To apply for Italian dual citizenship, you first identify which legal pathway fits your situation — descent, marriage, or residency — then gather the vital records and supporting documents that pathway requires, have them apostilled and translated, and submit the application to the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over where you live or to a Comune in Italy if you are resident there. The single most important thing to know before you start is that Law 74/2025 sharply narrowed the descent pathway in May 2025, so what worked for a cousin who applied five years ago may no longer be available to you.
Which Pathway Fits Your Situation
Italy recognizes three main routes to citizenship for adults: by descent (jure sanguinis), by marriage or civil union, and by naturalization through residency. Each has its own eligibility rules, documents, and timeline.
Citizenship by Descent After the 2025 Reform
Under the new Article 3-bis of Law 91/1992, a person born abroad who already holds another citizenship is now treated as never having acquired Italian citizenship unless they fall within a narrow exception. Citizenship transmits from parent to child for a maximum of two generations, and only if the Italian parent never renounced citizenship or naturalized elsewhere while the descendant was a minor.1Consolato Generale d’Italia Brisbane. Citizenship by Descent (New Rules)
You can still be recognized by descent if one of these applies:
- You booked and confirmed a consulate appointment by 11:59 PM Rome time on March 27, 2025. Grandfathered cases proceed under the old rules.
- Your parent or grandparent held only Italian citizenship and no other nationality at your birth (or at their death).
- A parent who is an Italian citizen lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before your birth or adoption.2Consolato Generale d’Italia Chicago. Citizenship Jure Sanguinis / by Descent
The “exclusively Italian” exception is narrower than it sounds. A grandparent who also held U.S. citizenship does not satisfy it. For most Americans with Italian roots several generations back, the descent route is no longer available unless they secured a pre-March 2025 appointment.
One older rule still applies even to grandfathered cases: the chain of citizenship breaks if your Italian ancestor naturalized in another country before the next person in the direct line was born. If your great-grandfather naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1920 and your grandfather was born in 1925, the line was severed there.
A separate transitional provision covers children who were under 18 on May 24, 2025, whose parent is an Italian citizen by birth recognized through an application or appointment confirmed before March 27, 2025. In that situation, the parent must submit a declaration on the child’s behalf by May 31, 2026, or the child must do so themselves if they turn 18 before that date.3Consolato Generale d’Italia Chicago. Citizenship Through Beneficio di Legge (Benefit by Law)
The 1948 Rule for Claims Through a Woman
Before January 1, 1948, Italian law allowed only fathers to pass citizenship to their children. If your Italian line runs through a woman who had a child before that date, a consulate cannot process your case administratively. You must file suit at the Tribunal of Rome, with an Italian attorney, asking the court to recognize that the pre-1948 gender restriction violated constitutional equal-protection principles. These cases have a strong success record but add roughly 12 to 24 months and significant cost.
1948 cases filed before March 27, 2025 are grandfathered under the old rules. A new 1948 case filed today must also satisfy the Article 3-bis requirements.
Citizenship by Marriage
If you are married to or in a civil union with an Italian citizen, you can apply after two years of marriage if you reside in Italy, or three years if you live abroad.4Ministry of the Interior. Naturalisation of Citizens of Another EU Country Through Residence and Marriage Both periods are cut in half if the couple has biological or adopted children together.5Consolato Generale d’Italia a Los Angeles. Citizenship by Marriage
Marriage applicants must certify Italian language proficiency at B1 level on the Common European Framework, as required by Decree-Law 113/2018. The B1 certificate must come from an educational institution recognized by Italy’s Ministry of Education or Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and you must have it in hand at the time you apply. Holders of a long-term residence permit and those who have signed an integration agreement are exempt.
Citizenship by Naturalization Through Residency
Legal residents in Italy can apply for naturalization under Article 9 of Law 91/1992 after a period that depends on their background: ten years for non-EU citizens, four years for EU citizens, and three years for people born in Italy or with an Italian parent or grandparent. B1 language proficiency is required here as well. You need a valid residence permit throughout the qualifying period, though not necessarily a long-term one. Criminal history is reviewed case by case and can be grounds for rejection, particularly for final sentences on serious offenses.6Ministero dell’Interno. How to Apply for Italian Dual Citizenship
Documents You’ll Need to Gather
Every pathway is document-heavy, and requirements vary by consulate. Download forms from your specific consulate’s website rather than from any general source.
For a descent claim (including grandfathered cases), you need long-form birth certificates for yourself and every person in the direct line back to your Italian ancestor, plus marriage certificates for each generation and death certificates for deceased ancestors. Long-form means the certificate shows parents’ names, birthplaces, and dates of birth, not just the subject’s details. You also need proof of your Italian ancestor’s naturalization status, which is often the hardest piece to pin down.
For a marriage claim, you need your birth certificate, your marriage or civil union certificate, an FBI identity history summary, state-level criminal background checks from every state (and D.C., if applicable) where you have lived, and your B1 language certificate.7Ambasciata d’Italia a Washington. Naturalization by Marriage – Criminal Background Check Requirements
Proving Your Ancestor’s Naturalization Status
For descent applications, you generally need to show either that your Italian ancestor never naturalized in the U.S., or that any naturalization happened only after the next person in the line was born. This means dealing with two federal agencies, each with a different jurisdiction.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) maintains a database of immigration and naturalization records. If no record of your ancestor is found there, USCIS will issue a Certificate of Non-Existence (CONE) on Form G-1566. To request one, you provide all known names and aliases, the ancestor’s date and country of birth, and a valid U.S. mailing address. If the ancestor was born less than 100 years ago and is deceased, include proof of death. Any foreign-language document must come with a certified English translation. USCIS no longer accepts personal checks or money orders for paper-filed forms; pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or by direct payment from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650.8USCIS. G-1566, Request for Certificate of Non-Existence
The National Archives (NARA) holds historical naturalization records from federal courts, but its collection has gaps. It generally does not hold records from state or local courts and does not hold federal court naturalization records created after October 1991. To search, provide the ancestor’s name and variants, date of birth, approximate dates of entry and naturalization, city and state of residence at the time, and country of origin. Records are held at the regional facility serving the relevant federal court, so you may need to contact a specific branch. If nothing is found, NARA can issue a negative search letter, though it does not have authority to issue a formal CONE the way USCIS does. NARA can produce certified copies of records it holds but cannot apostille them; certified copies must go to the U.S. Department of State for that step.9National Archives. Naturalization Records
Apostilles, Translations, and Discrepancies
Every non-Italian vital record you submit must carry an apostille, the authentication under the 1961 Hague Convention. In the United States, apostilles come from the Secretary of State in the state where the document was issued. The apostille itself does not need to be translated.10Ambasciata d’Italia a Washington. Legalization of Documents Between Italy and the USA: the Apostille State fees typically run $10 to $26 per document.
Every document not originally in Italian must be translated. Some consulates accept plain translations and certify them in-house; applications filed in Italy or through the courts generally require sworn translations. Professional certified legal translations run about $24 to $35 per page, and the totals climb quickly across multiple generations of records.
Consulates require consistency across your documents. If your grandmother’s birth certificate spells her name one way and her marriage certificate spells it differently, or if dates conflict between U.S. and Italian records, resolve the discrepancy before you submit. Most states allow corrections to marriage and death records with supporting evidence, but many do not allow descendants to correct a deceased person’s birth certificate, and a court order may be needed. U.S. naturalization records for deceased individuals cannot be corrected at all. Where a discrepancy cannot be fixed, ask your consulate about alternatives.
What It Costs
The consular fee for an adult jure sanguinis application is €600, effective January 1, 2025, paid in U.S. dollars at the consulate’s quarterly exchange rate.11Consolato Generale d’Italia a New York. Consular Fee Increase for Citizenship by Descent (Iure Sanguinis) Applications Minor children included in a parent’s application pay no extra fee.
Beyond that, plan for cumulative document costs: certified vital records generally run $9 to $34 each depending on the state, plus apostilles, translations, and the FBI identity history summary. Descent applications spanning several generations commonly rack up $1,000 to $2,500 in document costs before the consular fee. A 1948 case adds Italian attorney fees on top.
Where and How to Submit
Applicants living outside Italy submit to the consulate with jurisdiction over their residence, in person, with original documents. Appointments are booked through the Prenot@mi portal, which opens its calendar one month at a time and fills quickly.12Consolato Generale d’Italia a Filadelfia. Citizenship Some jurisdictions have reported waits of a year or more for an initial appointment, and persistence with the portal is the only reliable strategy.
If you establish legal residency in Italy, you can apply directly to the Comune where you live. This route typically moves faster than a consular application. Non-EU citizens need a valid residence permit throughout, and the Comune conducts its own verification, sometimes including an interview.
How Long It Takes
Italian consulates operate under a legal maximum of 24 months for citizenship decisions. In practice, jure sanguinis cases at consulates typically resolve in 3 to 18 months after submission, though some run close to the ceiling. Marriage-pathway applications generally take 24 to 36 months. Applications filed at a Comune in Italy are usually resolved faster, sometimes within a few months. Status on marriage and naturalization cases can be tracked through the Ministry of Interior’s portal; for descent cases, the consulate is the point of contact.
After Approval: AIRE Registration and Your Passport
Once your citizenship is recognized, you are legally required to register with AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero) if you reside outside Italy for more than twelve months. AIRE registration is a prerequisite for consular services, voting, and getting an Italian passport.13Consolato Generale d’Italia a San Francisco. AIRE – General Information and FAQs
Registration goes through the Fast It online portal and requires a separate application even if you were just recognized at the same consulate. You’ll upload a signed AIRE registration form, a copy of your Italian passport or the consulate’s citizenship confirmation, proof of legal U.S. status, and proof of your current address.14Consolato Generale d’Italia a Los Angeles. Registry of Italians Residing Abroad (AIRE) Adult children over 18 in the same household file individually.
After AIRE registration, you can apply for an Italian passport at your consulate. The application and renewal fee for early 2026 is approximately $135.20. The passport gives you the right to live and work anywhere in the European Union.
A Note on U.S. Taxes
Acquiring Italian citizenship does not, on its own, change your U.S. tax picture. The United States taxes its citizens on worldwide income regardless of dual nationality. What can change your reporting is opening accounts abroad. U.S. citizens with foreign financial accounts whose aggregate value exceeds $10,000 at any point in the year must file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) by April 15 of the following year, and certain taxpayers holding specified foreign financial assets above higher thresholds must also report them on Form 8938 with their tax return.15IRS. Summary of FATCA Reporting for U.S. Taxpayers The two forms have different thresholds and go to different agencies, and penalties for missing either are steep. Holding an Italian passport while living in the U.S. does not make you an Italian tax resident, but moving to Italy or spending extended time there can.