How to Obtain Italian Citizenship by Marriage

Foreigners can obtain Italian citizenship through several legal pathways. One of the most common ways is to apply for an Italian residence permit and then complete 10 years of legal residence in Italy. After 10 years of legal residence, you can apply for Italian citizenship by naturalizationwhich will grant the right to an Italian passport. Italy does not offer citizenship by investment; the investor visa only grants residence. 

A very simple and straightforward manner to obtain Italian citizenship is by getting married to an Italian citizen. There are few requirements that the foreign spouse has to respect for the purpose of obtaining the citizenship, but such rules are much simpler compared to other options for receiving the citizenship. 

Below, our immigration lawyers in Italy explain in detail how to acquire citizenship by marriage in Italy. Foreign citizens can also apply for a residence permit with our help if they are interested in immigrating to Italy in other ways. You can also rely on us for assistance in obtaining Italian citizenship.

The main ways for acquiring Italian citizenship

Foreign citizens who want to immigrate to Italy can apply for residence permits based on which they can later obtain citizenship. The following means can be employed for obtaining an Italian passport; if you need more details you can address to our team of immigration lawyers in Italy, who can also provide legal representation:

1. through a student or employment visa by converting them into residence permits;
2. through retirement in Italy – foreign citizens with certain incomes can retire and live in Italy permanently, then becoming citizens of this country;
3. through a residence by investment program (investor visa), after which non-EU citizens can apply for Italian citizenship once they complete 10 years of legal residence;
4. through marriage to an Italian citizen which is one of the simplest ways of acquiring Italian citizenship.

One can obtain Italian citizenship by marriage regardless if he or she is an EU or non-EU citizen who wants to relocate in this country. Our team of immigration lawyers in Italy can help foreigners in this procedure. We can also help you apply for a residence permit in Italy.

Foreigners marrying Italian citizens

There are several requirements that need to be complied with when seeking to obtain Italian citizenship by marriage. Law No. 91 which was amended several times until now, provides for the following conditions for foreigners applying for an Italian passport after marrying an Italian citizen. These are:

• the marriage took place in an Italian city in which at least one of the spouses resides;
• marriages registered abroad can also be recognized, if the Italian citizen or resident is registered with the Italian Embassy or Consulate in that country;
• the foreign spouse can apply for Italian citizenship after 2 years of legal residence in Italy after the marriage, if the marriage was registered in Italy;
• the foreign spouse can apply for Italian citizenship by marriage after 3 years of marriage if the spouses live abroad.

For couples who have children (natural or adopted), the period for the issuance of the citizenship for the foreign spouse will be reduced by half. Citizenship by marriage is not available if both spouses are foreign citizens, even if they are Italian residents. You can receive more details on how to obtain Italian citizenship from our immigration lawyers in Italy.  

Requirements for foreigners obtaining Italian citizenship by marriage in 2026

In December 2018, the Italian government brought two major changes to the legislation under which foreign citizens can acquire Italian citizenship by marriage. The most important one refers to the waiting time in which the processing of the application occurs, which was raised from 24 months to 48 months (since December 2020, under Decree-Law 130/2020, the deadline is 24 months, extendable to 36 months). The second one refers to the Italian language test to be sustained by the foreign spouse applying for citizenship by marriage in Italy. Since then, the foreign spouse must prove a B1 level of the Italian language with a recognized certificate when filing the application.

Our immigration attorneys in Italy can offer more information on the current requirements applicable to foreign citizens seeking to apply for Italian citizenship by marriage. You can read about the advantages of obtaining Italian citizenship by marriage in the scheme below:

Documents needed when applying for Italian citizenship by marriage

The set of documents needed when applying for Italian citizenship that is obtained by getting married with an Italian citizen are presented in the list below. For more details on this subject, we invite you to address to our Italian immigration lawyers, who can help you prepare the following:

• the application form which must be printed and filled out and signed before the authorities;
• the valid passport and the driver’s license (if any), in original and copies;
• the marriage certificate which must not be more than 6 months old, in original;
• the proof of residency in Italy for the foreign spouse (a recent utility bill will suffice);
• the birth certificate of the applicant, in original, but also a certified translated copy;
• the copy of the applicant’s criminal record (a clean criminal record is mandatory);
• the divorce decree (where applicable) or a no divorce declaration is also required.

An application fee must also be paid, and the receipt must be appended to the dossier. Our lawyers who specialize in helping those who want to immigrate to Italy can guide in the preparation of the documents which need to be filed when applying for Italian citizenship by marriage.

Steps before registering a marriage in Italy in 2026

Those who want to obtain Italian citizenship by marriage are subject to various requirements that differ for those who got married in Italy or outside the country. The Italian authorities will first complete a few steps in order to establish if the foreign spouse qualifies for Italian citizenship.

The first procedure implies verifying if the Italian city hall has any records of the marriage, in the case of those getting married in Italy. If not, the records of the consulate must have proof of the foreign citizen residing in Italy for the required period of time in order to start processing the citizenship application. Also, the Italian spouse must be registered with the Registry of Italian Citizens Residing Abroad (AIRE).

These are the conditions both spouses must respect in order for the foreign one to be allowed to apply for Italian citizenship by marriage. Our lawyers can also help those interested in immigrating to Italy by other means, including obtaining Italian citizenship by descent.

Novelties concerning citizenship by descent fees

Starting with 1 January 2025, persons who apply for citizenship by descent are required to pay higher processing fees. According to the new law, applicants must now pay a EUR 600 processing fee, increased from the previous EUR 300. This regulation applies for those who initiate the formalities with the Italian consulate (meaning, while being outside Italy).

The same fee is imposed provided that the individual wants to make a court claim concerning citizenship (in the past, the court fee was EUR 518). For persons who will apply while being in the country, the law states that the fee charged by local authorities can increase to maximum EUR 600.

While the legislation regulating citizenship by marriage in Italy hasn’t been changed in 2026, it must be noted that the one concerning citizenship by descent has suffered major modifications. Thus, those who plan to apply in 2026 can only qualify if they have (or had) a parent or a grandparent who held exclusively Italian citizenship at the moment when the applicant was born (or at death, if earlier), or a parent who lived in Italy for 2 consecutive years after acquiring citizenship and before the applicant's birth. Prior to the new law, there were more options concerning citizenship by descent, therefore if you want to apply now, we recommend you get in touch with our immigration lawyers, as they can present the new legal framework (established by Decree-Law 36/2025 of 28 March 2025, converted into Law 74/2025 of 23 May 2025, and upheld by the Constitutional Court in judgment no. 63/2026) and any other requirements that must be met by eligible applicants.

Registration with the AIRE of the Italian spouse

As mentioned above, when the marriage between an Italian citizen and a foreign one has concluded abroad, the Italian citizen must be registered with the Registry of Italian Citizens Residing Abroad (AIRE) in order for the marriage to be validated in Italy and the foreign spouse to apply for Italian citizenship.

The AIRE system was introduced in 1988 and is meant to keep records of all Italian citizens living abroad. Italian citizens are required to register with AIRE with the Italian consulate or embassy in the country they are living. Those who registered with AIRE will have a file with the last address they were living at both in Italy and the foreign country.

The respective address will be used when the foreign spouse will apply for Italian citizenship by marriage. The documents are also available with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Italy. AIRE registration becomes mandatory once an Italian citizen lives outside his/her home country for more than 12 months. If you have any questions about AIRE registration or about the residence permit in Italy, our immigration lawyers are at your disposal with detailed information.

We invite you to watch a short presentation on how to obtain Italian citizenship by marriage: 

The appointment with the Italian authorities

One of the steps for obtaining Italian citizenship by marriage is for the foreign spouse to attend an appointment with the Italian authorities (there is no formal interview). The procedure is rather simple, however, the applicant must consider some documents he or she must bring along. Among these:

• his/her passport, but also the Italian spouse’s passport and the proof of residence;
• a declaration through which the spouses declare they are still married;
• the birth certificate of the applicant (the original and apostilled copy are required);
• the marriage registration certificate in original and the criminal record of the applicant in original;
• the Italian language certificate (a B1 level is required) and the proof of payment of the consular fee.

For foreign spouses who want to obtain Italian citizenship by marriage in 2026, the criminal record must trace their entire history since the age of 14. In other words, it is necessary to submit a criminal record from the country where the foreigner is a citizen, as well as criminal records from all the countries where the foreigner has been a resident starting with the age of 14.

After the appointment, the authorities will process the application and return with an answer within 24 months of the application (extendable to 36 months). Through our expat services, foreign citizens can benefit from assistance in preparing for the appointment with the authorities.

What certificates can one bring for attesting Italian language skills?

As said above, all applicants for Italian citizenship have to provide evidence on their Italian language skills. They need to prove having the ability to speak, listen and write at a B1 level, which is defined as having a specific set of abilities in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference. 

The document has to be issued by one of the certifying bodies recognized by the Italian authorities (CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CERT.IT or Ce.Co.L.); please mind that there are few exemptions from the need of presenting a language certificate, and this applies to specific categories of persons; you can find out more details on this subject from our immigration lawyers in Italy. 

Please mind that the application procedure imposes the payment of a processing fee of EUR 250 for all those applying for Italian citizenship by marriage. You can address to our immigration lawyers for more details regarding other costs and fees that you can expect to pay during this legal procedure or for other immigration procedures that you can be interested in (obtaining a visaor a residence permit).  

Assistance in applying for Italian citizenship by marriage in 2026

Foreign citizens interested in obtaining Italian citizenship by marriage can rely on our immigration specialists in Italy. We will guide you through the procedure and will explain how to prepare for the appointment with the authorities. At the moment the foreign spouse applies for Italian citizenship, the following requirements apply:

• the couple must have been married for a minimum of 2 years if they live in Italy;
• the marriage must have been registered for at least 3 years if the spouses live outside the country;
• if the spouses live abroad but have children, the foreign spouse can apply for citizenship after one and a half years;
• the couple must still be married (no divorce, annulment or legal separation) when the citizenship decree is adopted.

What is the data on marriage in Italy? 

Throughout the decades, the marriage rate declined in numerous European states, as the society became more liberal and as the rules on divorce became less stringent. In numerous European states, the marriage rate declined severely, while in other states it fluctuated over the years. With regards to Italy, we present the following: 

• according to the National Institute of Statistics, in 2018, there were 195,778 marriages registered at a national level; 
• this accounted for a small increase of 2.3% compared to the marriages of 2017, which, in absolute numbers, was translated in an additional 4,500 marriages;
• the age at which Italians are getting married is increasing, a trend that can be observed at a European level as well – Italian men get married at 33.7 years, while Italian women get married at 31.5 years old;
• the marriage rate is mostly constant in Italy, with few variations over the years – in 2012, there were 207,138 marriages registered in the country; 
• it must be noted that the immigration in Italy has had an impact on the structure of marriages in this country, as, at a national level, about 17% of the marriages (16.9% in 2024) involve at least one foreign spouse, and most of these are concluded between an Italian citizen and a person of another nationality;
• in 2012, from the total number of marriages, mixed marriages accounted for 20,764. 

Those who want to get married in 2026 in Italy must know that the country has a low marriage rate, compared to the EU average. For several years, the marriage rate remained fairly constant, but it has declined recently. For instance, the rate for 2018 was 3.2 marriages for 1,000 inhabitants. Data for 2022 showed the same value (3.2), but the latest data (for 2024: 173,272 marriages) show a decline, to about 2.9. In between these years, the lowest rate was observed in 2020 (1.6) but that negative situation was a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Other aspects to consider when applying for citizenship by marriage in Italy 

One can have the right of applying for Italian citizenship by marriage in Italy through the standard wedding ceremony or through a civil union. The Law 91/1992, Articles 5-8 provide the legal framework for this. It is also important to know for those who want to immigrate to Italy that this country recognizes same-sex civil unions (same-sex marriage is not available in Italy).

This right was obtained in 2016 and it is important to know that same-sex marriages that were registered in other countries are recognized in Italy as civil unions. In most of the cases, same-sex couples can benefit from the same rights that are granted to married couples. 

Provided that a foreigner is entitled to apply for Italian citizenship by marriage and provided that the entire process is completed as necessary, then the person will be granted with the Italian citizenship. When this happens, the applicant will be contacted by the Italian institutions and will be invited to participate in the citizenship ceremony. 

The citizenship ceremony is part of the entire legal process and, according to the law, it must be completed within 6 months of the notification of the citizenship decree (otherwise the right is lost). The person who receives Italian citizenship has to be present at the event, and documents proving that the marriage still exists (e.g. the full marriage certificate) are requested when the decree is notified. 

This is due to the fact that the applicant’s marriage to an Italian citizen must be documented to show that the marriage is still valid and that the couple is not involved in any separation procedure, which can refer to judicial separation, annulment or divorce. During the ceremony, the applicant will have to take an oath of allegiance. 

It is important to know that starting with 2015, the applications for citizenship by marriage in Italy must be filed online and women must use their maiden name when lodging the forms. We can also help you immigrate to Italy by other means, such as investment or work contract.

If you want to apply for citizenship in 2026, we invite you to contact our immigration lawyers for more information. We can represent foreigners in the process of applying for other types of citizenships that are recognized in Italy in 2026.

Foreigners can apply for citizenship by naturalization or by descent, each procedure having its own particularities. Please know that if you plan to start this procedure and you worry whether you can or can not retain your initial citizenship, you must know that the Italian law allows foreigners to have dual citizenship.

Our immigration lawyers can present the rules of law referring to dual citizenship and your rights as the citizen of 2 different countries. Please feel free to contact us for any questions you have related to obtaining Italian citizenship by marriage.