How to Become an Italian Citizen

Italy is one of the oldest member states of the European Union and as such it has obtained many benefits, among which a thriving economy which has attracted many foreign citizens interested in immigrating from other EU member countries, but also from non-EU states. One of the main goals of an immigrant is to become an Italian citizen.

In case you wonder how to become an Italian citizen, our lawyers can explain the various ways in which you can achieve that. We invite you to read below how you can obtain Italian citizenship.

Our immigration lawyers in Italy can help you settle here permanently.

Who can become an Italian citizen?

Anyone can become an Italian citizen, no matter if they are EU or non-EU citizens. It is true that immigrating to Italy as an EU citizen is easier, however, there are several ways in which non-EU citizens can become Italian citizens.

Our immigration lawyers in Italy can explain how to become an Italian citizen if you are an EU or non-EU immigrant. We can first help you apply for a residence permit in Italy.

The main ways of becoming an Italian citizen

There are several options you can immigrate to Italy and become an Italian citizen. These are:

  1. by descent which grants direct citizenship to foreign citizens who have Italian ancestors;
  2. by residence, which is the easiest but also the longest way of obtaining Italian citizenship;
  3. by adoption – it is possible to become an Italian citizen for a foreigner who has been adopted by Italian nationals;
  4. by marriage to an Italian citizen – foreigners can apply for Italian citizenship once they immigrate to Italy with the spouses;
  5. by investment which is a program enabled by the government for foreign citizens interested in investing in Italy in exchange for citizenship.

If you decide to become an Italian citizen through any of the options presented above, our lawyers can assist you.

Obtaining Italian citizenship by descent

If you wonder how to become an Italian citizen by descent, you should know that the procedure itself is not complicated, however, tracking down and proving your ancestors’ Italian citizenship can be hard when it comes to grandparents or even more distant relatives. If one of your parents is an Italian citizen, then becoming an Italian citizen yourself is simpler.

Our lawyers can explain the documents you need to submit in order to become an Italian citizen by descent.

How to become an Italian citizen by means of residence

As mentioned in the enumeration above, becoming an Italian citizen by means of residence is the easiest way of immigrating to Italy permanently. This is possible because there are several types of residence permits which can be obtained and which are also easy to renew. The only drawback of becoming an Italian citizen by residency is that you will need to live in Italy for a longer period of time.

You can find out more about residency requirements with the purpose of becoming a citizen from our immigration lawyers in Italy. Shortly after residency, you can apply for Italian citizenship.

Obtain Italian citizenship by adoption

If you are a foreigner but have been adopted by Italian citizens, you have the right to citizenship even if you do not reside in Italy at the moment of the application. It is important to submit evidence of your adoption in order to become an Italian citizen.

We offer complete expat support solutions, no matter the way you want to become an Italian citizen.

Become an Italian citizen by marriage

Another way of becoming an Italian citizen is after you have married an Italian national. In this case, however, you must reside in Italy with your spouse for 2 or 3 years, depending on where the marriage was registered. Our immigration lawyers in Italy can offer more information on how to obtain Italian citizenship by marriage.

Italian citizenship by marriage can be obtained in the shortest period of time.

How to become an Italian citizen by investment

One of the newest programs enabled by the Italian government is the citizenship by investment program. If you want to become an Italian citizen under this scheme, you should know that it only applies to non-EU citizens who:

  • are adults at the time they enroll in the program (they must also have clean criminal records);
  • they invest at least 500,000 euros in an Italian startup company operating in research and development or;
  • invest at least 1,000,000 euros in an existing company which matches certain criteria imposed by the government or;
  • invest at least 1,000,000 euros in specific programs designated by the government as beneficial to the economy or;
  • invest at least 2,000,000 euros in government-approved or issued financial instruments.

In terms of immigration in Italy, the statistics indicate that:

  • in 2017, the Emilia-Romagna region was the most attractive parts of Italy for foreigners with an increase of 2.9% in foreign citizens moving here;
  • the number of immigrants rose in Trentino Alto-Adige by 2.7% in the same year;
  • most of the immigrants (49.5%) were aged between 15 and 39;
  • in 2017, immigration in Italy increased by 14.5%.

For more information on how to become an Italian citizen, please contact our immigration lawyers. We can also advise on how to apply for a residence permit in Italy.