Italy’s 2025 citizenship-by-descent law introduced restrictions limiting applications to two generations, creating challenges for many prospective applicants.
• The new law restricts eligibility to individuals with ancestors no more than two generations back. • Previous applicants with more distant Italian ancestry are currently ineligible under this rule. • The restrictions are viewed as a political initiative to reduce application volume after millions applied in prior years. • Many applicants are challenging the law in court, seeking to restore previous eligibility standards. • Main risk: new applicants may be denied unless the law is amended or overturned by the constitutional court.
Takeaway: Individuals seeking Italian citizenship by descent should continue applying and consider legal challenges, as the 2025 law may be partially or fully amended in the near future.
