The Italian Parliament is currently discussing several bills that could change how people can claim Italian citizenship through their ancestry. These changes might affect many who are looking to become Italian citizens based on their family history. Let’s break down what’s happening and how you can stay informed.
IMPORTANT: please note that this article was last updated in February 2025. Since March 28, 2025 the Italian Government has enacted a new temporarty regulation and approved two proposals that change the legal and political landscape. Please find here the latest updates: New Rules for Italian Citizenship by Descent (2025 Update)
Bills Under Discussion
Here are the bills being discussed:
- Bill no. 98 S (Partito Democratico – IDP, 2023): This bill proposes allowing former Italian citizens to re-acquire citizenship by applying within 2 years.
- Bill no. 295 S (Partito Democratico – IDP, 2024): This bill aims to allow the children of former Italian citizens to get citizenship, even if they live outside of Italy.
- Bill no. 752 S (Fratelli d’Italia, 2024): This bill suggests that former Italian citizens can re-acquire citizenship by applying within 3 years. It also proposes that those claiming Italian citizenship by lineage must demonstrate Italian language proficiency, and those of the 4th generation and beyond must live in Italy for at least one year.
- Bill no. 919 S (Partito Democratico – IDP, 2024): This bill proposes allowing former Italian citizens to re-acquire citizenship by applying within 4 years and lowering the application fee from €250 to €200.
- Bill no. 1211Â (Partito Democratico – IDP, 2025): This bill reiterates previous proposals (98S, 295S, and 919S), aiming to allow former Italian citizens and their children born abroad to reacquire Italian citizenship. Eligible individuals may regain citizenship by submitting a declaration of intent within four years, without the requirement to relocate to Italy.
- Bills no. 1263 C  and  2080 C (Forza Italia – Berlusconi Presidente – PPE, 2025): These bills propose to exclude from Italian citizenship by lineage the descendants born abroad whose parent, grand parent and great-grandparent were also born overseas (i.e. excluding 4th degree descendants). Moreover, the citizenship application fee to be raised to €600.
👉 CLICK on links of each Bill above and read more about the new changes
How Can You Follow the Discussions?
The discussions about these changes are happening in the Italian Senate, specifically within the Committee for Constitutional Matters (Commissione Affari Costituzionali). This committee is reviewing all these bills together.
You can follow the committee’s progress and find updates on the official Senate website. Look for the section titled “Bills on citizenship” under “IN SEDE REDIGENTE”, Section IV, of their agenda at this webpage. The discussions are expected to start in the autumn and might continue for a few months.
Attention: Decree-Laws
Changes to the law can be introduced fast through another channel. Sometimes, the Italian government can make urgent changes without waiting for Parliament. They do this for urgent reasons by issuing decree-laws, which take effect immediately but need Parliament’s approval within 60 days to become permanent. This has happened increasigly over the last two decades.
Regarding changes to citizenship law, the government acted fast happen in October 2018. With the Immigration and Security Decree-Law, the Italian government introduced new rules for getting Italian citizenship by marriage, particularly the requirement of Italian language proficiency. The dree introduced a provision to extend processing times. The Parliament approved these measures and they are part of the law since then. So it is a good idea to check the news from the Italian government.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in claiming Italian citizenship through your ancestry, it’s important to stay updated on these discussions. The proposed bills could significantly impact the application process.Understanding these changes will help you be better prepared for any new requirements.
Apply FAST and SMART
If you’re considering to apply for citizenship by lineage, I recommend doing it FAST and correctly. You’re welcome to use my Ultimate Checklist, complete with PRO Tips and the Exclusive Template to get the Italian records quickly.