Law n.74 (May 23, 2025), converting Decreto-legge n.36 (March 28, 2025) came into effect on May 24th, 2025. The new ruling modifies law n.91 (February 5, 1992). You may read the complete text regarding the Italian citizenship law at following link
IMPORTANT
1) The citizenship applications submitted before March 27, 2025, will be processed following previous law, provided they are complete with all required documentation.
2) The citizenship applications submitted during an appointment scheduled on Prenot@mi platform before March 27, 2025, will be processed following previous law. Applications must be complete with all required documentation.
3) In all other circumstances, citizenship applications will follow the current, new law.
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The current legislation on citizenship, Law No. 91 of 1992, as well as the previous Law No. 555 of 1912, are based on the principle of ius sanguinis, i.e. the transmission of citizenship by descent from an Italian citizen. In particular, Article 1 of Law 91/1992 establishes that:
‘The child of an Italian father or mother is an Italian citizen by birth.’
However, Law 91/1992 was recently amended by Decree-Law No. 36/2025, converted with amendments by Law No. 74/2025, which introduced some restrictions on the automatic transmission of Italian citizenship.
a.1) Restrictions on the automatic transmission of citizenship for those born abroad
The new Article 3-bis, paragraph 1, of Law 91/1992 establishes that ‘a person born abroad, even before the date of entry into force of this article AND holds another citizenship, is considered never to have acquired Italian citizenship’.
a.2) Exceptions to these restrictions
Notwithstanding the above, Article 3-bis provides for exceptions that allow for the recognition of citizenship at birth, even for those born abroad and holding another citizenship, in the following cases:
- Italian citizenship is recognized on the basis of an application submitted to the Consulate General by 11:59 p.m. (Rome time) on 27 March 2025, or on the basis of an appointment confirmed to the applicant (automatic email of confirmation which follows the registration on the prenot@mi portal) by the same date;
- The applicant’s parent or grandparent holds, or held at the time of death, only the Italian citizenship.
- A parent (including adoptive parents), who is an Italian citizen, has been resident in Italy for at least two consecutive years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the birth or adoption of the child.
N.B.1 The exceptions do not affect the principle of the iure sanguinis transmission of citizenship, which will continue to apply, and with it the necessary checks that the transmission was not interrupted.
N.B.2 The application of exception no. 1 means that both the applications submitted before 27 March 2025 and the applications, accompanied by the necessary documentation, for which confirmation of the appointment by the Consular Office (automatic email of confirmation which follows the registration on the prenot@mi portal) was issued by 23:59 Rome time, on 27 March 2025, are decided upon according to the previous rules.
Who can apply
In order to submit your application to this Consulate, you must be a permanent resident of one of the following States: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming. (Legal Aliens must submit the Permanent Resident Card). Residents outside the above jurisdiction must apply to the Consular Authority under whose jurisdiction they reside.
Schedule an appointment and fees
Please be informed that this Consulate General receives citizenship jure sanguinis applications by appointment only. An appointment is required for each adult applicant. All applicants over 18 must appear in person. The BOOKING ONLINE SYSTEM allows to choose the date and time of the appointment according to the availabilities.
As of July 8th, 2014 all applications for the recognition of the Italian citizenship Jure Sanguinis (by descent) and Jure Matrimonii (in case of women that married an Italian citizen prior to April 27, 1983) are subject to the payment of the consular fee “DOMANDA DI RICONOSCIMENTO CITTADINANZA Art. 07B”. Payments are to be made by money order, cashier’s check or exact cash, in USD. Please note that fees are update every quarter and are published on our website.
How to apply
In order to apply for citizenship, each adult applicant will need to schedule an appointment online and then come personally to the Consulate’s office for an interview and to provide all the required documentation, starting from ancestor born in Italy. Required documentation must be in original or certified copy. Photocopies are not accepted. Applicant should bring US Passport (or other passport and Permanent Resident Card), driver’s license and one utility bill in original and photocopy.
The Consulate does not provide any translation service.
For all details, please read carefully the information below
Italian citizenship through ancestors (Iure Sanguinis) – NEW LAW
Italian citizenship through ancestors (Iure Sanguinis) – OLD LAW
Forms to request vital records at the “Comune” for Italian Citizens
Where to request the U.S. naturalization of Italian ancestor
Ufficio Cittadinanza
Consolato Generale d’Italia
500 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1850
e-mail cittadinanza.chicago@esteri.it