Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis)

Overview

Jure sanguinis ("by right of blood") allows individuals with Italian ancestry to claim citizenship based on their lineage. This is historically the most common pathway for those in the Italian diaspora, particularly in the Americas.

Important: As of March 28, 2025 (Decree-Law No. 36/2025), only first- or second-degree descendants — meaning your parent or grandparent was born in Italy — automatically qualify for citizenship by descent. Previously, up to 80 million people worldwide could claim through distant ancestors. This significant legislative change narrows eligibility considerably.

Eligibility

To qualify under the updated law, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• You are a first- or second-degree descendant of an Italian citizen who held exclusively Italian citizenship at the time of your birth
• Your parent or adoptive parent resided in Italy for 2 or more consecutive years after acquiring Italian citizenship, before your birth

Application Pathways

There are three main routes to formally obtaining citizenship by descent:

• Consular (Administrative): Apply through the Italian consulate in your country of residence. This is the standard pathway for most applicants living outside Italy.
• Judicial: Required when citizenship is transmitted through the female line before January 1, 1948, as Italian law at that time did not automatically pass citizenship through mothers. This is also an option when the consular route is not available due to lengthy delays. This route requires filing a case in an Italian civil court.
• Municipality (Administrative): Apply directly at a municipality in Italy. This requires establishing legal residency in Italy before applying.

Not sure which pathway is right for you? Use our pre-qualification tool to check your eligibility and get a personalized recommendation.

Typical Documentation

You will need to gather the following documents. All foreign-issued documents must be apostilled and translated into Italian by a certified translator unless otherwise noted.