Yes — many Americans still qualify for Italian citizenship through their Italian ancestors, but the legal analysis became stricter in 2025. Decreto-legge 28 March 2025, n. 36, converted into Law 23 May 2025, n. 74, introduced article 3-bis of Law 91/1992, which now affects many foreign-born applicants who also hold U.S. citizenship.
Americans with Italian ancestry who may qualify
Major reform: D.L. 36/2025, L. 74/2025, and article 3-bis review
Full European citizenship rights once recognised
The Core Eligibility Requirement
To qualify for Italian citizenship by descent as an American, you need to establish an unbroken chain of citizenship transmission from an Italian-born ancestor to yourself. The key rules are:
- The ancestor must have been an Italian citizen at birth (born in Italy or in Italian territory before emigration)
- The ancestor must NOT have naturalised as a U.S. citizen before the birth of the next person in the chain
- Each subsequent generation must have been alive and born before the previous person in the chain naturalised (or died as an Italian citizen)
- No one in the chain voluntarily renounced Italian citizenship
- After the 2025 reform, many foreign-born dual citizens must also show that their case fits within the statutory exceptions now set out in article 3-bis
- The female lineage restriction before 1948 may apply — see our 1948 rule guide
The Naturalisation Factor — The Most Critical Issue for Americans
The single most important date to establish for any U.S. applicant is when the Italian-born ancestor naturalised as a U.S. citizen — or whether they naturalised at all.
If the ancestor naturalised AFTER the birth of the next generation:
The citizenship chain is intact. The ancestor was still Italian when they had their child, so the child received Italian citizenship at birth. Your claim is valid.
If the ancestor naturalised BEFORE the birth of the next generation:
The citizenship chain is interrupted. The ancestor was already a U.S. citizen when they had their child. The child was not born Italian, and neither were their descendants. Your claim under standard jure sanguinis does not apply.
Italian law before 1992: Italy did not allow dual citizenship before 1992. Italian citizens who voluntarily naturalised as U.S. citizens before 1992 may have automatically lost their Italian citizenship. The timing of naturalisation relative to each birth in the chain is therefore critical and must be verified from primary records — never assumed.
How to Apply as an American — Step by Step
Build your lineage tree
Identify every person in the chain from you to your Italian-born ancestor. Document names, birth dates, birth places, emigration dates, and any known naturalisation information.
Verify the naturalisation date
Request your ancestor's naturalisation records from USCIS via Form G-1041. If they did not naturalise, obtain a Certificate of Non-Existence of Naturalisation Record. This step is non-negotiable.
Collect all vital records
Birth, marriage, death certificates for every person in the chain. All must be official certified copies, apostilled, and translated into Italian. See our complete documents guide.
Determine your application route
You can apply at the Italian consulate that covers your U.S. state of residence, or establish residency in Italy and apply at a local Comune. The in-Italy route is significantly faster.
Submit and wait
File your application with the complete document package. The consulate (or Comune) reviews all documents and transmits to Italy for final recognition. Once recognised, apply for your Italian passport and EU identity card.
Does Having U.S. Citizenship Affect Your Claim?
No. You do not need to renounce your U.S. citizenship to obtain Italian citizenship. Italy and the United States both permit dual citizenship. Once you are recognised as an Italian citizen, you hold both citizenships simultaneously.
EU rights: Italian citizenship is European Union citizenship. As an Italian citizen, you can live, work, and access healthcare and education in any of the 27 EU member states without a visa or work permit. This is one of the most significant benefits driving American interest in the process.
