Apply for Italian citizenship

To apply for Italian citizenship, the following is required:

Legal residency in Italy:

  • 10 years for non-EU citizens;
  • 5 years after adoption for an adult foreigner adopted by an Italian citizen, for stateless persons, for political refugees, and for adult children of an Italian citizen;
  • 4 years for EU citizens;
  • 3 years for the descendants of Italian citizens jure sanguinis (up to the second degree – grandparents) and for those born in Italy.
  • Proof of income: personal or family income (CUD, UNICO or 730) from the 3 years preceding the application for Italian citizenship. The minimum amount for each year in 2015 is: €8,263.31 (if the applicant has no dependents); €11,362.05 (if the applicant has a dependent spouse – this value is increased by €516.00 for each additional dependent person).
  • The application is evaluated by the Ministry of the Interior on a case by case basis.
  • The applicant must have no significant criminal records.

Necessary Documents:

  • Valid identity document;
  • Extract of Birth Certificate, original, completed with all details, translated and legalised (valid within 90 days of the date of issue);
  • Residence Certificate;
  • Certificate of Family Status;
  • Criminal Records from the country of origin, translated and legalised (valid within 90 days of the date of issue);
  • Criminal Records from the country of origin and of any other country of residence (legalised if requested) with legalised translation (valid within 90 days of the date of issue);
  • Copy of residence permit;
  • Proof of income for the last 3 years (CUD, UNICO, 730); family members in a household must also include a Civil Status Certificate);
  • Receipt confirming the payment of the  €200.00 tax;
  • €16.00 revenue stamp.

All applications for citizenship by residency are sent to the Italian Ministry of the Interior in Rome and the process takes an average of 2 years.

Citizenship by residency is a concession and not a right, so the Italian State may deny it if the aforementioned requirements are not met.

After receiving notification of the grant of citizenship, the applicant has 6 months to take the oath.

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