According to the new version of Law No. 91/1992, modified by Law n. 74, 23/05/2025, Italian citizenship is transmitted from parent to child for a maximum of two generations, on the condition that the Italian parent has never renounced Italian citizenship or become naturalized while the direct descendant was a minor.
Those born abroad must also meet at least one of the following conditions:
- They are entitled exclusively to Italian citizenship (namely they do not have and cannot acquire any citizenship other than Italian);
- They have a parent (including an adoptive parent) or a grandparent who, at the time of the applicant’s birth — or at the time of their ancestor’s death — held exclusively Italian citizenship;
- They have an Italian parent (including an adoptive parent) who resided in Italy for at least two consecutive years after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the birth or adoption of the applicant.
PLEASE NOTE:
A woman transmits Italian citizenship to her descendants only from the 1st of January 1948 onwards.
An Italian woman married to a foreign citizen before the 1st of January 1948 automatically lost her Italian citizenship if the nationality law of her husband’s country provided for the automatic acquisition of that country’s citizenship by virtue of marriage. Example: An Italian woman who married an Australian citizen on the 31st of December 1947 automatically acquired Australian citizenship, thereby simultaneously losing her Italian citizenship.
PROCEDURE
This procedure applies to adult applicants who intend to obtain Italian citizenship jure sanguinis (by descent).
For the registration of minors, please refer to the section “Registry Office” of our website: Registering the birth of minor children – Consolato Generale d’Italia Sydney
Applications for the recognition of citizenship by descent must be submitted in the applicant’s state of residence.
Accordingly, this Consulate General will accept applications only from:
- Australian citizens residing in New South Wales (NSW);
- Citizens of other nationalities residing in NSW who hold an Australian permanent residence visa.
The application can be submitted only by appointment, which must be booked through the Prenot@mi portal. On the day of the appointment, the applicant must submit all original documents duly legalized and translated into Italian.
The required original documents have no expiration date and will not be returned.
The Office reserves the right to request additional evidence and supporting documentation once the case has been reviewed.
COSTS
For the processing of the citizenship application, a payment of 600 euros, to be made in Australian dollars (pursuant to Article 7B of the Consular Fee ), is required. Payment must be made in cash or by debit card.
Please note that this is a mandatory contribution required by law for the processing of the application, and it does not in any way guarantee a positive outcome of the procedure.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS IT REFUNDABLE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT:
- The application is individual and must be submitted in person, together with all the required documentation.
- If two or more members of the same family wish to apply for recognition of Italian citizenship by descent from the same ancestor, whether simultaneously or at different times, it is sufficient to submit only one set of documents relating to the common ancestor and descendant, provided that all applicants reside in New South Wales (NSW).
- Residents of NSW whose family members have already obtained recognition of Italian citizenship through another Consulate or in Italy must, in any case, submit all the original documents relating to the ancestor.
- The Citizenship Office reserves the right to request additional documentation should the elements provided be deemed insufficient for a proper evaluation of the citizenship application.
- The collection of the required documentation is a responsibility of the applicant only.
- The processing time for the assessment of the Italian citizenship is 730 days, as established by Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers No. 33 of the 17th of January 2014, published in the Official Gazette No. 64 of the 18th of March 2014.
- The Consulate General will send the applicants an official communication by email regarding the outcome of the procedure, and — in the event of a positive result — will simultaneously transmit the relevant documentation to the Italian municipality for registration.
- All original documents submitted will not be returned, but will be retained on file by the Consulate for record-keeping purposes.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO RESPOND BY EMAIL OR PHONE TO GENERAL INQUIRIES REGARDING PROCEDURES OR REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION.
DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED ON THE DAY OF THE APPOINTMENT: