Italian Citizenship for Children: Ius Sanguinis, Ius Soli, and the Window at Age 18
Born in Italy to foreign parents does not make you Italian. But at 18 you have a one-year window to claim it. Here is how the system works.
In a Nutshell
Italy grants citizenship by blood (ius sanguinis): if one of your parents is Italian, you are Italian from birth, wherever you were born. Being born in Italy to foreign parents does not automatically make a child Italian. There is, however, a real opportunity: if you have lived in Italy continuously from birth to age 18, you can declare that you want to become Italian at any point within the year following your 18th birthday.
At a Glance
| Cost | Declaration under art. 4 Legge 91/1992: free. No €250 fee, no Italian language exam. |
| Timeline | 6 months to 2 years for the application to be processed after the declaration. |
| Where in Rome | Civil Registry Office (Ufficio Stato Civile) at your Comune (city hall / municipality) of residence — Rome: Via Petroselli 50 or your local Municipio. |
| Documents | Identity document, residence permit (permesso di soggiorno for non-EU citizens), birth certificate, historical residence certificate. |
How Ius Sanguinis Works in Italy
Ius sanguinis means that you are Italian if one of your parents is Italian, regardless of where you were born. It also works the other way around: if you are born in Italy to two Moroccan parents, you are Moroccan — not Italian. If you are born in Buenos Aires to an Italian father, you are Italian.
Citizenship passes down the direct line without a generational limit, provided the unbroken chain of citizenship can be documented. This applies even to Italians registered with AIRE (Anagrafe Italiani Residenti all'Estero — the registry of Italian citizens living abroad): their children born abroad are Italian citizens.
There is a residual exception borrowed from ius soli (citizenship by birthplace): if both parents are unknown or stateless and the child is born in Italy, the child becomes Italian to prevent statelessness (art. 1, Legge 91/1992). The same applies to a child found in Italy with no known parents.
What Happens to a Child Born in Italy to Foreign Parents
At birth, the child takes the nationality of the parents according to the law of their country. Some examples:
| Parents | Child's citizenship at birth |
|---|---|
| Both Moroccan | Moroccan |
| Both Romanian | Romanian (therefore EU) |
| Filipino father, Italian mother | Italian + Filipino |
| Stateless or unknown parents | Italian (exception under art. 1) |
| Italian father | Italian |
As the child grows up in Italy, they live under their parents' citizenship. Non-EU minors are included on their parents' permesso di soggiorno (residence permit for non-EU citizens) or obtain their own permit as a minor.
The Window at 18: Don't Miss It
Art. 4, paragraph 2 of Legge 91/1992 provides a specific route for people who were born in Italy to foreign parents and have always lived there. If you meet all three of the following requirements, you can become Italian:
- You were born in Italy, with an Italian birth certificate.
- You have resided legally and without interruption from birth to age 18 — meaning continuous registration in the civil registry (Anagrafe — the civil-registry office at the Comune, which handles residency) and a valid residence permit throughout.
- You declare your wish to acquire Italian citizenship within one year of your 18th birthday — that is, up to and including the day before your 19th birthday.
If you wait beyond your 19th birthday, you forfeit this route. You would then need to apply through standard naturalisation, which requires 10 years of legal residency, a fee of €250, and a B1-level Italian language exam.
How to Make the Declaration in Rome
Go to your Municipio's Civil Registry Office with the following:
- Valid identity document
- Valid residence permit
- Birth certificate
- Historical residency certificate (certificato storico di residenza) issued by the Comune
- Any supporting documents showing your continuous life in Italy (school reports, ASL vaccination records, contracts, etc.)
Sign the declaration of intent to acquire citizenship. The registrar forwards it to the Ministry of the Interior (Ministero dell'Interno). The process typically concludes in 6 months to 2 years. There is no fee and no language exam.
If You Are Unsure Whether Your Residency Was Uninterrupted
The paper trail is not always perfect. Legislative Decree 69/2013 made clear that failures on the parents' part or administrative shortcomings by public bodies cannot be held against the child's right. A Ministry of the Interior circular (Circolare Min. Interno 7/2014) adds that minor registry delays do not break continuity, provided the substance can be shown: years of school attendance, medical visits, daily life in Italy. Bring everything you have.
Other Routes for Minors
Child of a parent who becomes Italian. If one of your parents acquires Italian citizenship — through naturalisation, marriage, or any other route — and you are still a minor living with them, you automatically become Italian (art. 14, Legge 91/1992). You do not need to do anything.
Minor adopted by Italian citizens. Adoption immediately confers Italian citizenship (art. 3, Legge 91/1992).
Minor subsequently recognised by an Italian parent. If you are later recognised as the child of an Italian citizen, you become Italian from the moment of that recognition.
Dual Citizenship
Italy allows dual and multiple citizenship. If at 18 you declare your wish to become Italian, you can keep your original nationality at the same time. Important caveat: some countries — including India, China, and several Gulf states — do not allow dual citizenship and require you to renounce the original. Check your home country's rules before proceeding.
Ongoing Reform Debate
For years there have been proposals to introduce some form of ius soli or ius scholae (citizenship for those who have completed a full cycle of schooling in Italy). None of these proposals has become law. A referendum in June 2025 on cutting the standard naturalisation period from 10 to 5 years did not reach the required turnout threshold. As of May 2026, the law in force remains Legge 91/1992.
Mistakes to Avoid
- "My child was born in Italy, so they are Italian." Not true. Ius sanguinis governs, not place of birth. Citizenship follows the parents.
- "At 18 my child automatically becomes Italian." False. They must submit a formal declaration within one year of their 18th birthday. If they do not, they lose the right.
- "They can wait until 25 and apply then." After the 19th birthday, the only remaining route is standard naturalisation: 10 years of legal residency, a €250 fee, and a B1 language exam.
Special Cases
If you are about to turn 19 and have not yet submitted the declaration, go immediately to the Civil Registry Office (Ufficio Stato Civile) of your Comune of residence. Even without all the documents, file the declaration before the day of your 19th birthday and supplement the paperwork later. Always keep a stamped copy of the declaration.
If your country of origin does not allow dual citizenship, consult its consulate before proceeding to understand what consequences acquiring Italian citizenship would have for your original nationality.
Official Sources
- Ministry of the Interior — Citizenship
- Ministry of the Interior — How to acquire Italian citizenship
- Prefettura Roma — Citizenship
- ALI citizenship portal
- MAECI — Citizenship for Italians abroad
- Normattiva — Legge 91/1992
Legal references: Legge 05/02/1992 n. 91 (artt. 1, 3, 4, 9, 14), DPR 572/1993, DPR 362/1994, DL 113/2018 conv. L. 132/2018, DL 69/2013 art. 33, Circolare Min. Interno 7/2014.