Up until August 16, 1992, Italians who took on the citizenship of a foreign country automatically lost Italian citizenship. After this date, those who lost their Italian citizenship are able to reacquire it. In this article, we will cover how this is possible and certain regulations to be aware of.
How could Italian citizenship be lost?
As mentioned above, prior to 1992, Italians who naturalized in another country de facto lost Italian citizenship. This was because before August 16, 1992, Italian citizenship was “exclusive”, this means that Italy required absolute, sole allegiance from its citizens, prohibiting them from obtaining nationality in any other country. Consequently those who resided in another country and voluntarily took on the citizenship of that country (through naturalization) automatically lost Italian citizenship. In these instances, the loss of Italian citizenship occurred whether or not the person was aware of it. In other words, no formal declaration was necessary; naturalizing in another country resulted in the loss of Italian citizenship.
It is also to note that there was an exception to the above mentioned “principle of exclusivity”: children of Italian citizens who were born in a foreign country where citizenship was automatically granted at birth, and therefore obtained involuntarily, were allowed to retain Italian citizenship.
What changed in 1992?
According to Law No. 91/1992, Italian citizens who resided in and became naturalized citizens of a foreign country no longer lost Italian citizenship. Furthermore, after 1992, those who involuntarily lost Italian citizenship due to naturalizing in another country could reclaim their Italian citizenship provided they reside in Italy for one year. Therefore, starting from 1992 Italy started to allow for dual citizenship.
With that said, it is important to note that certain countries in the world still do not allow for dual nationalities. For instance, at the time of the writing of this article, China and Japan are among those countries that prohibit their citizenship to have dual citizenship. On the other hand, Italy and the U.S. and Italy accept multiple citizenships (even more than two).
The difference between losing and renouncing citizenship
When “losing” Italian citizenship, we generally speak of an involuntary loss, that which occurs in most of the situations mentioned in the first paragraph. Significantly, after the 1992 law, there are not many cases in which Italian citizenship can be easily and unwillingly lost or revoked. It is more common and easier to willingly renounce citizenship, most often done in the cases of those who obtain multi-nationality and either have conflicts with maintaining a foreign nationality and an Italian one, or for some other reason. The good news is that in most cases, Italian citizenship can be reacquired if the person wishes in the future.
How to reacquire Italian citizenship
Reacquiring Italian citizenship almost always involves a residency requirement on the part of the pursuant. In other words, the person who lost Italian citizenship must reside in Italy in order to regain Italian citizenship. In one case, you can make a formal declaration at your local Italian consulate that you intend to regain citizenship by establishing residency in the country within one year of making the declaration. This same declaration can be made at the Italian municipality where you intend to reside. You might need to provide your birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization in another country prior to 1992, any applicable marriage or divorce certificates, and proof of payment of €250. Always check local requirements.
Special exception for 2026 and 2027
Those who lost Italian citizenship before the 1992 law have a special provision in place to reacquire Italian citizenship without the residency requirement (Law No. 74 of May 23, 2025). This is only effect between July 1, 2025 and December 31, 2027. A simple formal declaration can be made at your local Italian consulate, upon appointment, or at your local Italian municipality if living in Italy. It is important to note that citizenship will not be retroactive, and therefore, children who were born before the reacquisition of citizenship will not directly benefit from their parent reacquiring Italian citizenship.
The required documents include those listed in the previous paragraph. Providing proof of your previous possession of Italian citizenship and the loss of it will be crucial. Consular appointments can be booked on Prenot@mi. Italian citizenship will be legally recognized the day following the formal declaration.
Conclusion
If you lost citizenship prior to 1992 and are interested in reacquiring it during this crucial window before December 31, 2027, Italian Citizenship Assistance is here to help! Contact us today at [email protected].
