Applications will be handled by a new department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while consulates will retain limited competence
On February 19, 2026, Law No. 11 of January 19, 2026, entitled “Provisions for the Reform of Services for Citizens and Businesses Abroad,” enters into force.
The law impacts applications based on jure sanguinis and marriage, particularly for applicants residing outside Italy.
Beginning January 1, 2029, jurisdiction over adult citizenship applications will shift from Italian consulates to a newly strengthened central office within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI). Italian Consulates aborad will retain authority only for citizenship recognition involving minor children of already recognized Italian citizens.
A transitional system introduces annual caps on the number of applications that may be accepted. Until 2029, consulates may receive no more applications per year than they finalized the previous year (with a minimum threshold of 100 per year). Similar annual limits will apply to the new central office during its first two years of operation (2029–2031).
As a result, over the next five years stricter waiting lists are likely to apply. It may therefore be advisable to submit applications as early as possible in order to avoid the risk of being excluded from the waiting list altogether.
From a procedural standpoint, applications must be submitted exclusively by postal mail in original hard copy, while communications with the administration will take place only through electronic means. The maximum processing time has also been extended from 24 to 36 months.
Additional provisions include the restructuring of AIRE (Registry of Italian citizens living abroad) into a unified registry integrated with the National Resident Population Registry (ANPR), as well as amendments concerning passports and identity cards for Italians residing abroad.
This article was written by Giuditta De Ricco.
