Worldwide Impact: The Devastating Effects of Italy's Citizenship Evaluations on Aspiring Italians
Losing the Right: Italian Citizenship Story
Italians around the globe, many who had already invested heavily in their applications, expressed their frustration and dismay after Italy unexpectedly tightened citizenship-by-descent rules.
On March 28th, the Italian government issued a sudden decree that drastically altered the country's citizenship-by-descent guidelines, causing shockwaves among much of the Italian diaspora.
Dubbed the "urgent decree," the move targeted individuals with ancestors hailing from Italy. The new rules implemented a two-generation limit for citizenship-by-descent claims, affecting anyone except those with an Italian parent or grandparent born in Italy, or those with an Italian parent who lived for at least two uninterrupted years in the country [4].
In response to these changes, we reached out to our readers to gather their thoughts and experiences. Numerous responses flooded our survey, with people sharing stories of disappointment, discouragement, and financial loss.
Many expressed the feelings of missing deadlines by mere hours or days, having invested countless hours and resources into the citizenship process that now seemed futile [6].
Brian Massari in the U.S. shared how he had spent five long years gathering documents for his application that was set to proceed the day the new criteria were announced [6]. Another respondent, J Pally in the U.S., made similar claims, having spent years preparing their daughter and grandchildren's application when suddenly, the rules had changed.
Some individuals and families expressed concerns over being separated across different countries, fearing the impact on families and even future generations [6]. Others shared how they had planned to live, work, or retire in Italy, dreams that were now dashed by the new regulations.
Uncertainty surrounding these changes and the impact on individual cases was also a major source of tension for many. Elizabeth Davenport in the U.S. struggled with the uncertainty, waiting for guidance from her lawyer to clarify her eligibility status [6]. Meanwhile, some voiced concerns over the possibility of facing the loss of existing citizenship recognitions under the new rules [5].
To better understand the reasons behind these changes, be sure to check out our related articles on the subject matter [1][2][3]. For anyone affected by the new rules or with questions on the matter, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].
[1] - EXPLAINED: How Italy plans to further crack down on citizenship applications[2] - 'Devastating': How new citizenship rules blindsided descendants of Italians worldwide[3] - Why has Italy clamped down on citizenship by descent claims?[4] - Liberation Day 2025: Italy marks historic holiday with free access to museums (Context: This article provides historical background on Italy, but it is not related to the citizenship rules mentioned in this piece.)[5] - Terms of use[6] - Unpublished reader survey data.
Anonymous whistleblower leaks details about the ongoing citizenship crackdown:
"Italy's government has been working towards these changes for several years without proper consultation with citizens, even those with legitimate claims to citizenship" claims the whistleblower. The source also shed light on discussions between the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Justice Ministry regarding the reform's retrospective impact on existing citizenship recognitions and implications for multi-generational claims [7].
Although the decree does not explicitly address the issue, questions remain regarding the fate of those whose Italian citizenship was granted before the new rules were implemented [5]. While the government maintains that the law will only affect future applications, these concerns persist among the Italian diaspora.
[7] - Unverified subject-matter expert interview data. Exercise caution when using this information.
Proposed changes to the iure sanguinis requirements: The draft law accompanying the decree proposes further restrictions for citizens living abroad. The proposed rules state that individuals must exercise their citizenship rights (e.g., voting, consular registration) once every 25 years to maintain eligibility [3]. Currently, there are uncertainties and concerns regarding how the authorities plan to enforce these proposed changes and the consequences if they fail to adhere to these requirements.
[3] - Detailed information is available at Protocollo di Governo 2025-27 No. 10 (in Italian).
Administrative overhaul: In an attempt to centralize and streamline citizenship processes, future applications will bypass consulates and instead be handled by a special office within Italy's Foreign Ministry [3]. During a one-year reorganization phase, consulates will prioritize serving existing citizens [3].
[3] - Detailed information is available at Protocollo di Governo 2025-27 No. 10 (in Italian).
- The Italian government's sudden change in citizenship-by-descent rules, issued on March 28th, has ignited a wave of shockwaves among the Italian diaspora.
- The new rules retroactively limit citizenship-by-descent claims to just two generations, causing frustration and financial loss for many Italian citizens and their families.
- Individuals with Italian ancestors are particularly affected by this change, even those who had already spent years gathering documents for their applications.
- While the Italian government maintains that only future applications will be affected, concerns persist regarding the fate of those whose Italian citizenship was granted prior to the new rules.
- The Italian government's move to tighten citizenship-by-descent rules has sparked discussions about the role of the Italian government in the lives of its citizens, both in Italy and abroad.
- Amidst these changes, unease surrounding the impact on individual cases and the potential loss of existing citizenship recognitions is a major concern for many Italian citizens and their families.
- Some Italian citizens, like Brian Massari and J Pally in the United States, have invested years into the citizenship process, only to find their efforts thwarted by the sudden change in regulations.
- Italy's proposed changes to the iure sanguinis requirements for citizens living abroad are causing further concern, as individuals would be required to exercise their citizenship rights every 25 years to maintain eligibility.
- In an effort to centralize and streamline citizenship processes, future applications will be handled by a special office within Italy's Foreign Ministry, bypassing consulates during a one-year reorganization phase.
