This site uses technical (necessary) and analytics cookies.
By continuing to browse, you agree to the use of cookies.

Reacquisition of Italian citizenship (Art. 17 par. 1 Law No. 91/1992)

Law No. 74, introduced on 23 May 2025, signed Decree 36/2025 into law, and amended Article 17, paragraph 1, as previously set out in Law No. 91/1992. The new amendment states that former Italian citizens are allowed, under specific circumstances and only for a limited time (starting on July 1st 2025 and until 31st December 2027), to reacquire Italian citizenship by submitting a formal statement of intent.

This option applies to those who were born in Italy as well as those who resided in Italy for a minimum of two consecutive years and lost their Italian citizenship before 16 August 1992 when Law 91/1992 was introduced. To be eligible for reacquisition the applicant must fall into one of the following categories:

  • The applicant has willingly acquired a foreign citizenship before 16 August 1992 AND has established their residence abroad (art.8 n.1 Law 555/1912);
  • The applicant acquired a foreign citizenship automatically before 16 August 1992, subsequently renounced their Italian citizenship AND established their residence abroad (art.8 n.2 Law 555/1912);
  • The applicant was a non-emancipated minor at the time their parent(s) lost their Italian citizenship, was living with their parent(s) AND acquired a foreign citizenship (art.12 Law 555/1912).

Therefore, former Italian citizens born abroad who have not resided in Italy for a minimum of two consecutive years or those who lost their Italian citizenship (for any reason) from 16 August 1992 are not eligible to apply to submit a statement of intent in order to reacquire italian citizenship (art. 17 par. 1 law 91/92).

The statement of intent may be submitted by the applicant in person between 1st July 2025, and 31st December 2027.

The applicant must email the Citizenship office of the Consulate (Cittadinanza.newyork@esteri.it ) attaching the documents, in PDF format, listed below. The subject of the email should be: “Reacquisition of Italian citizenship ex. art.17, paragraph 1, Law 91/1992):

  1. Application form;
  2. a valid passport issued by the country of current citizenship;
  3. proof of residence in this consular jurisdiction (utility bill, driver’s license or State ID);
  4. original birth certificate (estratto dell’atto di nascita) issued by the Italian comune where the birth was registered no longer than 6 months before the application date;
  5. a copy of the marriage certificate, if married;
  6. (only for applicants born abroad) a certificato di residenza storico, which shows the applicant’s effective residence in Italy for a minimum of two consecutive years, issued by the Italian Comune no longer than 6 months before the application date;
  7. a copy of the applicant’s most recent Italian passport, if available, OR a certificato storico di Cittadinanza, issued by the Italian comune where the birth was registered no longer than 6 months before the application date, which must show that the applicant was an Italian citizen;
  8. the applicant’s US naturalization certificate (front and back). If the naturalization occurred when the child was still a minor, please also provide the parent’s birth certificates and naturalization certificates or green cards;

AN APPOINTMENT TO SUBMIT YOUR STATEMENT OF INTENT (PURSUANT TO ART.17 PARAGRAPH 1 LAW 91/1992) WILL BE SCHEDULED ONLY IF THE ABOVE DOCUMENTATION, FIRST SUBMITTED BY EMAIL, IS CORRECT AND COMPLETE.

On the day of the scheduled appointment, the applicant must submit the original documents and one set of copies. In addition, the applicant will need to pay the consular fee by money order or cashier check in the amount of EUR 250.00 made out to the “Consulate General of Italy in New York”. Please include full (maiden if applicable) name on the memo portion of money order. The current USD amount can be found here.

Reacquisition, if granted, takes effect from the day after the statement of intention is submitted and accepted, and it is NOT retroactive.

Please note that transmission of Italian citizenship is governed by the current regulations set forth by Law 91/1992 as amended by Decree 36/2025, signed into Law 74/2025. In particular, reacquisition of Italian citizenship NO LONGER grants automatic citizenship to any minor children who live with the applicant. In order to acquire Italian citizenship, pursuant to art.14 Law 91/1992, minor children living with the applicant who has reacquired Italian citizenship, must have been residing in Italy for a minimum of two consecutive years at the time of their parent’s reacquisition (or since birth if younger than 2yo).

The parent who reacquires Italian citizenship is no longer an Italian citizen by birth and therefore cannot submit a statement of intent for their minor children.