Italian citizenship by residence: 2026 requirements and timing

Updated on 1 October 2026

To apply for Italian citizenship by residence (cittadinanza per residenza), a non-EU citizen must have lived legally in Italy for at least 10 years, have a sufficient income in recent years, know Italian at least at level B1 and have no criminal record problems. The law gives the State 24 months, extendable up to 36, to reply. In 2026 the required years have not changed: the 2025 referendum did not reach the quorum.

In brief

• 10 years of continuous legal residence for non-EU citizens.
• Minimum income indicated by the Prefectures: €8,263.31 a year alone, €11,362.05 with a dependent spouse, +€516 for each dependent child.
• You need a B1 Italian certificate, with some exemptions.
• Legal timing: 24 months, up to a maximum of 36 months.
• With law 74/2025 the rules for minor children changed.

How many years of residence do I need for Italian citizenship?

It depends on your situation. According to the Prefecture of La Spezia, the years of legal residence are:

Situation	Years of legal residence
Non-EU citizen	10 years
European Union citizen	4 years
Refugee or stateless person	5 years from recognition
Born in Italy	3 years
Child or grandchild of Italian citizens by birth	3 years

Residence must be legal (with a residence permit, permesso di soggiorno) and registered at the registry office (anagrafe) of the Municipality. Gaps in your registered residence can also cause problems. According to the Prefecture, while the application is in progress you cannot move your residence abroad.

Did the referendum change the 10 years?

No. The referendum of 8 and 9 June 2025 asked to go from 10 to 5 years, but it did not reach the quorum. The vote is not valid and the rule stays as before: 10 years for non-EU citizens. Be wary of videos or messages talking about “citizenship in 5 years” for everyone.

How much income do I need for citizenship?

The Prefectures use these yearly thresholds:

• €8,263.31 if you apply alone;
• €11,362.05 with a dependent spouse;
• €516 more for each dependent child.

Income declared in Italy and on which tax was paid is what counts. That is why it is very important to file your tax return every year (or to have the Certificazione Unica from your employer). You must have the income not only when you apply: it is also checked during the procedure.

A practical tip: before applying, check your income year by year. If one year is very low, it is better to understand first how to present it.

Do I need the B1 Italian certificate?

Yes. Law 91/1992 (art. 9.1) requires “an adequate knowledge of the Italian language, not lower than level B1”. You prove it with a B1 certificate issued by a recognised body, or with an Italian school or university qualification.

According to the same rule, those who have signed the integration agreement and holders of the EU residence permit for long-term residents (the “carta di soggiorno”) are exempt. If you have the carta di soggiorno, your situation regarding B1 may therefore be simpler: ask for a check before paying for an exam.

How do I submit the application?

The application is made online only, on the Ministry of the Interior’s ALI Portal, logging in with SPID (Italian digital identity). This is the basic list of documents, always to be checked case by case:

1. birth certificate from your country of origin, translated and legalised;
2. criminal record certificate from your country of origin (and from other countries where you have lived, if required), translated and legalised;
3. B1 certificate or qualification;
4. identity document and residence permit;
5. receipt for the fee required by law and a revenue stamp (marca da bollo) (amounts are shown on the portal).

The most common problem for our clients from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Morocco is the legalisation of foreign documents: a missing stamp can send the whole application back.

How long does it take to become an Italian citizen?

Article 9-ter of law 91/1992 says the procedure must end within 24 months of the application, extendable up to a maximum of 36 months.

After the grant decree, you must take the oath (giuramento) at the Municipality. You become an Italian citizen only after the oath.

If more than 36 months have passed and your application is stuck, there are tools to press the administration: see our page on chasing a citizenship application.

What changed with law 74/2025?

Law 74/2025 (which converted decree-law 36/2025) mainly changed citizenship by descent for Italians born abroad. But there is one point that affects many foreign families living in Italy: minor children.

Today article 14 of law 91/1992 says that a minor child living with the parent becomes Italian together with the parent only if, on the date the parent acquires citizenship, the child has lived legally in Italy for at least two continuous years (or since birth, if under two).

What does this mean in practice? If you are thinking of bringing your children to Italy through family reunification and also applying for citizenship, the timing must be planned together. On this point there are also recent court rulings, and the situation may evolve: it is a topic to assess case by case.

Do you want to know if you can already apply?

Many applications are rejected or slowed down because of one year of too-low income, a gap in residence or a document that was not properly legalised. Checking first costs less than redoing everything later. We cannot guarantee the outcome, because citizenship by residence is a concession by the State, but we can tell you clearly whether you meet the requirements.

Book a 30-minute consultation for €60 with the studio of Dr Elda Di Cosmo, at our office in Milan or online on WhatsApp. You can also write to Sofia, the studio’s assistant, on WhatsApp from the booking box on this page. You can find the whole process on the Italian citizenship page.