Italy to move citizenship-by-descent applications from abroad to Rome in 2029

Italy will shift citizenship-by-descent applications for adults living abroad to a central office in Rome starting Jan. 1, 2029, while new legal limits on eligibility continue to reshape who can qualify. Nexus&Partners says applicants should first check whether they meet the reworked rules before preparing documents or choosing the right procedure.

Why it matters: - Adults living abroad will face a new filing process for citizenship-by-descent requests starting in 2029, with applications routed to a central office in Rome instead of the current consular path. - The 2025 reform also narrowed eligibility, so applicants must separate the question of whether they qualify from the question of where and how they file. - The timing matters for families trying to preserve access to recognition under transitional rules and filing deadlines.

What happened: - Nexus&Partners, a Rome-based international law firm, published a checklist for people seeking Italian citizenship by descent while living abroad. - The firm said applicants need to assess the applicable rules, supporting documents and competent office before filing. - The briefing focuses on new eligibility rules, European court developments and the procedural change scheduled for 2029.

The details: - Decree-law 36/2025, converted into Law 74/2025, changed the rules for Italian citizenship by descent, or iure sanguinis. - For people born abroad who also hold another citizenship, exceptions to the new limits include having a parent or grandparent who holds, or held at death, only Italian citizenship. - Another exception applies when a parent or adoptive parent lived in Italy for at least two consecutive years after acquiring citizenship and before the child’s birth or adoption. - The reform also includes safeguards tied to applications and appointments made within the deadlines set by the law. - Avv. Giovanna Canale, a partner at Nexus&Partners, said the first step is to examine the family’s legal situation before collecting certificates. - Canale said the review should reconstruct the line of descent and check citizenships, any naturalizations and relevant periods of residence. - The Constitutional Court’s ruling No. 63/2026, filed April 30, found the questions raised by the Turin court partly unfounded and partly inadmissible. - In order No. 147/2026, filed July 23 after a June 9 hearing, the Constitutional Court referred a compatibility question to the Court of Justice of the European Union over the limits’ consistency with Articles 9 TEU and 20 TFEU. - That referral came in separate cases brought by the Mantua and Campobasso courts, and the constitutional proceeding was suspended pending the European ruling. - Law No. 11 of Jan. 19, 2026, says applications from adults residing abroad will, from Jan. 1, 2029, be filed with a central office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. - The new filing channel will use postal service submission and require original paper documents. - Jurisdiction for courts and mayors remains unchanged. - Consulates will continue handling applications received before the transfer. - The law sets annual intake caps for both the transitional consular phase and the first two years of the new central system. - The 36-month completion deadline also applies to the consular proceedings covered by the provision, not only to the future central office. - Avv. Marco Volpe, a partner at Nexus&Partners, said the organizational change does not alter the underlying eligibility rules. - Volpe said filing before 2029 does not automatically preserve access to the pre-2025 regime, so applicants should check admissibility first and then plan document preparation. - Nexus&Partners says applicants should complete four checks before preparing a case: reconstruct the family line, verify the applicable rules, identify the required documents and translations, and choose the correct procedure. - The firm said applicants should distinguish between the administrative path and cases that require judicial review.

Between the lines: - The article draws a sharp line between substance and procedure: court challenges may affect the legal framework, while the 2029 change alters where applications are submitted. - The new central-office model suggests tighter administrative control over filings, including paper originals and annual intake limits. - The combination of transitional rules, court referrals and a future filing shift means timing could be as important as eligibility for many families.

What's next: - The Court of Justice of the European Union will rule on the compatibility question referred by the Constitutional Court. - Applicants living abroad will continue filing through consulates until the 2029 transfer takes effect. - Families considering a claim will need to verify both eligibility under the 2025 reform and the correct filing route before submitting documents. - Nexus&Partners said the practical sequence should be: check the legal basis first, then assemble the paperwork, then decide whether the case belongs in the administrative or judicial track.

The bottom line: - Italian citizenship-by-descent is no longer just a paperwork question; eligibility rules, EU litigation and a 2029 filing overhaul all now shape the path to recognition.