Getting Dual Italian Citizenship through Grandparents or Parents

**Important Update**

Due to new generational limits introduced on March, 28th 2025, you can now only obtain citizenship through an Italian-born grandparent or parent, or if your parent lived in Italy for at least two years prior to your birth.

Obtaining Italian citizenship (Jure Sanguinis) through ancestry — whether your Italian roots are near or far; is both straightforward and a time-consuming bureaucratic nightmare.

That said, in the grand scheme of things, it remains an inexpensive route to securing an EU passport, especially when compared to golden passport programs, which typically require a minimum investment of €150,000 – €2mln.

Depending on the route you take to obtain Italian citizenship, the specific requirements of your case, and, unfortunately, the “approach” the official processing your application decides to take, the paperwork required may vary. Which is where our team comes in.

In its simplest form, the process involves claiming citizenship through an Italian ancestor who was still an Italian citizen at the time of their child's birth.

This could be you or a direct ancestor.

The key requirement is that this ancestor either never renounced their Italian citizenship or, if they did, it happened after their child (you or your ancestor) turned 21.

You can determine which ancestor to apply through by identifying the last person in your lineage who was legally an Italian citizen at birth.

This will either be:

• A parent or grand-parent born in Italy who never naturalized
• Someone who was 21 or older when their parent naturalized
• A grandparent or parent born in Italy who naturalized through marriage

Your application must be based on the closest direct ancestor to the person who was born in Italy.

If you are applying through a female ancestor and her child (your direct ancestor) was born before 1948, you have a 1948 Case. This means that, while you are still eligible for Italian citizenship, you cannot apply through a consulate or municipality — your case must be filed in Italian court.

Lastly, regardless of whether you are applying through parents or grandparents the required paperwork remains largely the same.

However, the further back you go, the more documents you will need to provide, as you must prove an unbroken Italian lineage. This is established through naturalization records, birth certificates, marriage records, and death certificates.

To determine which documents you’ll need for Italian citizenship — book a call with us or check out the table below!

Keep in mind depending on your specific case documents required may vary.

How can I determine if I'm eligible for Italian citizenship through my parents or grandparents?

You may qualify for Italian citizenship by descent if your parent or grandparent was born in Italy and was still an Italian citizen at the time of their child's birth. However, due to new laws passed in 2025, eligibility is now mostly limited to individuals with an Italian-born parent or grandparent — unless your parent lived in Italy for at least two years before you were born.

What documents do I need to apply for Italian citizenship through my grandparents?

If you're applying through a grandparent, you'll need their Italian birth certificate, marriage record, your parent’s birth and marriage records, your own birth certificate, and proof of your ancestor’s naturalization status. Apostilles and certified translations are required for all non-Italian documents.

What is a 1948 Case in Italian citizenship applications?

If you are applying through a female ancestor and her child (your direct ancestor) was born before 1948, you have a 1948 Case. This means that, while you are still eligible for Italian citizenship, you cannot apply through a consulate or municipality — your case must be filed in Italian court.

How does the generational distance affect the Italian citizenship application process?

Regardless of whether you are applying through parents or grandparents, the required paperwork remains largely the same. However, the further back you go, the more documents you will need to provide, as you must prove an unbroken Italian lineage. This is established through naturalization records, birth certificates, marriage records, and death certificates.

How much does it cost to apply for Italian citizenship?

At Citizenship Italia, the cost of applying for Italian citizenship depends on your case type. A standard consulate application typically costs around $2,500 USD, while a court case (such as a 1948 Case) usually costs around $7,000 USD. This includes legal services, case assembly, and application support. Additional fees may apply depending on document procurement and translation needs.