The Lower House has given final approval to legislation on obtaining Italian citizenship via ancestry, which includes new measures on foreign and stateless minors and on a quota for foreigners of Italian origin to be included in migrant flow decrees.

These key points were part of the citizenship decree voted into law by the House on May 20 with 137 votes in favour, 83 against and two abstentions.

Read AlsoItaly: Irregular migrants to be sent to Italian center in Albania, tighter citizenship laws

Citizenship via ancestry, foreign or stateless minors

The legislation brings in the principle that Italian descendants born abroad will only automatically be citizens for two generations, so only those with at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy will be citizens from birth.

In addition, the parent or grandparent must 'exclusively' have, or have had at the time of death, Italian citizenship.

Moreover, a parent must have legally resided in Italy for at least two consecutive years after the acquisition of Italian citizenship and before the birth or adoption of their child.

The text says that a person born abroad cannot automatically acquire Italian citizenship if they also possess the citizenship of another State.

The measure provides for this rule to apply also to those who were born abroad before the decree came into effect.

Exceptions to the rule are provided for those who presented an application to a consular or mayoral office by March 27, 2025, or who received by that date a communication for an appointment.

The new legislation also provides for foreign or stateless minors whose father or mother was born in Italy to become Italian citizens if their parents or legal guardian declare the will to acquire citizenship. The minor is subsequently required, after such a declaration, to legally and continually reside in Italy for at least two years.

Read AlsoItaly's citizenship referendum 'first step but not enough'

Flow decrees and the reacquisition of citizenship

Under the new measure, in addition to the established quotas set out by the flow decree for non-EU nationals, the entry and residence in Italy on a work permit is also allowed to foreigners residing abroad who are descendants of an Italian citizen and who are citizens of a State of destination of relevant Italian emigration flows. The states will be listed in a decree to be issued by the foreign ministry.

A measure included in the reform during debate in the Senate also gives the possibility of reacquiring citizenship to those who were born in Italy or resided in the country for at least two consecutive years and lost it after becoming citizens of another state. Applicants must, in this case, pay a contribution of 250 euros.