Generally a child of an Italian parent (father or mother) is an Italian citizen.
Citizenship is passed on from parent to child without generation limitations, on the condition that none of the ancestors has ever renounced their citizenship, whereas transmission of citizenship through maternal lineage is possible only for the children born after the 1st January 1948.
A minor child living with a parent at the moment in which that parent becomes an Italian citizen also acquires or reacquires Italian citizenship.
Determining possession of Italian citizenship
If a person descends from an Italian ancestor but does not appear in Italian civil status registries, it is necessary to establish and have confirmation that all ancestors have maintained and therefore passed on Italian citizenship.
The legally competent authority to ascertain these facts, is determined by the person’s place of residence:
- For residents abroad, it will be the diplomatic/consular office of residence;
- Please note: citizens of other countries, must be in possession of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa. Other categories or types of visa are not considered “permanent resident visas”.
- For residents in Italy, it will be the Registry office of the town of residence.
CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY STATUS FOR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT(step-by-step guide in english)
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How to apply for citizenship by descent
We advise you to check the section: How-to cittadinanza per discendenza which contains all the instructions and forms required for the application.
We remind applicants that in order to lodge their application for citizenship, an appointment is needed by making a booking online “Prenot@mi”.