Italian Citizenship Through a Great-Grandparent:
What Is Still Possible in 2026
Since March 2025, a great-grandparent alone no longer qualifies most new applicants. Here are the routes that remain, and how to tell if one fits your family.
Last updated: November 7, 2026
Short answer (as of November 2026)
For most new applications, no: since March 28, 2025, you need a parent or grandparent who held exclusively Italian citizenship, or a parent who lived in Italy for two continuous years as a citizen before you were born. A great-grandparent alone does not meet that test. But some families still have options: cases started by March 27, 2025, a parent who qualifies through their own grandparent, the two-year residence route for children and grandchildren of Italian citizens, and the pending EU court case.
- Cases started by 11:59 PM Rome time on March 27, 2025 follow the old rules
- Your parent may qualify through their grandparent, your great-grandparent, even if you do not
- Children and grandchildren of Italian citizens by birth can naturalize after two years of legal residence in Italy
- The EU Court of Justice is reviewing the 2025 law in case C-816/26
Why great-grandparent claims stopped working
Article 3-bis, added to Italy's citizenship law in 2025, treats a person born abroad who holds another citizenship as never having been Italian, unless an exception applies. The main exception requires a parent or grandparent who held exclusively Italian citizenship. A great-grandparent is three generations back, so on its own it does not count. Your U.S.-born parent and grandparent are U.S. citizens by birth, so they cannot meet the test either. See Law 74/2025 for the full rule.
Option 1: Your case was already under way
The old rules still apply if, by 11:59 PM Rome time on March 27, 2025, you had submitted a complete application to your consulate or comune, had been given an appointment date and then filed a complete application on that date, or had filed a court case. A waiting-list place or an appointment request does not count.
Option 2: Your parent may qualify, even if you do not
The test looks at the applicant's own parents and grandparents. For your parent, the Italian-born great-grandparent in your line is a grandparent. If that ancestor held only Italian citizenship when your parent was born, because they never naturalized or naturalized only later, your parent can meet Article 3-bis.
| Who applies | Their qualifying ancestor | Usual result |
|---|---|---|
| You | Your great-grandparent | Does not meet the 2025 test |
| Your parent | Their grandparent (your great-grandparent), if exclusively Italian at your parent’s birth | May meet the test |
| Your parent | Their grandparent naturalized before your parent was born | Generally does not meet the test |
A recognized parent does not automatically make you Italian as an adult, but it opens the next option, and it may matter for younger family members. It is worth checking before you rule your family out.
Option 3: Two years of residence in Italy
Foreigners whose parent or grandparent was an Italian citizen by birth can apply for Italian citizenship by naturalization after legal residence in Italy. Since the 2025 reforms, that period is two years (it was three). If your parent or grandparent is recognized as Italian, this route can open for you. Naturalization is a separate procedure from recognition by descent, with its own requirements, including Italian language at level B1. See applying from Italy.
Option 4: Wait for the EU Court of Justice
In July 2026 Italy's Constitutional Court asked the EU Court of Justice whether parts of the 2025 law are compatible with EU law. Until it rules in case C-816/26, the 2025 rules apply. If your claim relies on a great-grandparent, it can make sense to gather records now so you are ready if the ruling changes things. Leave your email on that page and we will tell you when the court rules.
Check your line before you give up
- Count again. Families often assume a great-grandparent when a grandparent was born in Italy. Check birth records for every grandparent.
- Check every line. You have four grandparents and eight great-grandparents. A different line may qualify.
- Check female lines. A line through a grandmother may work, sometimes in court. See citizenship through a female ancestor.
Not sure how many generations back your Italian ancestor is?
We map your lineage against the 2025 rules before you order a single record.
Sources
- Law 91/1992 on Italian citizenship (Normattiva)
- Decree-Law 36/2025 as converted by Law 74/2025 (Normattiva)
- Constitutional Court, Judgment 63/2026
- Constitutional Court, Order 147/2026
- Italian Foreign Ministry: citizenship
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and consulate practice change; check the official sources or ask us before acting.
Questions about great-grandparent claims
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