How can Italian citizenship be reacquired after it has been lost?

Over time, many Italian citizens have lost their Italian citizenship due to regulations that are now outdated. Today, however, the law offers several ways to recover it, allowing those with a connection to Italy to re-establish it formally as well.

In which cases was Italian citizenship lost?

Before August 16, 1992, the Italian legal system followed a very strict principle: citizenship had to be exclusive. This meant that an Italian citizen who acquired another nationality would automatically lose their Italian citizenship.

This loss occurred without the need for any official notification: simply obtaining citizenship of another country was enough for Italian citizenship to cease. However, there was an important exception: children born abroad who automatically acquired a foreign citizenship at birth could retain their Italian citizenship as well, since the acquisition was not voluntary.

The turning point of 1992

With the entry into force of Law No. 91 of 1992, the legal framework changed radically. From that moment on, Italy began to recognize the possibility of dual citizenship. This means that becoming a citizen of another state no longer results in the automatic loss of Italian citizenship, and an Italian citizen may hold two or more nationalities from different countries.

Additionally, the law opened the way for those who had previously lost their citizenship to recover it. This change also had a significant impact for those wishing to regain important rights, such as obtaining an Italian passport.

Loss and renunciation: two different concepts

It is important to distinguish between loss and renunciation. Loss, especially in the past, often occurred automatically and sometimes unknowingly, whereas renunciation is a voluntary choice made by the citizen.

Today, cases of involuntary loss are rare but still possible, while it is more common for individuals to choose to renounce their citizenship for personal or legal reasons. In both cases, however, the law generally allows for reacquisition of Italian citizenship at a later stage.

How to reacquire Italian citizenship

In most cases, recovering Italian citizenship requires a fundamental condition: residence in Italy. In practice, those who wish to reacquire it must move to Italy and live there for a certain period.

One option is to submit a formal declaration to the competent Italian consulate based on the country of residence abroad, or directly to a municipality in Italy where the person intends to relocate, expressing the intention to regain citizenship. This declaration must be followed by the actual transfer of residence within one year.

The extraordinary window 2025–2027

A recent legal provision has introduced an important facilitation. Those who lost Italian citizenship before 1992 can reacquire it without meeting the requirement of moving to Italy, by taking advantage of a limited time window.

This opportunity is valid from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027. During this period, it is sufficient to submit a formal declaration at an Italian consulate or a municipality in Italy, provided that the person (i) was born in Italy or, if born abroad, has resided in Italy for at least 2 years, (ii) lost Italian citizenship before August 1992, whether voluntarily or involuntarily (excluding, however, cases of renunciation).

It is important to note that reacquisition does not have retroactive effect: the person will be recognized as an Italian citizen only upon completion of the procedure. Furthermore, any children born before the reacquisition of Italian citizenship will not automatically benefit from it, even if they are minors and living with the applicant (unless they have resided in Italy for at least 2 years after birth).

Final considerations

Reacquiring Italian citizenship is now an accessible process, especially thanks to recent legal developments. Whether the goal is to re-establish a connection with one’s origins or to regain rights such as obtaining an Italian passport, it is important to understand the procedures and comply with the required conditions.

For those who lost their citizenship before 1992, the period until the end of 2027 represents a particularly favorable opportunity not to be missed.

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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, and Paolo Grassi, Trainee of LCA Studio Legale.