Italy Considers Birthright Citizenship for Children of Foreign Residents

Brittany Collins

Italy is considering amending its citizenship laws to grant Italian nationality to children born to foreign residents. If the proposal is approved, children born in Italy to non-Italian parents would be eligible for citizenship through jus soli, or birthright citizenship.

Currently, foreigners, including those born in Italy, can only obtain Italian citizenship by naturalisation, which typically requires at least 10 years of continuous residence. Recent discussions have also highlighted a potential reduction in this naturalisation period to 5 years, aiming to make citizenship more accessible to long-term residents.

Granting citizenship to foreign children born in Italy was proposed by Italy’s Democratic Party as part of a broader citizenship reform. The amendment suggests allowing children born in Italy to receive Italian citizenship at birth if at least one parent has legally resided in the country for at least one year.

This policy change would mark a significant shift in Italian citizenship law, aligning it more closely with the practices of other EU countries.

Another proposed pathway is jus soli-scholae, which would extend eligibility to children born outside Italy who arrive before age 12 and attend school for at least five years, including nursery school. By integrating children into the educational system, Italy aims to foster cultural and social ties, addressing long-standing integration challenges for second-generation immigrants.

Eligible residence permits for parents would potentially include family visas, work permits, and long-term EU residence permits.

Children of the Italy Golden Visa holders — a residency program for foreign investors — are also expected to qualify for birthright citizenship, provided their parents meet a minimum one-year residency requirement.