Italy
ISO2: IT
Italian citizenship by residence (art. 9, Law 91/1992): eligibility, continuous legal residence, documents, where to apply, and official sources.
Passport
Citizenship by residence
- Minimum years of residence
- 10.0
- Requires permanent residence
- No
- Last updated
- Feb. 4, 2026
- Notes
- General rule (non-EU): 10 years of continuous legal residence (art. 9, Law 91/1992). Reduced timelines commonly used: EU citizens 4 years; refugees/stateless persons 5 years (from recognition); foreigners born in Italy 3 years. Studying in Italy does not reduce required years (but may serve as language proof). Residence must be legal, continuous, and registered at the Comune (Anagrafe). Maintain legal status and registered residence until the decree and oath. Language: B1 Italian required, with common exemptions (e.g., Italian diploma/degree; EU long-term permit often used as proof in practice). Apply online via Ministry portal; case handled locally via Prefettura; oath at Comune. Processing commonly 24 months, extendable up to 36 months.
- Dual citizenship
-
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Renunciation required: No
- Notes for dual citizenship
- Italy generally allows multiple citizenship and does not require renunciation of the applicant’s original nationality. The applicant should still verify whether their original country automatically withdraws citizenship upon acquiring another.
Qualifying residence permits
EU citizen residence registration (Comune / Anagrafe)
EU citizens use municipal registration rather than a permesso di soggiorno.
Counts
EU long-term residence permit (Permesso UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo)
Counts; often used as integration/language evidence in practice.
Counts
Family reunification permit
Counts if continuously valid and residence is registered (Anagrafe).
Counts
Refugee / international protection status
Counts; reduced timeline may apply depending on status and rules.
Counts
Self-employment permit
Counts if continuously valid and residence is registered (Anagrafe).
Counts
Study permit (student)
Counts toward residence requirement if continuously renewed and resident is registered.
Counts
Tourist / short-stay visa
Does not count (typically cannot maintain official residence registration for the citizenship clock).
Doesn’t count
Work permit (subordinate employment)
Counts if continuously valid and residence is registered (Anagrafe).
Counts
Required documents
| Document | Mandatory | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Application fee receipt (€250)
Receipt for the required application fee payment.
|
Mandatory | Upload receipt as required by the portal. |
|
Birth certificate
Original birth certificate; foreign-issued documents typically need legalization/apostille and certified Italian translation.
|
Mandatory | Foreign documents generally require apostille/legalization and certified Italian translation. |
|
Copy of passport / ID
Identity document copy (passport bio page or equivalent).
|
Mandatory | Identity verification. |
|
Copy of residence permit / EU residence registration
Current permesso di soggiorno or EU residence registration certificate.
|
Mandatory | Show current legal status in Italy. |
|
Criminal record certificate(s)
Police clearance from country of origin and other relevant countries; often has limited validity at submission.
|
Mandatory | Provide certificates per rules; often valid only a limited time at submission. |
|
Income proof (last 3 years)
Tax returns / income statements for the last 3 years to show sufficient income and stability.
|
Mandatory | Typically last 3 years tax returns/income statements; thresholds apply and may change yearly. |
|
Italian language proof (B1 certificate or Italian diploma/degree)
B1 certificate from recognized providers or Italian educational diploma/degree (where applicable).
|
Mandatory | Provide B1 certificate or qualifying exemption proof where applicable. |
|
Marca da bollo (stamp duty) proof (€16)
Electronic stamp duty code/proof used in the application.
|
Mandatory | Enter/upload stamp duty proof/code as required by the portal. |
|
Proof of legal residence history (certificato storico di residenza)
Municipal historical residence certificate showing continuous registration.
|
Mandatory | Key evidence of continuous registered residence (Anagrafe). |
|
Family status certificate (stato di famiglia)
Household registry certificate (useful when relying on household income / dependents).
|
Optional | Useful if using household income or listing dependents. |
|
Housing proof (lease/deed) (optional)
Sometimes requested to support stable residence (optional / case-by-case).
|
Optional | May be requested by Prefettura in some cases. |
Submission offices
Comune (Town Hall) – Oath (Giuramento)
Municipal / Civil Registry
Oath ceremony at the Comune after approval; citizenship becomes effective after oath.
Ministry of Interior – Citizenship Online Portal (Ali Cittadinanza)
Online
Online submission of citizenship by residence application (art. 9).
Prefettura (Prefecture) – Citizenship Office
Immigration Authority
Identification/verification appointment and case handling at provincial level.
Official sources
Ali Cittadinanza – Online portal entry
Government
Official portal used to submit applications.
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Concessione cittadinanza per residenza (art. 9) – D.L.C.I.
Government
Official page on citizenship by residence under art. 9.
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Ministero dell'Interno – Cittadinanza (overview)
Government
Official Ministry overview.
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Latest ranking snapshot
As of Feb. 22, 2026
- Travel freedom185.00
- Residency rights31.00
- Quality of life152.90
- Economic freedom60.90
- Tax friendliness40.00
Methodology (as of 2026-02-22): composite ranking uses weighted, min-max normalized scores across (1) Travel freedom 25% from Henley Passport Index 2026 (visa-free/visa-on-arrival count), (2) Economic freedom 25% from Heritage Index of Economic Freedom 2025 (overall score), (3) Residency rights 20% proxy based on free-movement blocs (EU+EEA+Switzerland highest; Mercosur medium; others baseline), (4) Disposable income after taxes 20% from Numbeo Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax), USD, (5) Quality of life 5% from Numbeo Quality of Life Index 2026, (6) Tax friendliness 5% from Nomad Passport Index (Taxation column only). Raw indicator values are stored in this table; composite scoring is computed externally.