact us. In some cases, legal challenges or court petitions may provide additional options.

How to Apply for Italian Citizenship Jure Sanguinis

Applying for citizenship by jure sanguinis requires submitting various documents to prove your Italian ancestry. You need:

• Proof of your Italian grandparent’s or parent’s birth in Italy
• Complete birth, marriage, and death records for each generation
• Certified naturalization records or proof of non-naturalization
• Translations, apostilles, and consular appointments

Important Update

• If you filed a full application by March 27, 2025, it will be reviewed under the previous law—even if your consulate appointment is scheduled later.
• Parents recognized as Italian citizens before March 27, 2025, have until May 31, 2026, to register their children.
• Newborns must be registered within 1 year of birth to preserve their right to citizenship.

If you miss these deadlines, your children will have to establish residency in Italy for 2 years and meet language requirements to qualify for Italian citizenship under the new acquisition process.

What If You’re No Longer Eligible Under the New Law?

Don’t give up. While jus sanguinis claims have been restricted, other citizenship paths remain available, including:

• Citizenship by naturalization through legal residence in Italy.
• Citizenship by marriage (jure matrimonii), still available with residency or marriage duration requirements.
• Reacquisition of citizenship for former citizens is available under Law 74/2025 for individuals who lost their citizenship on or before August 15, 1992. Declarations for reacquisition can be made between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027.

Some applicants may still qualify by petitioning the Italian court, especially if they believe the new rules violate constitutional protections. We can evaluate your case and connect you with legal counsel where appropriate.

How to Apply for Italian Citizenship Jure Sanguinis

You will need to put together a packet of time-sensitive materials, which may need to be gathered from U.S. and international vital record departments. This information must be submitted to the correct Italian Consulate in the approved format.

Some of the documents needed will include:

• Birth certificates for your parents, yourself, and other ancestors’ if they exist
• Marriage certificates, documentation of legal divorces, and death certificates
• Certificates of naturalization, or official statements from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services which state these do not exist
• Documentation of an extended search by the National Archives for immigration, birth, and census records, or the lack thereof
• Notarized declarations that, to your knowledge, neither your ancestors nor you have renounced Italian citizenship
• A copy of your passport and proof of current residence

Many people find all this somewhat challenging; however, our program makes the application process much easier to complete. Our expert consultants can assist with apostille service, translation, Italian vital records, and all the other steps of this rewarding process.

At the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program, we offer a free 30-minute phone consultation to help you decide if the path to Italian citizenship is right for you and your descendants. If you do find that you are likely to be granted the benefits of citizenship, our team can help you at every step of the way to this exciting goal.

Get in touch with us today to start your journey and reconnect with your Italian roots—something you can pass down to future generations.