by Guisela Chiarella
In a significant shift with global implications, Italy has moved to sharply limit eligibility for citizenship by descent, ending a long-standing policy that allowed millions of people worldwide to claim Italian nationality through distant ancestors.
Under a newly amended law passed by parliament last Tuesday, May 20, Italian citizenship will now be granted only to applicants who have at least one parent or grandparent who held — or still holds — exclusively Italian citizenship. The reform replaces the more expansive interpretation of ius sanguinis (right of blood), which for decades enabled anyone with an Italian ancestor alive after March 17, 1861 — the date of Italy’s unification — to seek citizenship.
The surprise legislation was introduced in late March by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and ratified with limited parliamentary debate.
“The granting of citizenship is a serious matter,” said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, a key proponent of the reform, during the measure’s unveiling. “Unfortunately, over the years there have been abuses and requests for citizenship that went a bit beyond the true interest in our country.”
Tajani, leader of the center-right Forza Italia party, said the reform aims to “strengthen the bond between those who want to be an Italian citizen and Italy,” warning that citizenship “cannot be automatic for those who have an ancestor who emigrated centuries ago, without any cultural or linguistic ties to the country.”
The change comes amid rising scrutiny of so-called “citizens of convenience” — foreign nationals with little or no tangible connection to Italy who nonetheless benefit from an EU passport through ancestral ties. Over the last decade, the number of Italian citizens residing abroad has risen by nearly 40 percent, from 4.6 million to 6.4 million, fueled in part by a surge in successful citizenship-by-descent applications. More than 60,000 cases remain pending, most from South America, particularly Argentina and Brazil — countries with deep Italian immigrant roots.
The foreign ministry confirmed that the new rules will not be applied retroactively. Those who submitted complete applications with supporting documentation before midnight on March 27 will still be processed under the old law. Citizenship already granted through descent will also remain valid.
A New Standard: “Real Italians”
The reform is the first legislative step in what Tajani has called the “Ius Italiae” project — a broader push to redefine what it means to be Italian in legal terms. “We want real Italians,” Tajani said, “not just citizens of convenience.”
Under the new criteria:
- Eligible: Those with at least one parent or grandparent who was or is an Italian citizen, with no dual nationality at the time of their death (if deceased).
- Ineligible: Descendants whose closest Italian ancestor is a great-grandparent or more distant relative, regardless of the strength of documentation or familial tradition.
The reform has ignited political and legal debate, both in Italy and across the diaspora. Critics accuse the Meloni government of xenophobia and of undermining Italy’s global cultural community. Supporters argue the change restores dignity to Italian citizenship and prevents its exploitation.
For thousands of hopeful applicants around the world, the path to an Italian passport — and with it, access to the European Union — has just become significantly narrower.
