Italy has introduced major changes to its citizenship rules, affecting millions of people with Italian heritage around the world.
Since the formation of modern Italy in 1861, citizenship has traditionally followed a simple principle: children born to Italian citizens automatically qualify for citizenship.
This rule, based on the principle of ius sanguinis, has long allowed generations of Italians living abroad to retain their legal and cultural connection to the country.
However, a recent ruling by Italy’s Constitutional Court now supports new government legislation that significantly restricts these rights.
The court indicated it will uphold a 2025 law that limits citizenship eligibility for descendants born outside Italy. The decision marks a major shift in one of Europe’s most established citizenship systems.
Under the new rules, only individuals with a parent or grandparent born in Italy may qualify for citizenship. In addition, the ancestor must have held only Italian citizenship at the relevant time, further narrowing eligibility.
The ruling affects millions of people around the world who previously expected to qualify for citizenship through family lineage.
Legal experts say the decision represents a break from more than 160 years of tradition, which has historically allowed Italy’s global diaspora to maintain citizenship rights across generations.
Historically, Italy experienced large waves of emigration, particularly between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Millions of Italians left the country seeking better economic opportunities abroad, especially in the Americas and other parts of Europe.
For many descendants of those emigrants, citizenship by descent has served as a legal and cultural link to their ancestral homeland.
The principle of ius sanguinis was reinforced in several legal reforms over the decades, including laws in 1912 and 1992, which confirmed citizenship rights for Italians living abroad and their descendants.
The new legislation, introduced through an emergency decree, significantly narrows these long-standing provisions. It effectively limits eligibility and reduces recognition of extended generational claims.
Legal scholars and immigration experts say the ruling could have far-reaching consequences for global Italian communities, particularly those who have long planned to apply for citizenship through ancestry.
Supporters of the change argue that the reform modernises citizenship law and clarifies eligibility rules. Critics, however, say it weakens historical ties between Italy and its global diaspora.
As Italy prepares to finalise the legal details of the ruling, millions of people with Italian ancestry are now reassessing their eligibility and future plans.
