Italian documents for citizenship by descent
The Italian side of a citizenship-by-descent file is usually your Italian ancestor’s birth record in full, plus marriage and death records where relevant and, for some cases, historical residence and citizenship certificates from the town registry. Since the 2025 reform, eligibility comes first: check it with a qualified lawyer or your consulate before you order documents.
What changed in 2025
Decree-Law 36/2025, converted into Law 74/2025, limits automatic recognition to two generations, with exceptions such as applications or court cases started by March 27, 2025. Italy’s Constitutional Court upheld the core of the reform in 2026. Rules and court decisions are still evolving, so get individual advice on eligibility.
Italian records consulates commonly ask for
- Your Italian ancestor’s birth record, full or “extended” version.
- Marriage and death records of the ancestor, where relevant to the line.
- For some categories: historical residence (certificato storico di residenza) and citizenship (certificato storico di cittadinanza) certificates from the town registry.
The other side of the file
Consulates also ask for documents from your own country, such as long-form birth and marriage certificates with apostilles and Italian translations, plus naturalization records for your ancestor. Requirements differ by consulate and category.
How we help
We retrieve the Italian records: we find the right office, send the formal request with your authorization, follow up until it is issued, and mail you the originals. We do not assess eligibility and we are not a law firm.
We request them in Italian, follow up until they are issued and mail you the originals. From $249.
Order recordsFrequently asked questions
Do I still qualify after the 2025 law?
We cannot tell you: it depends on your line and dates. Ask an Italian citizenship lawyer or your consulate. We can then get the Italian records they ask for.
Do Italian records need an apostille?
Not usually for an Italian consulate, since they are Italian documents. An apostille may be needed if you use them elsewhere; we can arrange it.
Updated October 30, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Sources: Mondaq, citizenship by descent after the 2025 reform, Consulate General of Italy in Chicago, citizenship instructions.