Italy Lists 8 Categories Of Foreigners Who Can Apply For Citizenship By Residence
- Italy's citizenship by residence is granted under Article 9 of Law No. 91/1992, issued by decree of the President of the Republic
- The required years of legal residence vary across all 8 categories, ranging from as few as 2 years to as many as 10 years
- An eighth category was introduced under Law 63 of April 2025, covering foreign family members of road or highway collapse victims
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Italy has outlined eight categories of foreigners who may apply for Italian citizenship by residence under Article 9 of Law No. 91 of February 5, 1992 as published by the country's Department of Civil Liberties and Immigration.
Under this framework, citizenship is granted by presidential decree on application to the President of the Republic.
Source: UGC
Each category carries a specific minimum period of legal residence in Italy that must be met before an application can be submitted.
The 8 Categories and Their Residence Requirements
The first category covers a foreigner whose father, mother, or one grandparent was or is an Italian citizen by birth. This applicant must have been legally resident in Italy for at least 2 years.
The second applies to a foreigner who was born on Italian soil and has since been legally resident there for at least 3 years.
The third covers a foreign adult who was adopted by an Italian citizen and has lived legally in Italy for at least 5 years following the adoption.
The fourth category is for a foreigner who has served the Italian State for at least 5 years, including service carried out abroad.
The fifth applies to citizens of a European Union member state who have been legally resident in Italy for at least 4 years.
The sixth covers stateless persons who have lived legally in Italy for a minimum of 5 years.
The seventh is the broadest: any other foreigner not covered by the categories above, who must have been legally resident in Italy for at least 10 years.
The Eighth Category Under Law 63
The eighth and most recently introduced category, added by Law No. 63 of April 2025, covers foreign family members of victims of a road or highway infrastructure collapse who have been legally resident in Italy for at least 5 years. Full details in our earlier report.
The required years differ by category, and reaching the minimum residence period does not mean automatic approval.
Italy speaks about permanent residency
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Italy's permanent residency process outlined specific legal requirements that foreigners must meet before they can submit an application.
The Italian government replaced the old permanent residence card with a new EC residence permit for long-term residents starting in 2007.
Source: Legit.ng
