Italian Passport by Descent: Step-by-Step Guide for Americans

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Introduction

Obtaining an Italian passport through ancestry is one of the most meaningful ways for Italian Americans to reconnect with their roots. In 2025, after the approval of Law No. 74/2025, the process remains possible but requires stricter compliance with legal requirements.

After the reform, recognition is no longer automatic beyond grandparents: except for the specific exceptions provided by law, eligibility effectively extends only to the second generation abroad. This is a major change that every applicant should understand clearly before starting the process.

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Step 1: Verify Your Eligibility

The first step is to establish whether you qualify under the new rules:

• If you were born abroad with another citizenship, you are considered never to have acquired Italian citizenship unless you fall under one of the exceptions in Art. 3-bis L. 91/1992 (as amended by Law 74/2025):
• Applications or consular appointments filed by March 27, 2025 at 23:59 (Rome time) (art. 3-bis, lett. a, a-bis, b).
• You have a parent or grandparent who possesses, or possessed at the time of death, exclusively Italian citizenship (art. 3-bis, lett. c).
• Your parent acquired Italian citizenship and lived in Italy for two consecutive years before your birth or adoption (art. 3-bis, lett. d).

If you do not fall into these categories, you may need to explore alternative routes, such as residency-based applications or judicial petitions.

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Step 2: Gather and Authenticate Documents

The most time-consuming step involves obtaining records that prove your lineage and eligibility:

• Birth, marriage, and death certificates for each person in your direct line.
• Naturalization records (or proof of non-naturalization) for your Italian-born ancestor.
• Apostille and certified translations into Italian, in line with consular or court requirements.

Professional review is strongly advised, as even small inconsistencies (e.g., name spellings) can cause rejection.

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Step 3: Choose Your Path of Application

There are three main routes to file your application:

1. Through an Italian Consulate in the U.S.

• Best suited for applicants with strong documentation.
• Consular backlogs remain significant.
• Per le istanze iure sanguinis presentate ai Consolati, la percezione consolare è €600 dal 1° gennaio 2025 (L. 207/2024, art. 1, c. 639; d.lgs. 71/2011, tabella consolare art. 7-bis).
• If applying in Italy, municipalities may charge up to €600 as an administrative fee, in addition to any €300 fee for issuing very old civil records (over 100 years).

1. Through Residency in Italy

• Descendants with a parent or grandparent who is an Italian citizen by birth can apply after two years of legal residence (art. 9 L. 91/1992, as modified by art. 1-bis of Law 74/2025).
• Applicants must demonstrate genuine residence, not temporary stays.

1. Through Italian Courts (1948 Rule cases)

• Applies to cases where the citizenship line passes through a female ancestor before 1948.
• As of 2025, petitions filed after March 27 must comply with stricter evidence rules: oath and witness testimony are excluded except where the law expressly allows. The burden of proof rests entirely on the applicant.

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Step 4: Recognition and Passport Issuance

Once citizenship is recognized, you can register with the local municipality (comune) or consulate. From there:

• Your name is added to the civil registry.
• You can apply for your Italian passport.
• If you reside in Italy, you may also register with the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN) for healthcare coverage. Citizens registered with AIRE and living abroad are not ordinarily covered by the SSN, except in specific cases (e.g., seconded workers).

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Transitional Provisions You Should Know

• Applications and petitions submitted (or consular appointments booked) before March 27, 2025 at 23:59 Rome time remain under the previous regime.
• Minors under 18 as of May 24, 2025: declaration by parents (or by the individual if they become of age in the meantime) must be filed by May 31, 2026, at 23:59 Rome time (art. 4, co. 1-bis, lett. b).
• Former citizens born or resident in Italy can reacquire nationality between July 1, 2025 and December 31, 2027, by declaration and payment of a €250 contribution (art. 17 L. 91/1992 as amended).

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Comparative Overview of Application Routes

Path

Timeframe

Key Requirement

Fee

Consulate (USA)

Several years (due to backlog)

Complete documentation, consular recognition

€600 (L. 207/2024) + possible €600 municipal fee

Residency (Italy)

Minimum 2 years residence

Parent or grandparent Italian citizen by birth (art. 9 L. 91/1992, as modified by art. 1-bis L. 74/2025)

Local taxes + admin fees

Court (1948 rule)

1, 3 years depending on court

Female ancestor line before 1948, legal petition, stricter evidence rules

Legal fees

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How CTZN Can Help

At CTZN, our Italo-American legal team ensures every case is handled with precision:

• Free eligibility check under the new legal framework.
• Document retrieval, authentication, and translation both in the U.S. and Italy.
• Guidance on choosing the best route for recognition.
• Ongoing support through registration, passport application, and beyond.

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Obtaining an Italian passport through ancestry is still possible in 2025, but the path requires careful navigation of Law 74/2025. By following the right steps and relying on expert guidance, you can transform your family history into a powerful opportunity for the future.

👉 Start your path to an Italian passport today. Free eligibility check here: Italian Citizenship Free Eligibility Check.