On May 20, Italy officially implemented a new law for those seeking citizenship through their great-grandparents.
The legislation introduced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, in March this year, restricts the rights of those whose parents and grandparents were Italians, Schengen.News reports.
Those who are not eligible to obtain citizenship through ancestry now are required to move to Italy and apply based on residency. However, the process is now more difficult due to the stricter visa regulations applied to non-EU citizens.
Decree-Law Approved by Senate
The Italian Senate recently approved the decree law that limits access to Italian citizenship for descendants born in other countries. The new changes were approved with a total of 81 votes pro and 37 against.
Following the new changes, the rules for claiming citizenship by jus sanguinis, or descent bloodline, are now stricter.
In order to apply for citizenship under the jus sanguinis, applicants are required to have at least one Italian parent or grandparent. Applicants are also required to prove Italian language proficiency, which was previously required for naturalisation by residency or marriage.
Recently, the Italian Interior Ministry said that there are about 80 million people of Italian descent worldwide. But those whose grandparents were Italian and who spent time and money
The Italian Deputy Prime Minister, Antonio Tajani, said that being an Italian citizen is not a joke.
Being an Italian citizen is a serious matter; it is not a joke to have a [Italian] passport in your pocket to go shopping in Miami. We want those who wish to become Italian citizens because they have the right and because they feel connected to our country, to be able to do so. But without abuse, with the end of the use of our nationality for other reasons.
Brazilians’ Most Affected Ones
According to a report from NSC, the most affected ones will be descendants living in Brazil.
In 2023, a total of 61,000 citizens were granted blood rights to descendants. Of the total, Brazilians accounted for 68.5 per cent with 42,000 citizenships granted.
Argentinians became the third-largest nationality to hold citizenship in Italy in 2023.
The statistics from the Italian Office for Statistics, Istat, revealed that in 2023, more than 16,000 Argentinians became naturalised, accounting for a significant increase compared to 2021 statistics.