Changes to the judicial costs for disputes regarding Italian citizenship

As part of a significant legislative reform, changes have been made to the amounts of the judicial fees (contributo unificato) due for litigation aimed at the recognition of Italian citizenship. These changes directly affect Article 13 of the Consolidated Text of Legislative and Regulatory Provisions on Legal Expenses (Presidential Decree no. 115/2002).

The key change lies in the introduction of a new section, 1-sexies, which provides that the judicial fees for disputes relating to the verification of Italian citizenship will amount to 600 euros. This amount will be required individually from each applicant, even if the application is submitted jointly by several parties involved in the same procedure. This marks a significant increase compared to the previous amount, which was 518 euros and did not vary according to the number of appellants.

This adjustment, which is part of the 2025 budget bill presented by the Italian Government, has important implications for those who plan to initiate a judicial procedure for the recognition of Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis). The increase in the judicial fees considerably raises the costs associated with these legal processes.

It is important to note that this amendment, contained in Article 106 of the proposed budget law, will enter into force on 1 January 2025 and will apply to all applications submitted from that date.

These changes represent an effort to restructure the procedural costs associated with the Italian judicial system, but they also pose an economic challenge for those seeking to exercise their right to recognition of Italian citizenship through judicial proceedings, such as the large number of individuals who are living in the United States or Canada and who are interested in applying for Italian citizenship by descent.

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