Recent changes in Italian law are directly impacting the 30 million Brazilians who are eligible for citizenship through blood (iure sanguinis), a historic right that has been protected for over a century. However, the Italian government’s recent actions, particularly under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, have raised significant concerns and drawn strong opposition from Italian legal experts.
Key Developments:
- January 2025 – Increase in Judicial Fees: For the first time in Italy’s history, judicial fees for citizenship recognition will no longer be process-based but will instead be charged per applicant. The new 2025 Budget Law introduces a fee of 600 euros per person, up from the previous flat fee of 545 euros per process. This change makes it economically unfeasible for families to pursue citizenship via judicial means, especially for those with multiple family members involved in the process.
- March 2025 – Urgent Publication of Decree-Law 36/2025: The Italian government quickly passed Decree-Law No. 36/2025 without public debate, catching legal experts, consulates, and millions of descendants by surprise. The decree eliminates the administrative route for most descendants, which is currently used in over 90% of cases, and attempts to rewrite Italian citizenship law by stating that descendants without an exclusively Italian parent or grandparent can no longer be considered citizens. This move violates the constitutional principle of non-retroactivity, which protects citizens from losing rights once granted.
- April 2025 – The Introduction of Bill DDL 1450: In response to resistance, the Italian government adjusted its strategy and introduced Bill DDL 1450. This bill reverts to recognizing the historical principle that Italian citizenship through blood is inherent from birth, provided there is no break in the lineage. However, it introduces a new legal mechanism to revoke citizenship due to inactivity. This measure targets descendants who hold dual citizenship and do not establish “effective ties” to Italy within 25 years, effectively allowing the government to strip citizenship from individuals who have no active connection to the country.
What Is “Effective Ties”?
The bill introduces the idea of “effective ties,” defining it as the requirement for foreign-born citizens to have their birth registered in Italy by the age of 25. If this registration isn’t completed, they will lose their citizenship by default.
The Coordinated Strategy
These changes, introduced over just a few months, reveal a coordinated strategy: First, the government imposes financial barriers, then shuts down access to the administrative route, and finally strips citizenship through legal silence and inactivity. Despite the decree not being retroactive, there is a significant risk that future amendments could further restrict the rights of those who have not yet applied for citizenship.
How to Act?
- For Those Already in Process: If you have already submitted your documents to the consulate, you should wait for official guidance from the Italian embassy.
- For Those Waiting for Appointment: The situation is more complicated for those who were waiting for an appointment, as these are now frozen. It seems that those not yet called for an appointment may not be able to continue the application process.
- For Those in Italy: If you had already started the process in Italy by March 27, 2025, you are still protected by the previous rules and can proceed as normal. However, those who had not started the process will no longer be able to apply through the administrative route and will have to rely on the judicial process, which is now the primary means of defending the right to Italian citizenship.
This legal shift is a silent and progressive attack on the rights of millions of descendants, and it is crucial to act before the opportunity is completely closed. The Italian government wants you to give up—but it’s time to act and secure your right.
