Italian Citizenship by Descent: What Americans Need to Know in 2026

Italian citizenship by descent remains possible for some Americans, but major changes took effect in March 2025. Law 74/2025 introduced a two-generation limit and new requirements that significantly affect third- and fourth-generation Italian Americans. A new article explains the eligibility rules, key exceptions, the 1948 Rule, consular and court routes, and alternative pathways through marriage or residency. It also examines an important new development: the Italian Constitutional Court’s referral of the citizenship law to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which could affect challenges to the new restrictions.

Read the full article by Martina Longueira of MY LAWYER IN ITALY® here.