New fees and charges for Italian citizenship applications and civil status certificates

As of January 1, 2025, applicants seeking recognition of Italian citizenship by descent or the certificates of birth and/or marital status necessary to initiate the related proceedings face significant changes in associated costs and fees introduced by the recent Italian budget law. These updates have impacted fees at the municipal, consular and judicial levels, with the aim of responding to, and probably trying to slow down or limit, the growing demand for petitions for recognition of Italian citizenship iure sanguinis. Here is a summary of the new costs and fees.

Fees for civil status certificates and applications for citizenship by descent

Several Italian municipalities have begun to introduce new fees for the issuance of civil status certificates, particularly for historical records older than 100 years, which are very often essential documents for applications for citizenship by descent.

Under Article 639 of Budget Law 2025, municipalities can now charge up to 300 euros for these certificates. If applicants provide detailed information, such as the year of the event and the name of the individual concerned, the fee could be reduced. This measure has already been adopted by several municipalities, particularly in the Veneto region, where local authorities have explicitly stated that these fees are intended to discourage the high volume of citizenship applications that they have been receiving from descendents of Italian citizens emigrated to Brazil, Argentina and Chile in particular and now want to obtain the citizenship and the passport.

Regarding citizenship by descent cases, municipalities now have the option of charging a fee of up to 600 euros per applicant over the age of majority.

Increase in consular fees

In addition to municipal fees, consular fees for applications for Italian citizenship by descent have also increased significantly. As of January 1, 2025, the consular fee for applying for Italian citizenship by descent has increased from approximately 300 euros to 600 euros per applicant over the age of majority.

This fee adjustment has already been implemented in all Italian consulates in the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, among others, but will be adopted generally by all Italian consulates abroad.

Consequences and advice for applicants

The cumulative effect of these changes is likely to have a profound impact on individuals pursuing recognition of Italian citizenship by descent. Higher costs at every stage, from obtaining civil status certificates to consular and municipal fees and court costs, reflect an effort by Italian authorities to handle the flood of applications, particularly from areas such as South America and the United States. In light of the above, potential applicants are strongly advised to plan financially taking into account the increased costs in the application budget, in which the increased municipal, consular and judicial fees for court cases must also be taken into account, as well as try as much as possible to provide accurate information to Municipalities for applications for civil status certificates, including detailed data so as to try to be able to obtain the application of reduced fees and thus contain costs.

Your Way to Italy: our assistance

Our team is at your disposal to provide you with support and assistance in matters related to Italian immigration and citizenship law. Contact us to book your first consultation! #Yourwaytoitaly

The content of this article is intended to provide general guidance on the subject. For particular issues or cases you should seek specialist advice on your specific situation.