Amendment to the law on consular services: what specifically changes for Italian citizenship by descent?

The recent reform approved by the Italian Parliament on January 14, 2026 introduces significant changes to the system for managing applications for the recognition of Italian citizenship by descent, redefining the role of consulates and profoundly altering access to the procedure for adult citizens residing abroad. Although the legislative intervention is presented as a measure of administrative streamlining, its practical implications raise significant questions regarding the effective protection of the right.

Bill No. 1683 affects two key aspects: the number of applications that may be accepted each year and the maximum duration of the procedure. For the first five years of implementation, a quantitative limit is introduced on the number of jure sanguinis citizenship applications that the administration may receive. At the same time, the deadline for completing the examination of applications is extended to up to 36 months from the submission of the request.

This approach marks a paradigm shift. The admissibility of an application will no longer depend exclusively on compliance with the legal requirements, but also on the operational capacity of the administrative apparatus. In other words, the recognition of citizenship will in all likelihood be conditioned by numerical limits and increasingly long waiting times.

During the transitional phase, envisaged until 2029, consulates will continue to process applications, but within an annual cap calculated on the basis of the number of procedures concluded in the previous year. Subsequently, responsibility will be centralized in a single office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome. From that point on, applications from adults residing abroad will have to be submitted directly to the central office.

This shift will also entail a return to predominantly paper-based processing, requiring the submission of original documentation from abroad. According to many professionals in the field, this element could increase costs, logistical risks, and delays, indirectly affecting the time required to issue Italian passports to descendants awaiting recognition of their status civitatis.

The comparison with other citizenship procedures is particularly telling. The naturalization of foreign nationals who have resided in Italy for more than ten years is currently handled through a fully digitized system, without the need for appointments and with uniform procedures throughout the national territory. By contrast, citizenship by descent is moving toward a more centralized model that carries the concrete risk of amplifying already existing difficulties.

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The content of this article is intended to provide general information on the topic. For doubts or specific cases, it is advisable to seek specialized legal advice tailored to your particular situation.

Article written by Alessia Ajelli, Managing Associate of LCA Studio Legale, Italian lawyer specialized on Italian immigration and citizenship law.