Consulates will focus on those who are already a citizen, not to ‘create’ new, says Italian government

An official statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy on Friday (28) reports that a reform in the law that allows the granting of Italian citizenship by blood right (blood) will have several changes.

There will be at least two more phases beyond change that restricts the benefit only to children and grandchildren of citizens born in Italy.

One of them will revise the procedures for the recognition of citizenship. At this stage, residents abroad will no longer address the consulates, but to a special office centered on the ‘Farnesina’ (popular name of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Also read:

According to the statement, which was published both the Ministry website and on the sites of the Italian consulates in Brazil, “there will be a transition period of approximately one year to organize the office.” The goal is to make procedures “more efficient” and generate “clear economies of scale”.

Focus on who is already an Italian citizen

Thus, the statement follows, “the consulates will focus on providing services to those who are already citizens, and no longer in the ‘creation’ of new citizens”.

Also according to the statement, are suspended:

• All appointments for the presentation of documentation related to recognition processes right of blood;
• The marking of new appointments, through the Prenotami Portal, for these processes;
• The registration, also on the Prenotami Portal, on the waiting lists for the presentation of citizenship processes for offspring.

Learn more:

Reform objective

According to the Italian government statement, the reform “aligns the criteria for the recognition of Italian citizenship to those of European partners”, as well as releasing resources to make consular services more efficient, “allowing them to focus exclusively on those who really need, due to their concrete bond with Italy”.

The claim is that “the current system compromises the efficiency of Italian administrative and judicial offices, who undergo pressure from people traveling to Italy only to accelerate the process of citizenship recognition,” favoring “irregular frauds and practices,” the note says.

Citizenship requests in South America grow

In recent years, countries with the highest Italian emigration have had a strong increase in citizenship recognition.

From the end of 2014 to the end of 2024, the number of Italian citizens resident abroad increased from 4.6 million to 6.4 million, representing a 40% growth in 10 years, the statement also said.

Currently, there are more than 60,000 legal proceedings pending the recognition of citizenship.

Also read:

In South America, citizenship requests have grown as well. In Argentina, for example, the number of recognitions went from about 20,000 in 2023 to 30 thousand the following year.

In Brazil, the total increased from more than 14 thousand in 2022 to 20 thousand last year. In Venezuela, almost 8,000 recognitions were recorded in 2023.

It is estimated that, potentially, the number of Italian descendants worldwide who could request citizenship recognition based on current legislation is between 60 and 80 million.