Obtain Italian Dual Citizenship

The number of foreigners interested in acquiring Italian citizenship has increased constantly in the last few years, as Italy is one of the most important economies in Europe and in the European Union. While some of those who want to immigrate to Italy choose to give up their citizenship at the moment of the application, there are also citizens interested in acquiring dual citizenship in Italy.

Below, our immigration lawyers in Italy explain who can obtain Italian dual citizenship and how to do that. We are at your service no matter if you want to apply for Italian dual citizenship or a simple residence permit.

It is possible to obtain Italian dual citizenship as the government does not require foreign immigrants to give up their citizenship, as other countries do. The law on citizenship in Italy was modified in 1992 to allow dual citizenship. This is also what makesItaly very appealing for foreign citizens, no matter the reason they decide to relocate here.

The main ways to dual citizenship in Italy in 2026

There are several ways to obtain citizenship in Italy and all of them allow foreign nationals to retain their first passports. Those interested in how to get dual citizenship in Italy must know the following:

• they can obtain citizenship by moving to Italy and living here the minimum period of time required for naturalization;
• they can also obtain dual citizenship if they have Italian ancestors (this option is subject to specific criteria);
• the purchase of a golden visa in Italy is also an option most suitable for non-EU high net worth individuals (the golden visa grants a 2-year residence permit, renewable for 3 years, which can lead to EU long-term residence after 5 years; after 10 years of residence the foreigner can apply for citizenship by naturalization, as there isn’t a direct route to citizenship by investment);
• employment and self-employment are two of the safest ways of obtaining Italian citizenship and retain the current passport of the applicant.

Italy is one of the friendliest countries in Europe and the European Union when it comes to the possibility of obtaining dual citizenship. Our immigration lawyers in Italy can assist foreign citizens and entrepreneurs interested in acquiring a passport in this country. Before obtaining citizenship you need to apply for a residence permit in Italy.

Here is also an infographic with the main ways of obtaining dual citizenship in Italy:

Criteria for qualifying for Italian citizenship by descent

Until 27 March 2025, there were several criteria that applied for those acquiring citizenship by descent in Italy, which were:

• had at least one Italian ancestor and be able to support that with evidence;
• foreign citizens whose Italian ancestor was alive after March 17th, 1861 (unification of Italy) could automatically become Italian citizens per Jure Sanguinis;
• the Italian ancestor must have not obtained another citizenship which has determined them to give up their Italian citizenship;
• when deriving from a maternal line, citizenship could have been obtained from the woman’s paternal line, in case she was born before 1948.

Italian citizenship by descent could also be obtained if the applicant’s grandparents were Italian citizens. Our immigration lawyers in Italy can offer more information on obtaining Italian citizenship by descent.

However, those who plan to become citizens by descent in 2026 must know that the legislation has been modified starting with March 2025, following the adoption of an emergency decree which stipulates that only individuals who have an Italian parent or grandparent, who holds or held exclusively Italian citizenship (or an Italian parent who lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years after acquiring citizenship and before the applicant's birth), are eligible for this type of citizenship. The new law requires that the parent or the grandparent must be an Italian citizen at the moment when the applicant is born.

The legislation for citizenship by descent that is applied in 2026 is known as Law 74/2025 (converting Decree-Law 36/2025), and was upheld by the Italian Constitutional Court in judgment no. 63/2026 (a further question was referred to the EU Court of Justice in July 2026, order no. 147/2026).

Steps for obtaining Italian dual citizenship for foreigners who have Italian descent

One of the simplest ways of obtaining dual citizenship in Italy is by descent. The steps to be completed when seeking to obtain Italian dual citizenship are:

1. establish who the closest Italian relative is (most of the time grandparents are the easiest to track);
2. obtain the Italian ancestor’s naturalization records or birth certificates in order to establish if dual citizenship is possible;
3. the applicant’s personal information (birth certificate, marriage certificate and even the death certificate of the Italian ancestor) is required;
4. all the documents need to be translated into Italian and apostilled before filing them with the Italian authorities;
5. book an appointment with the Italian Consulate or Embassy in the applicant’s home country and file the documents.

If the documents are approved, the applicant will receive the Italian passport within a few months after the procedure is completed. If you need assistance in obtaining Italian dual citizenship, our immigration lawyers in Italy can assist you with various services, including tracking down Italian ancestors.

Although the legislation for dual citizenship changed significantly in 2025, it is necessary to know that if you want to apply in 2026 for dual citizenship based on your Italian ancestry, there are some new rules to follow.

Thus, if you have Italian ancestry, you must apply in accordance with the rules of Article 1(36) of Law 197/2022 (for court proceedings started from 22 June 2022), which states that a person who wants to claim citizenship based on ancestry has to initiate the procedure (when applying through the courts, e.g. for maternal-line cases) before the specialised immigration and citizenship section of the court competent for the municipality where the applicant's father, mother or Italian ancestor was born.

The case has to be heard by the District Court in whose district the ancestor was born (the specialised sections sit at the tribunals in the seats of the Courts of Appeal) or, if the ancestor lives/lived in a village, by the district court that has jurisdiction over the respective village.

How to get dual citizenship in Italy by employment in 2026

Employment or self-employment is one of the best ways of getting dual citizenship in Italy. This option is available for both EU and non-EU citizens with the mention that only the latter category of applicants will need to apply for an employment visa or for a self-employed residence permit.

EU citizens must register with the registry office (Ufficio Anagrafe) of the municipality where they live if they stay longer than 3 months from entering the country. Even so, they too need to wait the required period of time before applying for Italian citizenship.

With respect to non-EU citizens, they can apply for several types of work permits which come with residence visas, however, only a few of them represent a direct way to permanent residence followed by citizenship. Third-country nationals interested in how to get dual citizenship in Italy by means of employment can apply for one of the following types of visas:

• employee work permits which are issued based on a pre-established quota on a yearly basis;
• professional employee work permits for specialists in specific fields, such as accounting;
• work permits for assigned employees detached to work in Italy for a foreign company;
• ICT work permits for highly skilled employees who can act as managers in local companies.

There is also the self-employment permit under which a foreign citizen from a non-EU country can work independently but also for an Italian employer. This type of residence visa is available for those who can complete activities on an independent basis, such as handcrafters, sole traders, doctors, and so on.

The main aspect to consider when applying for dual citizenship in Italy is that different criteria apply based on the nationality of the candidate. These can be influenced by specific agreements between Italy and the applicant’s country of origin, by international treaties, as well as by Italy’s immigration policies.

If you want to apply for dual citizenship, we recommend you discuss your case directly with our immigration lawyer in Italy who can provide case-to-case advice.

Obtaining Italian dual citizenship by marriage

Citizenship in Italy can also be acquired by marrying an Italian national. It is also possible to acquire it through civil union and in both cases, the applicants must make the proof of being legally married by the Italian authorities. Those who plan to acquire citizenship through this pathway are, of course, entitled to dual citizenship as well.

The application must be addressed to the Italian Ministry of Interior, after preparing a large set of documents required specifically for this type of citizenship (the most important document being the proof of marriage and of citizenship of the Italian spouse/partner).

Please know that the issuance of this type of citizenship can be lengthy, as it can take up to several years to receive the citizenship certificate. Under Decree-Law 113/2018 as amended by Decree-Law 130/2020, the application for citizenship by marriage must be processed within 24 months, extendable to a maximum of 36 months.

What happens if the matrimonial situation changes during the application for citizenship by marriage?

Individuals who want to obtain Italian dual citizenship by marriage are entitled to apply only in connection to their Italian partner. Given that the processing of the application for citizenship by marriage takes a lot of time, many changes can appear in the life of the applicant/spouses. Some of the main changes that can have a direct influence on the application for citizenship are:

1. divorce;
2. annulment;
3. death of the Italian partner/spouse.

If any of these occur, the foreign individual’s citizenship application is automatically interrupted, as the person loses the entitlement to citizenship by marriage.

In this case, the person may still acquire Italian citizenship at a later date, in different conditions, through citizenship by naturalization (for this, however, the foreigner needs to have 10 years of residency in Italy and abide by other mandatory conditions, more complex than the ones applicable for citizenship by marriage).

Documents required to apply for dual citizenship in Italy

The required documentation depends on the way the foreign citizen immigrated to Italy and must be accompanied by a language certificate that will attest to the applicant’s Italian language knowledge (B1-level certificate from a recognised body, required for naturalization and marriage applications since 4 December 2018).

Our Italian immigration lawyers can assist in preparing the file when applying for dual citizenship. These must be filed with the Italian authorities if the applicant is in Italy at the time the request is made or with the Italian Embassy or Consulate if he/she is abroad at the time of the application.

It is possible for Italian embassies or consulates to request various documents, which is why it is best to ask on the specific requisites before starting the procedure. This is our video on how to obtain dual citizenship in Italy:

Benefits of citizenship in Italy

Becoming an Italian citizen has many advantages, among which the equal rights to those born here (voting and employment rights), access to the national education and healthcare systems, as well as EU residency and free travel to all EU and Schengen member states. Dual citizenship holders can also buy real estate in Italy.

Assistance in obtaining Italian dual citizenship in 2026

Obtaining Italian dual citizenship often implies a lot of research through national archives which for foreign citizens who have not come to Italy before can be quite difficult. With a vast experience in immigration to Italy, our lawyers can help with all the requirements related to obtaining citizenship, including dual citizenship in Italy.

The most important aspect of obtaining Italian dual citizenship is creating a connection between the foreign applicant and the Italian ancestor, however, our lawyers can assist in such matters.

Italy is an attractive country to immigrate to because it offers good jobs for those moving here based on employment permits, it also offers good investment opportunities and even students will find it very appealing to study here.

You can move to Italy to start this procedure or you can be in the country where you have your residence. Our immigration lawyers can provide legal assistance on the steps you must initiate. You can contact us if you need information on how to become a permanent resident of this country, as well as for any other details that are related to immigration (relocating with family members, visa requirements, work visas, etc.)

Foreigners living in Italy

Persons who want to relocate to Italy for residency or citizenship in 2026 must know that Italy is one of the European countries with the largest number of foreigners. The Italian authorities have announced that the total number of foreigners living in Italy is above 5 million, while the largest share, of more than 1 million, is represented by Romanian citizens.

The growing trend on immigration to Italy took place as follows:

• in 2010, there were more than 3,6 million foreigners living in Italy;
• by 2012, the 4 million threshold was reached;
• in just 2 years (between 2012 and 2014) Italy received almost 1 million foreigners (from 4,050,000 foreigners to 4,922,000);
• the 5 million threshold was reached in 2015 and since then, the rate on immigration to Italy slowed down (compared to the data before 2015);
• since 2015 up until 2025, the total number of foreigners in Italy increased only by about 550,000 persons, reaching about 5.56 million on 1 January 2026 (ISTAT, provisional).

For assistance in obtaining Italian dual citizenship, please contact our immigration lawyers.