Thousands of Italians who emigrated abroad after World War II faced an impossible choice: remain forever foreign in their new countries or sacrifice their children’s Italian heritage.
For those who chose naturalization before 15 August 1992, under Italy’s former citizenship laws, when parents voluntarily acquired foreign citizenship and established residence abroad, their minor children automatically lost Italian citizenship through no fault of their own.
This harsh provision meant that countless children were stripped of their Italian identity simply because their parents became naturalised.
“I was eight years old when my father became an Australian citizen,” recalls Giuseppe Monteleone, whose family emigrated from Calabria to Sydney in 1969. “I had no say in the matter, but suddenly I was no longer Italian.”
The automatic loss occurred regardless of whether children were born in Italy, spoke Italian fluently, or maintained strong cultural ties to their homeland. The law was unforgiving – if your parent naturalised before August 15, 1992, and you were a minor living with them, you lost your citizenship.
However, new Italian legislation recently passed offers a pathway for former citizens to reacquire their Italian citizenship, provided they either were born in Italy or lived there for at least two consecutive years.
This means that even brief childhood periods spent in Italy now count toward eligibility.
Whether you attended elementary school, spent summers with grandparents, or lived there as a toddler, any two consecutive years of residence qualifies you for reacquisition.
The application window runs from 1 July 2025, to 31 December 2027. Applicants must provide relevant documentation proving their previous citizenship and the circumstances of its loss, make a declaration in person at an Italian consulate, and pay a 250-euro fee.
For many, this law represents more than legal restoration – it’s a chance to reclaim an identity severed by circumstances beyond their control. After decades of feeling displaced, former citizens finally have a path back to their ancestral homeland.
