Thursday, 09 October 2025
Italian & Dual Citizenship: when a judicial petition is (and isn’t) required in 2025
Obtaining Italian dual citizenship through Italian Consulate services has become significantly more complex in 2025 due to major legislative changes that affect millions of potential applicants worldwide. New restrictions under Law 74/2025 now require individuals born abroad with another citizenship to meet specific conditions or risk losing automatic recognition of their italian descent. To apply for italian citizenship jure sanguinis, you must determine which consulate has jurisdiction based on your residence. The updated regulations have created urgent deadlines and altered traditional pathways that family members have relied on for generations.
These changes directly impact how Italian consulates process dual citizenship applications, creating both challenges and new opportunities for eligible applicants. Understanding the current requirements and available pathways has become essential for anyone seeking to obtain Italian citizenship through diplomatic channels. Your application for Italian citizenship must be signed in front of an officer during your appointment at the consulate, and the application must be filed in person by the adult applicant. Legal experts can provide guidance throughout the entire dual citizenship application process, helping applicants navigate the complexities of the new regulations, directly from your home, without the need to travel to Italy.
Impact of 2025 changes at Italian Consulates on dual citizenship claims
Law 74/2025 created immediate operational challenges for Italian consulates worldwide, leading to suspended applications and urgent judicial clarifications. The Supreme Court of Appeal and Italian government issued conflicting guidance on status civitatis determinations, disrupting established transmission lines for citizenship recognition. Citizenship applications can take up to 730 days; once citizenship is recognized, the passport is usually issued within a few weeks.
Suspension of consulate applications
Italian consulates suspended processing dual citizenship applications following the March 27, 2025 deadline established by Law 74/2025. Applications submitted after this date faced automatic rejection unless applicants could demonstrate compliance with specific exceptions. The fee for applying for italian citizenship jure sanguinis is €600, which can vary based on exchange rates. Additionally, you will need to provide proof of your current address when applying for citizenship at the consulate, which must be less than 90 days old.
Processing status by application type:
| Application status | Consulate action | Required documentation |
| Filed before March 27, 2025 | Continued processing | Original submission proof |
| Filed after March 27, 2025 | Suspended pending review | Exception qualification evidence |
| Court cases initiated pre-deadline | Protected status | Judicial filing documentation |
By June 2025, the consulate general network reported significant backlogs. Their staff required extensive retraining on the new exceptions criteria under Article 3-bis. You will likely need to collect certified copies of all your marriage certificates and vital records to support your application for citizenship.
Critical Supreme Court and Ministry of Interior rulings
On July 31, 2025, the Italian Constitutional Court issued Decision n.142/2025, confirming that Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) remains valid without generational limits. The Court stressed that citizenship acquired at birth cannot be revoked retroactively.
Why the ruling matters
Recent laws, including Decree Law 36/2025 (Tajani Decree) and Law 74/2025, tried to impose strict generational limits on recognition. The Constitutional Court, however, reaffirmed two key points:
- Citizenship by descent is constitutionally protected.
- Any future limits must be reasonable and allow case-by-case evaluation of ties to Italy.
This creates strong grounds to challenge Law 74/2025, as rigid restrictions may violate constitutional principles.
What applicants should do
For descendants affected by the new law, timely legal action is crucial. Filing a petition in Italy can help protect citizenship rights before further legislative changes.
Transmission lines and status civitatis interruptions
Status civitatis transmission became the most complex aspect of post-2025 evaluations. Italian consulates must now verify unbroken citizenship transmission through each generational line, identifying any interruptions that would disqualify modern applicants. During the appointment, the clerk will ask you to provide all vital records collected to support your citizenship application.
The concept of interrupted transmission affects cases where Italian ancestors naturalized in a foreign country before 1948 (for maternal lines) or 1992 (for dual citizenship recognition). Consulate staff must trace complete genealogical citizenship status rather than simply confirming Italian birth records.
Common status civitatis interruptions:
- Ancestor naturalization before child’s birth
- Formal renunciation of Italian citizenship
- Extended residence abroad without registration
Italian consulates now require comprehensive documentation packages proving continuous legal status. Applicants must provide evidence that each ancestor maintained valid Italian citizenship status.
