Reacquisition of Italian citizenship under Law 74/2025 for those who lost it under Law 555/1912: deadline december 31, 2027

Historical and legal background

• Law 555/1912: provided for the automatic loss of citizenship for various reasons (such as marriage to a foreign national or voluntary acquisition of another nationality). Article 9 allowed for reacquisition under certain conditions: military service in Italy, renunciation of the foreign citizenship, and residence in Italy for 1 to 2 years depending on the case.
• Law 91/1992: abolished automatic loss of citizenship due to acquisition of another nationality and replaced it with a dual citizenship regime starting from August 16, 1992. It also introduced the possibility of reacquisition through a declaration and transfer of residence to Italy, with a minimum stay of one year and payment of €250.

Amendments introduced by Law 74/2025: A new opportunity

Law 74/2025, by amending Article 17 of Law 91/1992, now allows that
those who were born in Italy or, if born abroad, resided in Italy for at least 2 consecutive years, and lost citizenship under Law 555/1912 — for instance because their Italian ancestor became naturalized in another country or voluntarily renounced Italian citizenship — can reacquire it.

However, Law 74/2025 establishes a limited window during which reacquisition can take place: applications must be submitted between July 1, 2025, and no later than December 31, 2027.

Who can take advantage of the reopened terms

Descendants of Italians born in Italy or abroad (provided they resided in Italy for at least 2 consecutive years in the latter case), who lost citizenship due to the naturalization of their Italian ancestor either involuntarily (e.g., a woman marrying a foreign citizen) or voluntarily (e.g., voluntary acquisition of another nationality or formal renunciation of Italian citizenship), or whose parent was naturalized while they were minors (the typical “minor issue” case), now have until December 31, 2027, to submit a reacquisition declaration to the Consulate.

The declaration of reacquisition may be submitted either at the Italian Consulate in the country of residence or at the Italian municipality of residence, depending on the case.

Note: this reopening does not apply to those who lost or renounced citizenship on or after August 16, 1992.

Your Way to Italy: our assistance

Our team is available to provide guidance on reacquisition applications for Italian citizenship and, more generally, on migration and citizenship law #YourWaytoItaly

The content of this article is intended as a general guide. You should seek specialized legal advice based on your specific situation.