Will Italy’s citizenship via ancestry rules change in 2024?
Following a proposal to tighten the rules for applying for Italian citizenship via ancestry, we look at what stage the plans are at and how soon changes could come in.
Question: "I read that Italy is planning to make it harder to obtain citizenship through ancestry with a bill proposed in June 2023. Do you know the status of this bill and whether the law is likely to change this year?"
As we reported on The Local last year, a proposed amendment to Italy’s 1992 citizenship law seeks to tighten the rules on obtaining citizenship via the ancestry route by introducing a language test and generational limit.
READ ALSO: An expert guide to getting Italian citizenship via ancestry
The bill containing the amendment was put forward last June by Senator Roberto Menia, a member of the ruling Brothers of Italy party, who argued that limits were needed as a lucrative trade has sprung up abroad around helping people to "buy" Italian citizenship via ancestry in order to more easily enter the US or other European countries.
“Too often we learn of citizenships granted to people born abroad who are unable to speak a single word of Italian, who have not spoken Italian for generations, and who have ephemeral - if any - ties with Italy,” he wrote.
He added that this "race for Italian citizenship" had caused long delays in the processing of applications in many countries, particularly at Italian consulates in South America, where Menia said "ten-year waiting lists have been formed".
What does the bill say?
Under the proposal, applicants would need to prove that they can speak Italian to the level B1 or above on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). This is already a requirement when applying for Italian citizenship via other routes.
The bill (which you can read in its entirety here, in Italian) would also mean applicants could only go back three generations in search of an Italian ancestor through whom to claim their birthright citizenship. There is currently no generational limit in place.
READ ALSO: How foreigners can get 'fast track' citizenship in Italy
Descendants of Italian citizens “beyond the third degree” would need to first be resident in Italy for at least a year, and then file their request at their local comune (town hall) as well as passing the language test, the draft says.
What stage is the bill at?
After being proposed in June, the draft bill became one of a large number making their way slowly through the Italian parliamentary system - and it does not appear to have since made any progress, with no updates on its status at the time of writing.
This bill looks unlikely to be fast-tracked, as limiting applications for citizenship via ancestry is not a priority issue for Italy's current government.
READ ALSO: REVEALED: How much it really costs to get Italian citizenship via ancestry
To become law, the bill would need to be approved by the government cabinet and then voted on by both houses of parliament. It would then need to be enacted into law. At any stage of that process, it could undergo major modifications or simply be abandoned.
And this is not the first time an Italian lawmaker has suggested introducing a generational limit for applicants, with previous proposed changes to Italy’s citizenship laws going nowhere.
The Local will continue to report on any changes to the law around citizenship applications. See the latest news in our Italian citizenship section.
Comments (2)
See Also
Question: "I read that Italy is planning to make it harder to obtain citizenship through ancestry with a bill proposed in June 2023. Do you know the status of this bill and whether the law is likely to change this year?"
As we reported on The Local last year, a proposed amendment to Italy’s 1992 citizenship law seeks to tighten the rules on obtaining citizenship via the ancestry route by introducing a language test and generational limit.
READ ALSO: An expert guide to getting Italian citizenship via ancestry
The bill containing the amendment was put forward last June by Senator Roberto Menia, a member of the ruling Brothers of Italy party, who argued that limits were needed as a lucrative trade has sprung up abroad around helping people to "buy" Italian citizenship via ancestry in order to more easily enter the US or other European countries.
“Too often we learn of citizenships granted to people born abroad who are unable to speak a single word of Italian, who have not spoken Italian for generations, and who have ephemeral - if any - ties with Italy,” he wrote.
He added that this "race for Italian citizenship" had caused long delays in the processing of applications in many countries, particularly at Italian consulates in South America, where Menia said "ten-year waiting lists have been formed".
What does the bill say?
Under the proposal, applicants would need to prove that they can speak Italian to the level B1 or above on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). This is already a requirement when applying for Italian citizenship via other routes.
The bill (which you can read in its entirety here, in Italian) would also mean applicants could only go back three generations in search of an Italian ancestor through whom to claim their birthright citizenship. There is currently no generational limit in place.
READ ALSO: How foreigners can get 'fast track' citizenship in Italy
Descendants of Italian citizens “beyond the third degree” would need to first be resident in Italy for at least a year, and then file their request at their local comune (town hall) as well as passing the language test, the draft says.
What stage is the bill at?
After being proposed in June, the draft bill became one of a large number making their way slowly through the Italian parliamentary system - and it does not appear to have since made any progress, with no updates on its status at the time of writing.
This bill looks unlikely to be fast-tracked, as limiting applications for citizenship via ancestry is not a priority issue for Italy's current government.
READ ALSO: REVEALED: How much it really costs to get Italian citizenship via ancestry
To become law, the bill would need to be approved by the government cabinet and then voted on by both houses of parliament. It would then need to be enacted into law. At any stage of that process, it could undergo major modifications or simply be abandoned.
And this is not the first time an Italian lawmaker has suggested introducing a generational limit for applicants, with previous proposed changes to Italy’s citizenship laws going nowhere.
The Local will continue to report on any changes to the law around citizenship applications. See the latest news in our Italian citizenship section.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.