On March 27, 2025, Italian citizenship law changed forever.
If you’ve been following the Italian dual citizenship world (or if you’ve been deliberately avoiding it because the news was too overwhelming and, honestly, we don’t blame you) this post is your comprehensive guide to what happened, what it means for you, and what’s coming next.
Pour yourself a strong espresso. We have a lot to cover.
How Italian Citizenship Law Changed in 2025
In March 2025, the Italian government issued Decreto 36/2025, quickly dubbed the “decreto della vergogna“ (decree of shame) by the Italian-descendant community worldwide. With later modifications, this emergency decree became Law No. 74/2025. It fundamentally alters who qualifies for Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis).
The name “decree of shame” isn’t hyperbole. Here’s why the 2025 Italian citizenship law changes have devastated so many families:
The New Restrictions Under Italy’s 2025 Citizenship Law
Law 74/2025 introduced three devastating restrictions to Italian citizenship by descent:
1. The Parent Rule
You are only eligible for citizenship recognition if your parent was born in Italy AND lived in Italy for any continuous two-year period before your birth. This can be any two-year period.
2. The Grandparent Rule
You are only eligible if your grandparent was born in Italy AND was exclusively an Italian citizen at the time of your birth (or at the time of their death, whichever occurred first). If your grandparent ever acquired American citizenship, even if it was after your parent’s birth (but still before your birth), you’re out.
3. The Retroactive Clause (The Real Devastation)
This next provision earned the Italian citizenship law of 2025 its shameful nickname. If you didn’t apply for recognition of citizenship prior to 12:00 AM on March 27, 2025, you are no longer considered to have been vested with citizenship by descent at birth.
Read that again.
The Italian government didn’t just change the rules going forward. They reached backward through time and declared that people who were born Italian and who had been Italian their entire lives under existing law were suddenly, retroactively, never Italian at all.
Imagine being told that a government erased a right you were born with, and that existed your entire life. Not suspended. Not revoked. Erased, as if it never existed. That’s what the 2025 Italian citizenship law did to millions of people worldwide.
The Chaos Following Italy’s New Citizenship Law
The implementation of Law 74/2025 was as chaotic as its substance was unjust. Predictably, it caused a ripple effect of chaos seen at all levels of the Italian dual citizenship ecosystem.
Consulate Closures and Confusion
This law threw Italian consulates around the world into disarray. Many temporarily closed their citizenship services entirely, uncertain how to proceed under the new Italian citizenship law. Applicants who had been waiting years for appointments, some who had appointments scheduled for days or weeks after March 27, found themselves suddenly ineligible.
The Court System Overwhelmed
In Italy, the courts that process jure sanguinis applications faced immediate uncertainty. Cases that had been proceeding smoothly were suddenly in legal limbo. Attorneys scrambled to understand how the 2025 citizenship law affected pending applications.
Families Legally Torn Apart
Perhaps the cruelest outcome of Italy’s 2025 citizenship law change: families where some members had applied before March 27 and others hadn’t. Siblings who were equally Italian under the old law suddenly found themselves on opposite sides of an arbitrary deadline. One recognized as Italian, the other stripped of their birthright.
The Centralization Bill: More Changes Coming to Italian Citizenship
As if the Italian citizenship law changes in 2025 weren’t enough, the government moved forward with another major restructuring.
Atto Senato n. 1683 (previously DDL 2369 in the Chamber of Deputies) passed the Chamber on October 13, 2025, and is now before the Senate. It could fundamentally change the processing of jure sanguinis applications.
Key Changes in the Bill
Centralization of All Applications (Starting January 1, 2028)
A new office in Rome called the “Servizio per la Ricostruzione della Cittadinanza Italiana” will handle all new jure sanguinis applications from adults living abroad.
Consulates will only retain authority to:
- Confirm citizenship maintenance for those already recognized
- Process applications for minor children of recognized Italian citizens
Paper-Only Applications
Applicants can only submit paper applications by mail. No online submissions allowed.
Extended Processing Times
The official processing timeline extends from 24 to 36 months. Given that many consulates already take 5-10 years, one wonders if this is optimistic or simply impossible.
Transition Period Caps (2026-2027)
During the transition period, consulates can still accept applications, but only up to an annual cap based on the number of cases completed the previous year.
Double Legalization Requirement
The bill formalizes the requirement for “double legalization” of foreign documents. First, local authorities in the country of issuance must legalize the documents, then the Italian consular representation.
AIRE Registry Changes
The bill will integrate the Italian Registry of Residents Abroad (AIRE) into the National Registry of Resident Population (ANPR). The number of negative census checks required for cancellation due to “untraceability” increases from 2 to 3.
New Staffing
The Foreign Ministry (MAECI) will hire 87 new employees starting in 2026, including 2 general directors, 30 officials, and 55 assistants. It will also redistribute the citizenship application fee (currently €600). Fifty percent goes to consulates, 25 percent to MAECI personnel fund, and 25 percent to operational costs.
What This Means for Italian Citizenship Applicants
If passed by the Senate, this bill represents the end of the traditional relationship between Italian consulates and Italian-descendant communities. The new centralized model treats citizenship recognition as a bureaucratic process, not a service provided to communities worldwide. We predict massive backlogs.
There is Hope for Italian Citizenship Seekers thanks to the Constitutional Court
Here’s where the story of Italian citizenship law in 2025 takes an unexpected turn and where hope enters the picture.
The Old Law Challenges (October 2024)
Before Law 74/2025 even existed, judges in the Courts of Bologna, Florence, Rome, and Milan had raised constitutional questions about the old Italian citizenship law. They sent these questions to the Italian Constitutional Court (Corte Costituzionale):
- Is unlimited generational transmission of citizenship constitutional? (Some argued there should be a cutoff, e.g. grandparents, great-grandparents, etc.)
- Is heritage alone enough of a “genuine link” for citizenship? (Some argued that descendants should have to demonstrate cultural or linguistic ties to Italy.)
Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, which can choose which cases to hear, the Italian Constitutional Court must answer every question brought before it.
The Timing Problem
Because the Italian Constitutional Court must answer any questions raised, an interesting thing happened. Well before the Constitutional Court’s hearing, Italian law itself changed. The court therefore found itself bound to answer questions about an obsolete law.
The July 31, 2025 Decision
Nevertheless, on July 31, 2025, the Constitutional Court issued its opinion. And the decision was remarkable:
- Unlimited generational limits ARE constitutional. There is no constitutional requirement to cut off citizenship at any particular generation.
- Heritage alone IS enough of a genuine link. Italian descent, by itself, satisfies the constitutional requirements for citizenship transmission.
- The law can change, but there must be individual case review. The legislature can modify citizenship rules, but cannot do so in a way that eliminates individual consideration of cases.
- Citizenship is an imprescriptible right conferred at birth. This is the key finding: citizenship by descent is a birthright—not a privilege granted by the state, but an inherent right that exists from the moment of birth.
Why This Constitutional Court Decision Matters for Italian Citizenship
The Constitutional Court’s July 2025 decision, while technically about the old law, laid down constitutional principles that apply to any Italian citizenship law. Even Law 74/2025.
And those principles directly conflict with what the 2025 citizenship law does.
If citizenship is a birthright that exists from the moment of birth, how can a law retroactively declare that someone was never a citizen?
If there must be individual case review, how can a law categorically exclude everyone who didn’t apply by an arbitrary deadline? That’s where a new constitutional challenge comes into play, this time against the new, more restrictive law 74/2025.
Constitutional Challenges to Italy’s 2025 Citizenship Law
Two Italian courts have now raised constitutional challenges to Law 74/2025 itself. Both challenges have been referred to the Constitutional Court and will be heard on March 11, 2026.
The Turin Challenge
On September 17, 2025, the Gazzetta Ufficiale (Italy’s official government journal), published the Turin court’s ordinance. This formally sent the new Italian citizenship law to the Constitutional Court for review.
The Turin case arose from a civil matter where plaintiffs with proven, uninterrupted Italian descent challenged the Ministry of the Interior. Under the previous legal framework, their status as citizens from birth was settled law. But Law 74/2025’s Article 3-bis retroactively declared that anyone born abroad with another citizenship is considered to have never acquired Italian citizenship unless they meet the stringent new conditions.
The Court of Turin identified this as an “implicit revocation” of citizenship infringing upon a right already acquired at birth. The judge raised serious doubts about the law’s compatibility with constitutional principles, including:
- Articles 2 and 3 of the Italian Constitution: The law violates principles of reasonableness and legal certainty.
- Article 117 of the Constitution (International Obligations): The decree conflicts with EU law regarding European citizenship and fundamental rights charters including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Turin challenge also argues that the law’s retroactive approach stands in stark contrast to practices in other EU Member States. No other country has cancelled citizenship rights already acquired without allowing a fair period for citizens to confirm their status. This raises the possibility of conflict with EU law principles and a potential referral to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Core arguments in the Turin challenge:
- Illegal retroactive application that strips citizenship from people who were Italian from birth
- Discrimination against dual citizens
- Unconstitutional provisions affecting minors
- Improper reversal of the burden of proof onto applicants
The Mantua Challenge
On October 24, 2025, the Court of Mantua issued its own ordinance challenging Law 74/2025, focusing specifically on how the new law affects minors.
The Mantua case involved a Civil Status Officer’s refusal to register the birth certificate of a minor born in Brazil to a mother whose Italian citizenship had already been recognized by an Italian court. The municipality based its refusal on a literal reading of the new law’s conditions and deadlines.
The Court of Mantua took a different view, raising three distinct constitutional questions:
1. The “Implicit Revocation” Argument (Violation of Article 22)
Article 22 of the Italian Constitution states: “No one may be deprived, for political reasons, of legal capacity, citizenship, or name.”
The Mantua judges interpret “political reasons” broadly to include the “public interest” arguments the government used to justify the new law (such as managing application backlogs and consulate workloads). The court argues that citizenship acquired at birth is a fundamental right that cannot be withdrawn for political or administrative convenience, regardless of how the government frames it as a “failure to acquire” rather than a revocation.
2. The “Arbitrary Deadlines” Argument (Violation of Article 3)
Article 3 of the Constitution guarantees equality and protects citizens’ legitimate expectation of legal stability.
The Mantua court argues that the new law creates unreasonable discrimination. For example, two individuals born before the law’s enactment, in identical situations, are treated completely differently based solely on an arbitrary application deadline of March 27, 2025. This undermines the legitimate expectation of those who, already citizens by birth, trusted they could request formal recognition at any time… as had been the case for over a century.
3. The “Legislative Method” Argument (Violation of Articles 72 and 77)
Perhaps most damningly, the Mantua court questions how the law was introduced. The government used a Decree-Law (decreto legge), which is an emergency instrument reserved for situations of “extraordinary necessity and urgency.”
The court argues that a fundamental matter like citizenship, which defines the nation’s people and affects the electorate, should be subject to full parliamentary debate and a proper legislative process. The government’s stated reasons of overloaded consulates and courts do not constitute the kind of unforeseeable emergency that justifies bypassing normal democratic procedures.
The March 11, 2026 Hearing
The Constitutional Court will hear both the Turin and Mantua challenges on March 11, 2026. This hearing will determine whether Law 74/2025, with its retroactive stripping of citizenship and categorical exclusions, can survive constitutional scrutiny.
Given the principles articulated in the July 2025 decision, we have reason for cautious optimism.
What You Should Do Now to Ensure your Right to Italian Citizenship
If you believe you have a claim to Italian citizenship by descent, here is our urgent advice:
Get Your Application In Immediately
This cannot be overstated. As long as you are “locked in” with a pending application by the time the Constitutional Court makes its decision on Italian citizenship law, you are protected against any future changes.
You also beat the mad dash to file citizenship claims that we expect after the Constitutional Court hearing. If the court strikes down the retroactive provisions of the 2025 Italian citizenship law, there will be a flood of applications. Processing times (already measured in years) will extend further.
The best time to apply was before March 27, 2025. The second best time is today.
Gather Your Documents
Start collecting vital records now. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, and naturalization records (or proof of non-naturalization) as the document gathering process takes months even under the best circumstances.
Consult With a Professional
The Italian citizenship law landscape is complex and evolving. Whether you pursue recognition through a consulate (where still available) or through the Italian courts, professional guidance is essential.
The Future of Italian Citizenship Law
Based on our analysis of the legal landscape, here’s what we expect:
The Constitutional Court Will Likely Strike Down Retroactive Provisions
The principle that citizenship is a birthright conferred at birth is fundamentally incompatible with a law that retroactively declares people were never citizens. We expect the Constitutional Court to find the retroactive provisions of the 2025 Italian citizenship law unconstitutional.
People Born Before Law 74/2025 Will Likely Be Grandfathered In
If the Constitutional Court rules as we expect, individuals who were born before the Italian citizenship law changed in 2025 will be grandfathered in because at the time of their birth, the law said they were Italian.
The Italian Government Will Try Again
We fully expect the Italian government to attempt to restrict citizenship again, but in an outwardly constitutional way. No more retroactive stripping of rights. Instead, look for prospective restrictions that might include:
- Language examinations requiring demonstrated proficiency in Italian
- Mandatory residence requirements in Italy
- Cultural knowledge tests
- Stricter documentation requirements
More Legal Battles Over Italian Citizenship Ahead
In our opinion, many of these “means tests” will also face constitutional challenges. The principle that heritage alone constitutes a genuine link, established in the July 2025 decision, may preclude requirements that go beyond proving lineage.
This likely means another period of instability: another era where asserting your Italian citizenship rights may require working with an Italian attorney in the court system.