The specialist portal Italiani.net reports that, effective 17 June 2026, Italy has tripled the time window in which parents can secure Italian citizenship for children born or adopted outside the country. Under the amended Article 4(1-bis) of Law 91/1992, parents—of whom at least one is an Italian citizen by birth—now have three years (up from one) to file the declaratory act at the competent consulate. The reform answers long-standing complaints from diaspora families who struggled to gather foreign birth certificates, translations and legalisations within the previous 12-month limit. It also introduces a transitional clause: families with children who were minors on 24 May 2025 may submit applications until 31 May 2026, ensuring thousands of pending cases are not barred. For global employers, the change is significant because many dual-career families delay accepting Italian assignments until they are certain of their children’s status. The extra time should reduce assignment refusals and emergency trips home solely to finalise paperwork.
![Italy extends deadline for citizenship claims of children born abroad]()
For families who prefer streamlined, expert assistance with compiling documents, booking consular appointments and tracking application progress, VisaHQ can help. Its dedicated Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers customized checklists, document pre-screening and courier services that simplify every stage of the citizenship declaration process, reducing stress and the risk of missed deadlines.
Mobility teams should communicate the new timelines clearly and liaise with local consulates to anticipate appointment bottlenecks ahead of the 31 May 2026 transitional deadline. The Interior Ministry will soon release an updated circular detailing required documentation and the option—introduced last year—to file digitally via the "CIVES" portal with qualified electronic signatures. Parents are reminded that the child’s citizenship takes effect the day after the declaration is filed, which can impact access to the Italian national health service (SSN) and EU-wide freedom of movement. As Italy continues to court highly skilled diaspora talent through programmes such as the "Rientro dei Cervelli" tax incentive, simplifying family-based citizenship is seen as a key retention tool.
For families who prefer streamlined, expert assistance with compiling documents, booking consular appointments and tracking application progress, VisaHQ can help. Its dedicated Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers customized checklists, document pre-screening and courier services that simplify every stage of the citizenship declaration process, reducing stress and the risk of missed deadlines.
Mobility teams should communicate the new timelines clearly and liaise with local consulates to anticipate appointment bottlenecks ahead of the 31 May 2026 transitional deadline. The Interior Ministry will soon release an updated circular detailing required documentation and the option—introduced last year—to file digitally via the "CIVES" portal with qualified electronic signatures. Parents are reminded that the child’s citizenship takes effect the day after the declaration is filed, which can impact access to the Italian national health service (SSN) and EU-wide freedom of movement. As Italy continues to court highly skilled diaspora talent through programmes such as the "Rientro dei Cervelli" tax incentive, simplifying family-based citizenship is seen as a key retention tool.
