Al abrogative referendum of8 and 9 June 2025 you will also vote to decide if reduceor not, the years necessary to request Italian citizenship, passing from the current 10 to 5. But how do you do it become Italian citizens? At the moment, the most used criterion is that of ius sanguinis: you become Italian citizens for descenttherefore if at least one of the parents (also adoptive) is in turn an Italian citizen. As in most other countries, Italian citizenship can also be acquired for marriage.
But how it works for foreigners adults who move to Italy and want to request citizenship? Today the status of Italian citizen can be requested by those who reside uninterrupted in our country for at least 10 years, provided that certain requirements are respected, including knowledge of the Italian language, the obligation to pay the taxes, the ability to produce a sufficient income el ‘absence of criminal records.
The fundamental criteria for obtaining Italian citizenship
Currently, foreigners of age can therefore request the Italian citizenship After 10 years spent uninterruptedly in Italian territory, thus becoming a citizen for “naturalization”. However, this time limit is reduced by 10 to 4 years In the event that the foreigner is a citizen of the European Union. For these people, the reduction of the waiting time proposed by the referendum question does not apply.
In any case, the applicant must guarantee compliance with certain requirements:
- The applicant must demonstrate that he has a sufficient income to provide for its livelihood;
- the applicant must not have criminal precedents;
- The applicant must not be in possession of “Reasons for the safety of the Republic», That is, it must not represent a danger for the nation;
- The applicant must prove to know the Italian language;
- The applicant must demonstrate compliance with tax obligations, or to pay taxes.
It must be specified that citizenship is not automatically granted: in fact, every request is carefully examined before recognizing a foreigner the status of Italian citizen. Requests, among other things, can also be rejected, as in the event that they emerge Irregularities in the documentation or periods of discontinuity of residence.
What changes if the yes in the referendum wins
The referendum question therefore proposes to halve The number of years of uninterrupted residence in Italy: in the event that the yes win, they would only serve 5 years In order to request Italian citizenship. In fact, there are also the bureaucratic times of the state machine: nowadays, between The 3 and 4 years additional In order to evaluate the different practices and finalize the recognition of the status of citizen Italian to a foreigner. All Other requirements listed above, from sufficient income until the absence of criminal records, they would remain unchanged.
According to the estimates of the Idos (Center of studies and research on immigration), in the event that the yes would win would be approximately 2 million and 139 thousand Extra-EU citizens who have resided in Italy since a time between 5 and 10 years, which therefore could submit a request for citizenship.
Italy, however, remains one of the most countries restrictive In terms of citizenship, given that in most western countries the time requirement varies from 3 to 5 years. There Spainlike us, provides for a minimum of 10 years: nevertheless, Spanish legislation recognizes numerous concessions to the countries considered more similar, as in the case of citizens from Latin or Andorra and Philippine America.
What happens for those born in Italy to foreign parents
Today our system does not provide (if not in rare and exceptional cases) it ius solithat is, the criterion that refers to the place of birth. In this case, it would be considered a citizen of a state whoever is born within his territoryregardless of the citizenship of their parents or the descendants.
Since this criterion is not in force, today the procedure for foreigners born in Italy is rather specific: the request can only be submitted between 18 and 19 years of agewith the applicant who is required to demonstrate that he was born in Italy and to have lived us permanently and uninterruptedly throughout his life.
The situation changes slightly if we talk about minors, children of foreign parents: In this case, the minor can automatically become an Italian citizen if one of the two parents in turn obtains citizenship. In this case, the principle applied is always that of ius sanguinis, simply the parent of the minor has not become an Italian citizen by descent, but for «naturalization».
The cases in which citizenship can be lost
But, once acquired, you can lose Italian citizenship? Yes. Italian law recognizes several cases in which it is possible to automatically lose the status of Italian citizen:
- In the event that a Italian citizen Yes enrollment voluntarily in the army of a foreign state or accept a public assignment with a foreign state despite coming to him expressly prohibited by the Italian government.
- In the event that an Italian citizen, during the state of war with a foreign state, serve military service for that state or acquire the citizenship of that state.
- In the event that an Italian citizen was adopted and the adoption comes revocated for a fact to him imputable.
