Methods for Italians residing abroad to cast votes in the national citizenship referendum
Italian Citizens Living Abroad: All You Need to Know About Voting in the Upcoming Citizenship Referendum
Join the conversation in our comments section below!
Here's a lowdown on the voting arrangements for Italian citizens living abroad during the upcoming citizenship referendum on June 8th and 9th, 2025.
Advertisement
Italy is all set to hold a significant referendum on revising citizenship by residency rules, with the big question being whether the current 10-year residency requirement would be cut down to a more manageable 5-year tenure.
If approved, this reform will align Italy, famous for its tough naturalization regime, with prominent European nations such as the UK, France, and Germany. The liberty to live as an Italian citizen could potentially be extended to around 2.5 million residents, as per estimates from the +Europa party.
Who Can Vote?
All Italian nationals of 18 years or older, including those with dual citizenship, are eligible to cast their vote in the referendum. While Italian citizens living within Italy can head to their designated polling station within their municipality, Italians living abroad will be granted the opportunity to vote by post, adhering to specific conditions and deadlines.
Register to Vote by Post
Those living abroad and eligible for postal voting must be registered with AIRE (Anagrafe Italiani Residenti all'Estero), the registry containing the personal information, including vital records and home addresses, of Italian residents outside the country. Registering with AIRE is free and can be carried out through the Italian Foreign Ministry's FastIt portal. For more specific details on the registration process, check out our separate guide.
Voting for Temporarily Residing Italians
Italian nationals living in Italy but temporarily abroad for work, study, or medical reasons can also cast their postal vote on the condition that the referendum dates fall between their period abroad (up to 12 months) and as long as they do not exceed 12 months. Family members of temporarily residing Italians can also avail of the same postal voting system.
To vote by post, these Italian citizens do not need to be registered with AIRE, and they must communicate their intention to vote by 7th May via the provided form and send it to their Italian comune of residence through post, email, or proxy. A valid passport or Italian identity card copy must accompany the form.
Receiving and Submitting Your Ballot
Whether registered with AIRE or intending to vote as a temporarily residing Italian, you can expect to receive your ballot papers via your registered foreign address by 21st May. These papers will come in an envelope with instructions on how to submit them to the relevant Italian consulate.
If you haven't received your ballot papers by 25th May, you can contact your Italian consulate for a duplicate set. Please note that votes must be submitted to the Italian consulate by 4pm local time on 5th June, and no ballots received thereafter will be accepted as consulates will begin sending ballots to Italy for counting.
Besides the citizenship referendum, you will also be asked to vote in four other matters concerning labor laws and workplace injuries. For more information on these aspects, visit our Italian website.
Stay tuned to our citizenship section for the latest updates, news, and guidance on the Italian citizenship journey.
More
- If you have not received your plico by 25th May, reach out to your Italian consulate for assistance.
- Apart from the citizenship referendum, you will also be asked to vote in four other matters related to labor laws and workplace safety. Check our Italian website for details.
- Understand the transport strikes expected in Italy during May 2025 on our page.
- The upcoming citizenship referendum in Italy aims to potentially reduce the residency requirement for acquiring Italian citizenship from 10 years to 5 years, aligning with other European nations.
- Italian nationals of 18 years or older, including those with dual citizenship, can vote in the referendum, with Italians living abroad allowed to vote by post.
- To be eligible for postal voting, Italian residents outside Italy must be registered with AIRE, a registry containing their personal information.
- Italians temporarily residing abroad for work, study, or medical reasons, as well as their family members, can also vote by post, but do not need to be registered with AIRE.
- Votes must be submitted to the Italian consulate by 4pm local time on 5th June, and no ballots received thereafter will be accepted as consulates will begin sending ballots to Italy for counting.
- Besides the citizenship referendum, Italian citizens living abroad will also be asked to vote on four matters concerning labor laws and workplace safety, further impacting Italy's policy-and-legislation and general-news landscape.
