On Friday, March 28, 2025, the Italian government approved a significant reform package aimed at tightening the laws governing citizenship by right of blood, known as "jus sanguinis." This decision comes in response to a dramatic increase in citizenship requests from descendants of Italians living abroad, particularly in countries like Brazil and Argentina.
Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced during a press conference that the goal of the new measures is to combat "abuses" and to "valorize an effective link between Italy and the citizen abroad." He emphasized that while the principle of jus sanguinis will not be abolished, there will now be precise limits established to prevent what he termed the "commercialization" of Italian passports.
Under the new regulations, Italian descendants born abroad will automatically be granted citizenship only for two generations. This means that only those with at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy will be recognized as citizens from birth. This marks a significant shift from previous rules, which allowed individuals to claim citizenship based on ancestry without generational limits.
The changes are expected to have a substantial impact on the Italian consular network, especially in Brazil, where the number of recognized citizenships surged from over 14,000 in 2022 to 20,000 in 2024. In Argentina, the figure rose from 20,000 in 2023 to 30,000 in 2024. It is estimated that there are between 60 million and 80 million "oriundi" worldwide who could potentially request recognition under the current laws.
According to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the reform aims to free up resources to make consular services more efficient, allowing them to focus on those with a genuine need for citizenship based on their real connection to Italy.
Additionally, the new decree specifies that Italians born and residing abroad will be encouraged to maintain "real ties" with Italy, which includes exercising their rights and duties as citizens at least once every 25 years. However, the specifics of how this will be enforced remain unclear.
The decree, which is akin to an Italian provisional measure, will take effect immediately but must be confirmed by Parliament to remain valid. Given the comfortable majority held by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, approval is expected to proceed smoothly.
In a separate bill, the government is proposing more substantial modifications to citizenship legislation. If passed, candidates seeking recognition of citizenship will no longer apply at local consulates but will instead submit their requests to a centralized office within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will handle applications by mail. This change is aimed at streamlining the process and alleviating the workload on consulates.
Tajani highlighted that the increase in citizenship requests has overwhelmed Italian courts and municipal offices, particularly in small towns, which have struggled to manage the influx. He noted that the number of Italians born or residing abroad has surged by 40% over the past decade, from 4.6 million to 6.4 million.
In light of these changes, the Italian government is also addressing concerns over the "passport industry," where agencies offer services to help individuals trace their ancestry and obtain citizenship, sometimes for significant fees. Tajani expressed a commitment to tackling abuses and ensuring that citizenship is treated as a serious matter, not merely a means to facilitate travel.
While the new rules will not affect those who already hold Italian citizenship, they will impact individuals who have pending applications. Starting from midnight on the day of the announcement, only those with Italian grandparents will be eligible to apply under the new criteria.
The reform has sparked a range of reactions, with some arguing that it addresses legitimate concerns about the integrity of Italian citizenship, while others criticize it as overly restrictive. The changes particularly affect descendants in Brazil, where an estimated 30 million people claim some degree of Italian ancestry.
In 2023, approximately 42,000 of the 61,300 citizenship recognitions granted by Italy were awarded to Brazilians, making up nearly 68.5% of the total. Many of these applicants have sought to expedite their citizenship through administrative or judicial channels, often hiring specialized services that charge fees as high as 3,000 euros.
The new regulations also propose that spouses of Italian citizens seeking naturalization must reside in Italy to qualify, a shift from the current requirement of demonstrating language proficiency.
As these legal changes unfold, they reflect broader trends in immigration and citizenship policies across Europe, as nations grapple with the complexities of heritage and belonging in an increasingly interconnected world.
In summary, the Italian government's decision to tighten citizenship laws marks a significant shift in policy aimed at addressing the rising tide of applications from abroad, particularly from South America. As the country seeks to balance the historical ties of its diaspora with contemporary realities, the implications of these reforms will be closely watched by millions of Italians and their descendants worldwide.
