Citizenship via the Italian Consulate

To be eligible for Italian citizenship by descent, you must prove that you have a right to Italian citizenship by demonstrating that citizenship was passed down from your ancestor (who must have been an Italian citizen) to you, and that none of your Italian ascendants renounced their right to Italian citizenship. * 

*Important notice:  As of October 3, 2024 the new Italian circular regarding the naturalisation of minors in citizenship cases took effect, issued by the Italian Ministry of the Interior. This update aligns with recent decisions by the Italian Supreme Court (no. 454/2024 and no. 17161/2023). It recommends rejecting applications where an Italian ancestor was naturalised as a foreign citizen while their child was still a minor and cohabiting with them. The rule applies to new applications and does not affect previously granted citizenship. 

Still unsure whether you are eligible? Book a free consultation below and speak with a GENIE, who will answer all your questions. 

Throughout the application process you will be bombarded with tasks and forms to complete. The information and documents needed for the application process (including Apostilles and translated copies) will be compiled in your portfolio, which you will then present to the consulate on the date of your appointment. 

Please note that any discrepancies or missing documents could result in either rescheduling of your appointment or termination of your application.   

If you want to book an appointment with the Italian Consulate in your state, you will first need to create an account with Prenot@mi, the consulate’s online booking system and fill in your details.

Once you have registered you can log into your account and book an appointment for Italian citizenship by descent. The consulate will then send you an email a few weeks before your appointment to confirm the date and provide you with instructions for submitting your application. 

Once you have booked your appointment, you will need to start completing your portfolio. First, you will need certified copies of your family’s vital records (this includes records of your ancestor, such as date of birth and whether they were naturalised or not) with authenticated Apostilles and translated into Italian. 

Apart from your family’s vital records, you will also need to provide the consulate with identification documents (either a copy of your passport and/or driver’s license) and proof of address (which must not be older than 90 days from the date of your appointment.) The forms required by the consulate include:

• Form 1: The application for Italian citizenship, where you will need to provide your personal and ancestors’ details. 

• Form 2: Declaration from close relatives (such as parent or grandparent): Any close relative, who is still alive, will need to sign this form; stating that they never renounced their right to Italian citizenship.

• Form 3: Declaration of residency, listing all the residency addresses where you have lived since the age of eighteen. This form is also a declaration that you have never renounced your right to Italian citizenship.

• Form 4: Residency of deceased ancestor: You must list all known residency addresses of your deceased ancestors since the age of eighteen. This form is a declaration that your deceased Italian ancestor never renounced his/her right to Italian citizenship.