How to apply for Italian citizenship by descent

Step by step

1. Check you qualifyYou need a parent or grandparent who held only Italian citizenship, or an Italian parent who lived in Italy for 2 years before you were born. See who qualifies now.
2. Find your consulateIt’s the one covering the area where you live. Some consulates only accept residents: London, for example, asks non-British applicants for a UK residence permit with at least 3 years left on it.
3. Book an appointment on Prenot@miCreate an account on the Foreign Ministry’s Prenot@mi booking system and choose citizenship by descent. Some consulates have closed their waiting lists, so check your consulate’s own page.
4. Gather your documentsEvery certificate in the line from your Italian ancestor to you, with apostilles and Italian translations, plus proof about your ancestor’s citizenship. See the document list.
5. Submit and payFollow your consulate’s instructions exactly. New York, for example, wants the full application mailed on your appointment day. The fee is €600 per adult and isn’t refunded.
6. Wait for the decisionConsulates don’t publish typical waits. If you’re recognized, your birth is registered in Italy and you can apply for an Italian passport.

For children under 18

If you’re Italian by birth and your child was born abroad without becoming Italian automatically, you can make a declaration at the consulate. For a child born after May 24, 2025, the limit is 3 years from the birth. For a child who was already under 18 on May 24, 2025, the deadline is May 31, 2029. The declaration has been free since January 1, 2026. Before that the limit was 1 year and the fee was €250.

If you live in Italy

People legally living in Italy apply through their local town hall (comune) instead of a consulate. The same 2025 rules apply.

Costs to budget for

• €600 consular fee per adult.
• Certificates for each generation, apostilles and certified translations into Italian. These have their own fees, on top of the consulate fee.
• Records proving whether your ancestor ever became a citizen of another country.