Does Italy allow dual citizenship? Rules for expats

Italy generally allows dual citizenship, but whether you can keep another passport or qualify for Italian citizenship depends on your route, your timing, and your personal situation.

Does Italy allow dual citizenship?

Yes. Italy generally permits dual nationality, so it does not normally ask applicants to give up another citizenship under Italian law.

But that answer is only half the story. Italy allowing dual citizenship does not mean you automatically qualify for an Italian passport, and it does not override the rules of your other country.

• What Italy allows: recognition or acquisition without a renunciation requirement.
• What Italy does not grant: automatic citizenship just because you have Italian ancestry, were born in Italy, or married an Italian.
• What you still need to verify: your route, your documents, and whether your other nationality permits dual or multiple citizenship.
• How to verify it: check the current text of Law 91/1992, and your closest Italian consulate’s citizenship guidance.

Who may qualify for Italian citizenship today?

This is the more important question for most readers. Think in terms of route: citizenship by descent, marriage or civil union, or residence-based naturalization all follow different rules.

Citizenship by descent

Citizenship by descent, often called jure sanguinis, means claiming citizenship through an Italian parent, grandparent, or sometimes an earlier ancestor. This is the route most affected by the 2025 reform, so older blog posts and forum threads can now be misleading.

Italy did not abolish descent claims. But official consular guidance now says many people born abroad who also hold another citizenship must fall within specific exceptions in the updated law before recognition can go ahead.

If you’re considering an application under this route:

• Check whether your claim runs through a parent or grandparent, not just a distant family story.
• Confirm whether the line was already recognized or formally filed under the older rules before March 27, 2025.
• Be ready to prove key facts, such as exclusive Italian citizenship in the line or qualifying residence in Italy, if those exceptions matter to your case.

Citizenship by marriage or civil union

This is a separate route from ancestry. Official consular guidance from the Italian Consulate in London, for example, says a foreign spouse or civil partner can usually apply after three years, with shorter periods if the couple has minor children.

You also need to check relationship validity, registration of the marriage or civil union with the relevant Italian comune, and the Italian language requirement which may be set at B1 level. If this is your route, the Expatica guide to getting married or having a civil ceremony in Italy can help with the broader paperwork context, and this look at learning Italian may help you prepare for the language side.

Citizenship by residence or naturalization

Some expats reach Italian citizenship through long-term legal residence instead of family ties. This is often what people mean when they ask whether dual citizenship Italy rules would let them naturalize later without losing their first passport.

The residence period depends on your status, and your compliance record, documents, and language requirements can matter. If you live in Italy now, verify the current criteria through the Ministry of the Interior guidance before you apply.

Learn more about Italian visas and permanent residence in Italy in these handy guides.

What changed in Italy’s citizenship rules in 2025?

In March 2025 Italy tightened automatic recognition for many descent-based citizenship cases involving people born abroad who also hold another citizenship. The big practical effect is that a lot of older advice about Italian citizenship by descent now needs to be checked against live Italian law and current consular instructions.

One thing worth knowing is that this is not the same as Italy banning dual citizenship. The rule change mainly affects whether some people are considered to have acquired Italian citizenship by descent in the first place, and official exceptions still exist for some family lines and prior filings.

• Before March 27, 2025: many descent claims were assessed under the older framework.
• Now: readers born abroad with another nationality should verify which exception, if any, fits before paying for documents or appointments.

When dual citizenship may not work in practice

Even if Italy allows dual citizenship, your other nationality or your paperwork can still stop the plan from working in practice.

If your current country limits dual nationality

Italy’s rules are only one side of the equation. Your other country may require notice, limit dual nationality for adults who naturalize, or treat minors differently from adults.

This means that country-specific questions always need a second check with that country’s official authorities.

• Read your embassy or consulate guidance.
• Check whether the rules differ for adults, minors, or naturalized citizens.
• Look for any notice, reporting, or renunciation requirement before you apply.

If your documents or family line are unclear

Many cases break down on proof, not principle. Small errors in names, dates, places, or naturalization history can change whether a line is accepted or whether an application is delayed.

This is different from simply hearing that a cousin got recognized years ago. Italian authorities and consulates assess the documents in front of them, and older family success does not remove the need to prove your own line now.

• Compare every birth, marriage, and death record side by side.
• Check for mismatched surnames, middle names, and dates.
• Verify when an ancestor naturalized, because timing can break a line.

How to check your eligibility and next steps

This article is not designed to give you a final legal answer about whether you can become a dual citizen of Italy. However, you’ll leave with a short list of facts, dates, and documents to verify before you spend money or book anything.

Documents and facts to verify first

Start with this checklist of facts to check and documents to gather:

• Your route: descent, marriage or civil union, or naturalization.
• Your key dates: births, marriages, naturalizations, residence periods, and any earlier filing dates.
• Your civil records: long-form birth, marriage, and death records, plus exact spellings and dates across the file.
• Citizenship records: any naturalization or non-naturalization records that affect the family line.
• Langage checks: get translations or apostilles, where your competent consulate or comune says they are required.
• Eligibility: check language, residence, and relationship requirements if you are using marriage or naturalization routes.
• Which official office has your case: the competent consulate abroad, your comune in Italy, or the Ministry of the Interior portal.

Where to apply in Italy or abroad

The right office depends on where you live and which route you are using. Descent cases abroad normally go through the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over your address, while people living in Italy may need to deal with the local comune or the Ministry of the Interior portal, depending on the route.

1. Check the route-specific instructions first, because descent, marriage, and naturalization do not use the same process.
2. Confirm your competent office, which is usually the consulate abroad or the relevant authority in Italy.
3. Use official portals only, including the Ministry of the Interior application page and, where relevant, Prenot@mi portal for consular appointments.
4. Do not assume wait times, document lists, or booking rules are the same everywhere, because they can change and can vary by office.

Practical planning for life between Italy and another country

For a lot of expats, citizenship is only one piece of a cross-border life. Travel, rent, taxes, family support, and spending can matter just as much once you are living between Italy and somewhere else.

Managing money across euros and other currencies

This is where practical planning starts to matter. You may need to hold euros and another currency, pay in Italy and abroad, and move money for relocation, bills, or family support without relying only on major local banks such as Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, or Banco BPM.

If you split life between countries, the Wise account and Wise card can be a useful money-management tool for holding multiple currencies, spending in Italy and abroad, and handling everyday cross-border payments. That can make the practical side of moving or living internationally simpler.

• Hold euros and select other currencies in one place.
• Spend in Italy or abroad with one card linked to your balances.
• Manage day-to-day transfers during relocation or ongoing family support.

Frequently asked questions about dual citizenship in Italy

Can Americans have dual citizenship with Italy?

Yes, Italy generally allows it, and US law does not require Americans to give up US citizenship just because they acquire another one. The real question is whether you qualify under the relevant Italian route. US travelers can verify dual nationality issues through US State Department guidance.

Does Italy allow triple citizenship?

In general, yes. Italy does not impose a simple two-passport cap, but you need to check whether each other country involved allows multiple nationalities and whether any notice or renunciation rules apply.

Is being born in Italy enough to get citizenship?

Not usually. Italy is not a straightforward birthright-citizenship system, so being born in Italy alone does not automatically make most children citizens, and route-specific rules still need to be checked.

Can Italy make you give up your other citizenship?

Italy generally does not require renunciation as a normal condition of becoming Italian. But another country may, so you still need to check the rules of your current nationality before you apply.

What changed in Italian citizenship law in 2025?

Italy tightened descent recognition for many people born abroad who also have another nationality. The key point is that current exceptions and official filing dates now matter more, so older advice may be outdated.

How long does Italian citizenship take?

Timelines to achieve Italian citizenship vary. Check route-specific official updates before you apply so you know what to expect.

Useful resources

Checked 20th July 2026

• Citizenship – New York consulate advice (Check your own local consulate before you apply)
• Italian citizenship by marriage or civil union – New York consulate advice (Check your own local consulate before you apply)
• Ministry of the Interior – guidance for residence-based naturalization
• Ministry of the Interior – official application portal guidance

This guide is general information only, not legal advice, and it should help you verify the right official source before you act. If you want a broader background before checking these items, read the Expatica guide to paths to Italian citizenship.