There are two cases, provided for by Article 4, paragraph 1-bis of Law no. 91/1992 and by Article 1, paragraph 1-ter of Decree-Law no. 36/2025, in which minor children born abroad to an Italian parent who does not automatically transmit citizenship can acquire Italian citizenship.
The minor benefiting from this provision will not be considered a citizen by birth or iure sanguinis (by right of blood).
According to Article 15 of Law no. 91/1992, the minor does not acquire citizenship from the day of birth, but from the day following the fulfillment of the legal conditions.
First Case: Article 4, Paragraph 1-bis of Law no. 91/1992 the following requirements must both be met:
• One of the parents must be an Italian citizen by birth. This excludes: citizens by naturalization (Article 9 of Law no. 91/1992); citizens by residence or public or military service (Article 4 of Law no. 91/1992); citizens by marriage (Article 5 of Law no. 91/1992 or Article 10 of Law no. 555/1912); citizens by reacquisition (Articles 13 or 17 of Law no. 91/1992); citizens by iuris communicatione (Article 14 of Law no. 91/1992);
• Both parents or legal guardians (including the foreign parent or legal guardian) must submit a declaration of intent to acquire citizenship within one year from the child’s birth (or from a later date when the child’s filiation to the Italian citizen is established, or when adoption by an Italian citizen is finalized during the minor’s age).
If recognition of the child by both parents who are Italian by birth occurs at different times, the one-year deadline will start from the first recognition, as the first recognition already transmits citizenship.
However, if the foreign parent (or an Italian citizen not by birth but by another title) recognizes the child first, the one-year period starts from the recognition by the second parent who is an Italian citizen by birth.
The declaration of intent to acquire citizenship must be formal and made in person before a vital records clerk. If the parents do not submit the declaration simultaneously, the legal requirement is considered satisfied on the date the second parent’s declaration is submitted.
If filiation (including adoptive) is established with only one person (or if the other parent is deceased), the declaration of just one parent will suffice.
If the minor establishes legal residence in Italy, the declaration may also be submitted after the one-year deadline, but the minor must have resided continuously in Italy for at least two years after the declaration is submitted by the parents.
Second Case: Article 1, Paragraph 1-ter of Decree-Law no. 36/2025. This applies when all the following conditions are met:
• The person is a minor on the date of entry into force of the conversion law, meaning those who had not reached the age of 18 by May 24, 2025.
• They are children of Italian citizens by birth who are in the conditions provided for in letters a), a-bis), and b) of Article 3-bis of Law no. 91/1992. In other words, their parents must have been recognized as Italian citizens:
• Through an administrative or judicial application submitted by 11:59 PM (Rome time) on March 27, 2025
• Or through an application submitted by appointment confirmed by the Consular Office or the Municipality within the same date.
• The declaration of the parents or guardian must be submitted to the Consular Office no later than May 31, 2026. If the minor on May 24, 2025, becomes an adult in the meantime, the declaration must be submitted personally by them within the same deadline.
The declarations must be made in person at the Consular Office before a vital records clerk.
The following documents must also be submitted when making the declaration:
• Identity documents of the applicant and the child
• Proof of residence in the consular district
• Other documents listed in the relevant declaration form.
For Italian citizens registered with AIRE in the consular district of residence, the certificate of Italian citizenship by birth of the father or mother may be replaced by a self-declaration.
Fee Payment
According to Article 9-bis of Law no. 91/1992, a fee of €250 must be paid to the Ministry of the Interior for each minor via bank transfer.
Any transaction fees are the responsibility of the person making the payment.
Payment details:
• Beneficiary: “Ministero dell’Interno D.L.C.I Cittadinanza”
• Bank: Poste Italiane S.p.A.
• IBAN: IT54D0760103200000000809020
• Payment reference: Acquisto cittadinanza a seguito di dichiarazione ex art. 9-bis L. 91/1992 followed by the applicant’s name and surname
• BIC/SWIFT for foreign transfers: BPPIITRRXXX
• BIC/SWIFT for EUROGIRO transactions: PIBPITRA
Waiver of Citizenship
Once of legal age, the person who has acquired Italian citizenship in the above ways may renounce it, provided that the renunciation does not result in statelessness.