Citizenship by Descent “iure sanguinis”

According to Law no. 91/1992, as amended by Decree-Law no. 36/2025, converted into Law no. 74/2025, Italian citizenship iure sanguinis (from birth) is recognized to:

• Applicants born in Italy to an Italian father or mother (Art. 1, Law no. 91/1992);
  • Applicants who hold exclusively Italian citizenship, meaning they do not have and cannot acquire any other citizenship (Art. 3-bis, para. 1, Law no. 91/1992);
• Applicants recognized under the legislation applicable on March 27, 2025, following an administrative or judicial application filed no later than 11:59 p.m. (Rome time) on March 27, 2025 (Art. 3-bis, letters a, a-bis, b, Law no. 91/1992), or on the basis of an appointment request submitted through an appointment confirmed to the applicant no later than 11:59 p.m. (Rome time) on March 27, 2025;
• Applicants with a parent or grandparent who holds – or held at the time of death – exclusively Italian citizenship (Art. 3-bis, para. 1, lett. c, Law no. 91/1992);
• Applicants with an Italian parent (including adoptive parent) who resided in Italy for at least two consecutive years after acquiring Italian citizenship and prior to the applicant’s birth or adoption (Art. 3-bis, para. 1, lett. d, Law no. 91/1992).

Documentation Required for Citizenship Recognition

Applicants must submit the following documentation:

1. Extract of the Italian ancestor’s birth certificate issued, within the last six months, by the Italian Municipality where the birth was registered;
2. Birth certificates, duly legalized and accompanied by official Italian translations, of all direct descendants, including that of the applicant;
3. Marriage certificate of the Italian ancestor, duly legalized and officially translated into Italian if issued abroad;
4. Marriage certificates of direct descendants, duly legalized and officially translated into Italian if issued abroad, including that of the applicant, if applicable;
5. Death certificates of direct ancestors, duly legalized and officially translated into Italian if issued abroad, if applicable;
6. Documentation issued by the competent authorities of the country/countries of emigration, certifying that the Italian ancestor who emigrated abroad did not acquire the foreign citizenship. In the case of emigration to the United States, these documents must be provided;
7. In the case of naturalization of the ancestor, a notarized copy of the naturalization certificate must be submitted. If the naturalization occurred in the United States and the certificate does not show the date of birth, a certified copy of the parent’s declaration of intention/petition for naturalization/oath of allegiance issued by NARA must also be submitted;
8. Application forms (request for recognition of Italian citizenship; form 1, form 2, form 3 if the ancestor is still alive, or form 4 if the ancestor is deceased), all with notarized signatures from a notary public in the applicant’s place of residence;
9. Copy of a valid passport;
10. Proof of residence (copy of a valid driver’s license or a utility bill in the applicant’s name or a copy of the most recent federal tax statement);
11. Payment of the administrative fee, made by money order or cashier’s check payable to the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco; the amount can be verified on the Consulate’s website at the following link;
12. Printout of the appointment confirmation received from the Prenot@mi system.

Proof of Requirements under the New Legislation

To prove compliance with the new requirements for recognition of Italian citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis), the following documents must also be submitted:

• In the case of exclusive possession of Italian citizenship (Art. 3-bis, lett. c, Law No. 91/1992), for example, negative naturalization certificates from the country or countries of emigration, or documentation confirming residence as a foreigner in the countries of emigration;
• In the case of residence in Italy for at least two consecutive years, a historical residence certificate issued by the Municipality of residence in Italy.

Please note: if the application is incomplete and does not include ALL THE DOCUMENTS LISTED ABOVE, it will be rejected. A new appointment must then be booked, and the administrative fee must be paid again.

Appointment and Submission Procedure

To apply for citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis), an appointment must be booked through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation portal Prenot@mi. The appointment must be confirmed by the applicant directly on the portal between the 10th and the 3rd day before the scheduled date.

The date proposed by the system must be confirmed by the applicant on the same portal within 5 days to secure the appointment.

On the day of the appointment, the applicant MUST NOT appear in person at the Consulate but must send the application (forms and supporting documentation) by mail, ensuring that the shipping date is clearly visible on the package. If the application is sent before the appointment date, the package will be returned to the sender, at their expense, without review, marked “date does not match appointment.”

The envelope must include, in addition to the address and the applicant’s name, the appointment date and the booking code generated by the Prenot@mi system.

Once the application has been received, the office will send the payment receipt by email. The fee will be charged regardless of the outcome of the application review.

Applications meeting the requirements, accompanied by complete and correct documentation, will be processed within 24 months.

At the conclusion of the review process, the Consulate General will notify the applicant by email of the outcome of the application for recognition of Italian citizenship.

In both cases—acceptance or rejection—the documentation will be retained in the Consulate General’s records and cannot be returned.

For applications submitted on the basis of appointments booked by 11:59 p.m. (Rome time) on March 27, 2025, please refer to the checklist.