If your family came from Italy, you may have wondered whether that connection could lead to an Italian passport.
Many Americans, Australians, Canadians, and Argentinians have Italian roots. Italy’s rules on citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) changed in 2025. This guide shows where to read the law as it now stands, which records families usually gather, and where to find them.
What Is Italian Dual Citizenship by Descent?
Citizenship by descent is known in Italy as jure sanguinis, which is Latin for “right of blood.” Decree-Law No. 36 of 28 March 2025 (in force from 29 March 2025) was made law, with changes, by Law No. 74 of 23 May 2025. It added a new Article 3-bis to Italy’s citizenship law (Law No. 91 of 1992).
The rules on citizenship by descent changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025). Read the official page on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (Consulate General in Miami shown; use your own consulate’s page). Our free PDF, Italian Citizenship by Descent: the 2025 Rules, sets out what the law now says. Checked October 2026.
Read that page before you plan around a second passport.
An Italian passport gives you access to the European Union. You can live and work in any EU member country. You can study, retire, and receive healthcare across 27 nations.
Check the 2025 Rules First
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The rules changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025), so older guides, forum posts and family advice may no longer match the law. Start with the official page linked above.
What we can help with is the family history: finding your Italian-born ancestor, the town they came from, and the records that connect each generation to you.
Naturalisation papers are worth finding for that research. They often record when your ancestor arrived, where they lived and the town they came from.
You can also begin by tracing your Italian ancestry step by step to map out your exact family line.
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Records Families Usually Gather
Gathering records is the slowest part of any family research. Each consulate’s page sets out the documents it asks for, so check your own consulate’s list before you order certificates.
These are the records families usually look for:
Italian records (from your ancestor’s birthplace):
- Your Italian ancestor’s birth certificate from the comune (town hall)
- Your Italian ancestor’s marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Your Italian ancestor’s death certificate
Records from the country of emigration:
- Naturalisation records, which often give your ancestor’s town of birth and date of arrival
- Passenger ship records or emigration documents
- US census records, which show where the family lived and, in many years, where each person was born
Your personal family chain:
- Birth certificates for every person in the line from your Italian ancestor down to you
- Marriage certificates for any name changes in the line
- Death certificates where relevant
Your consulate’s page sets out whether documents need a certified Italian translation and an apostille (a form of international certification).
The Antenati portal is the Italian government’s free genealogy database. It holds millions of civil and church records from the 1800s and earlier. Many documents can be found and downloaded there without charge.
You can also request records directly from the comune where your ancestor was born. Many smaller towns respond well to written requests, especially when you can name the ancestor and approximate dates.
For help finding your family’s town, our guide to planning an Italian heritage trip explains how to locate the right comune and access their records.
Where Applications Go
Applications go to the Italian consulate for the place where you live, and each consulate’s page sets out its own documents and booking. The rules changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025); read the official page linked above before you start.
If you plan to spend time in your ancestral town, our guide to planning your Italian-American homecoming covers what to expect on the ground.
The Benefits of Italian Citizenship
An Italian passport is one of the most powerful travel documents in the world. It gives you:
- The right to live and work in any of the 27 EU member states
- Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 180 countries
- Access to the Italian public healthcare system
- The right to study at EU universities (often at EU resident tuition fees)
Italy also has special tax arrangements for some people who move there, including a reduced-rate regime for some pensioners moving to small southern towns.
For Italian-Australians, Italian-Canadians, and Italian-Argentinians, the practical benefits are equally significant. EU residency opens doors across Europe for future generations.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Relying on older advice. The rules changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025). Guides and forum posts written before then may no longer match the law; see the official page linked above.
Missing spelling variants. Italian names were often spelled differently from one record to the next. Search the Antenati portal and US records under every variant you can think of.
Ordering certificates before you check the list. Each consulate’s page sets out its own documents. Read yours before you order anything.
Guessing at translation rules. Your consulate’s page says how documents must be translated. Follow it to the letter.
Applying at the wrong consulate. You must apply at the consulate that covers your area of residence, not the consulate nearest to your ancestor’s birthplace.
For a deeper understanding of your family’s origins, the Campania heritage travel guide and our Sicily reconnection guide can help you research your roots before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many generations back can I go for Italian dual citizenship?
The rules changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025); see the citizenship section above for the official page and our free guide.
Can I hold Italian and American (or Australian) citizenship at the same time?
The rules changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025); see the citizenship section above for the official page and our free guide.
What if my Italian ancestor naturalised before my grandparent was born?
The rules changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025); see the citizenship section above for the official page and our free guide.
Do I need to speak Italian to apply?
Your consulate’s page sets out what it asks for, including which documents must be translated into Italian. Some Italian helps a great deal when you write to a comune for records.
Can my children also become Italian citizens once I have my citizenship?
The rules changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025); see the citizenship section above for the official page and our free guide.
Is it worth hiring an Italian genealogy lawyer?
Start with your consulate’s official page and our free guide, both linked in the section above. The rules changed in 2025 (Law No. 74/2025).
You Might Also Enjoy
- How to Trace Your Italian Ancestry – Step-by-Step Guide for Americans
- How to Plan an Italian Heritage Trip to Your Ancestral Town
- The Italian-American Homecoming: Planning Your First Trip Back
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