One of the most frequent questions we receive concerns the possibility of speeding up the Italian citizenship procedure. Let us clarify this immediately: there are no accelerated procedures or priority channels available to obtain Italian citizenship in a shorter timeframe.
Applications for Italian citizenship by marriage or by residence follow the ordinary procedure established by law and are handled by the competent authorities (the Prefecture, for applicants residing in Italy; the competent Italian Consulate or Embassy, for applicants residing abroad; and the Ministry of the Interior) within the statutory timeframe, namely 24 months, extendable up to 36 months.
However, the processing time may vary from one application to another and depends on several factors, including the complexity of the case, the completeness of the documentation submitted, the workload of the authorities involved, and any opinions or checks required from the relevant offices.
What can be done, however, is to reduce the risk of avoidable delays through careful preparation and proper monitoring of the application.
In practice, many applications experience delays due to issues that could have been prevented, such as:
- incomplete or non-compliant documentation;
- foreign certificates lacking proper legalization, apostille, or translation;
- failure to communicate relevant updates compared to the information provided at the time of filing the application (for example, changes in marital status, birth of children, changes of residence, or other personal circumstances);
- insufficiently verified income documentation.
In such cases, the authorities may request additional documentation, which can result in delays in processing the application. Failure to provide the requested documents within the indicated timeframe may lead to an unfavorable assessment of the application and, where provided by law, may result in the rejection of the application.
Proper management and continuous monitoring of the application allow applicants to:
- verify eligibility requirements and documentation in advance;
- constantly monitor the progress of the procedure;
- promptly respond to any requests from the authorities.
If the statutory maximum timeframe is exceeded without a decision being issued, specific actions may be considered, including formal follow-ups, formal notices to comply, requests for access to administrative records, or other legal remedies that may be available.
Italian citizenship cannot be obtained faster than the timeframes established by law. However, an application that is properly prepared and monitored throughout the entire procedure can certainly help prevent avoidable delays and provide greater assurance of a successful outcome.
If you wish to receive dedicated assistance with your Italian citizenship application by residence or marriage, please contact us at info@mazzeschi.it
This article was written by Giuditta De Ricco and Irene Lauretta.
