How To Get Italian Citizenship by Marriage?Â
This is a really common question we ask from our Clients and for several different reasons.Â
First of all, Italian Citizenship Laws changed several times in the last decade, and so it’s complex to understand how to apply for Italian Citizenship by Marriage through these amendments and new rules.
We are here to assist You on Italian Citizenship by Marriage and explain to Your all Italian Citizenship by Marriage requirements, with all steps required.Â
ALL ABOUT ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE: WHY?
 When it comes to Italian Citizenship by Marriage, we refer to one of the most common applications for getting an Italian Passport and a Dual Citizenship.Â
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This is certainly not a case.
From one side, Italian Citizenship through Marriage is a goal for several families, in which an Italian Spouse married a foreign person.Â
And maybe they also have children: if the children, for some reasons, didn’t get automatically Italian Citizenship through their Italian Father/Italian Mother, that’s why applying for Italian Citizenship by Marriage is the way to transmit Italian Citizenship to them too.
From the other side, getting an Italian Dual Passport is the best investment You can do for Your family , as it’s currently set at the 4th Most Powerful Passport according to the official Worldwide Passport Index.
Now You will understand how to get Italian Citizenship by Marriage, what are all Italian Citizenship by Marriage requirements and everything You need to know about Italian Citizenship by Marriage.
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The data collected on Italian Citizenship by Marriage acquisitions from the official Italian Government Statistics on Italian Citizenship by Marriage are very clear.
The demand for Italian Citizenship by Marriage is increasing year by year, and always more people are looking for how to become an Italian Citizen through Marriage.
Italian Citizenship by Marriage application increases
2015-2020 Italian Citizenship by Marriage applications and increase of demands
The demands for Italian Citizenship through Marriage are increasing for several different circumstances.
For example, after Brexit UK Citizens married an Italian spouse.
Or, Â think about the new opportunity to get an Italian Passport after some years of applying with the new Golden Visa For Italy.
Italian Citizenship Law and Rules changed a lot in the last decade – That’s also why it’s absolutely important to hire qualified Italian Citizenship Lawyers to have qualified Italian Citizenship Assistance.
BENEFITS OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
Why Do I Have to apply for Italian Citizenship by Marriage?
Italian Citizenship for foreigners regularly residing in Italy – or also not residing in Italy – is a very important goal.
That’s the case of those who are married to an Italian spouse, and so they aim to get Italian Citizenship by Marriage, mainly as a future investment for their minor children too.Â
So, just not think about Italian Citizenship by Marriage as a way to get an Italian dual Passport for Yourself (that may be the goal for some people).Â
Let’s also think about the future generations – You children, the children of Your children, and so on…Â
Indeed, Italian Citizenship can transmit through generations as Italian Citizenship by Descent.
Getting an Italian Dual Citizenship Is actually a great investment for the future: it increases opportunities and quality of life, for the Italian Citizenship Applicants and his/her family members and relatives.
KEY BENEFITS OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP THROUGH MARRIAGE
- Full accesso to Free Public Education: free public education is available to children of those who reside in Italy.
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- Free Registration with National Health Care Service: Italian Citizens are fully covered by the Italian National Health Care without paying anything else except for little fees for special treatments.
Italian Citizenship entitles to have a family doctor, access to all specialist tests and visits, be admitted to hospital, etc - Stop Bureaucracy: there is no need to go to the Police Headquarters for the renewal of your permit to stay, or thinking about getting an Italian Visa for coming to Schengen Europe or Italy.
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- Become European Citizen: as an EU citizen, You can live and move all around the EU with all benefits like:
- Freedom of movement and residence throughout the territory of the Union;
- The right to vote and be elected in municipal and European Parliament elections in the Member State of residence;
- The protection by the diplomatic and consular authorities of any Member State in a third country in which the State of which the person in question has citizenship is not represented;
- Full civil and social rights: like the right to vote, to make jobs reserved only to Italians, enjoy political life, enjoy benefits reserved only to Italians, etc.
- Benefits for traveling and moving outside the EU.
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ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS
Am I Eligible for Italian Citizenship through Marriage?
When people decide to start applying for Italian Citizenship through Marriage with an Italian spouse, you have to pay attention to the requirements.Â
It may be a huge error to think to be eligible just because You are married. A Certificate of Marriage is certainly the basic requirement, but not the only one.Â
What is also important is to check if some amount of time has passed from the day You married – and this change depending on if You’re residing in Italy or abroad. Â
So let’s see the Italian Citizenship by Marriage requirements which are relevant for Your eligiblity.
How many times has passed since the Marriage?
This is a relevant requirement You have to firstly check.
Indeed, when You marry an Italian spouse, this not means that the day after You can apply for Italian Citizenship by Marriage.
Several months have to pass:Â
2 Years
If you are an Italian Resident.Â
3 Years
If you are not an Italian Resident.Â
Do You have children (biological or adopted)? This may help in order to cut off by 50% wait times.Â
So, if you have children, you will have to wait:
1 Years
If you are an Italian Resident.Â
1,5 Years
If you are not an Italian Resident.Â
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HOW TO APPLY FOR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
Ok, so you have read why it’s important to invest in applying for Italian Citizenship through Marriage.
Now, Let’s see how to apply for Italian Citizenship by Marriage.Â
We want to enlist all Italian Citizenship by Marriage requirements and the different ways to apply, depending on if You live in Italy or if You live abroad.Â
Where are You resident? Select it
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#1. ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE FOR RESIDENTS OUTSIDE ITALY
Italian Citizenship by Marriage gives You the opportunity to get an Italian Passport simply because  You are married to an Italian spouse.Â
Starting from these sentence, You may think it’s pretty easy to get Italian Citizenship in this way, just because you have a Marriage Certificate – unfortunately, it’s not no easy as it seems.Â
Why the path of Italian Citizenship through Marriage may be complex?Â
The main reason is that this program (like the Italian citizenship through residency program) was amended several times in the last decades, with the last big modification in 2018, with Law  No. 132/2018 that introduced the Italian Language requirement and new [longer] processing time (maximum 48 months).Â
But we also have some great news: in January 2021, the Italian Government introduced some great [positive] amendments to the Italian Citizenship Law, which affected the procedures of Italian Citizenship by Marriage.Â
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From one side, the processing time is now reduced to 2 Years as maximum wait time [this means that You can obtain Your Italian Citizenship in few months].Â
On the other side, they also changed the application itself, which is now more clear but with more information as requirements.Â
We recently talked about it here (Article in Italian Language)
Italian Citizenship now 2 Years [updated 2021]
The Italian Citizenship by Marriage Application Process.
In order to be sure to submit a correct Italian Citizenship by Marriage application, there are several documents to prepare and some important tips to remember.Â
Required Documents for Italian Citizenship by Marriage for foreigners
This is one of the first document to obtain, as it takes time. The certification may be demonstrated in ONE of the following ways:
- A DEGREE issued by a public instructional institution or equivalent in Italy or abroad, recognized by the Ministero dell’Istruzione dell’Università e della Ricerca, and by the Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, OR,
- A CERTIFICATE OF KNOWLEDGE OF ITALIAN LANGUAGE AT LEVEL B1 (or higher), issued by one of the following institutions:
- Universita’ per stranieri di Siena
- Universita’ per stranieri di Perugia
- Universita’ Roma Tre
- Società Dante Alighieri
You need the original one, complete of all legalization and certification, with the registration at the Italian Comune. Â
You need the original one, complete of all legalization and certification. You also need the Birth Certificates of all your children.
You need the original one, complete of all legalization and certification, both from Italy and from all Countries where You lived.
Important: the list above is not legal advice and it’s not complete with all several requirements requested by the Italian Citizenship Laws, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Consider it as just for informative purposes.Â
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The application procedure for Italian Citizenship by Marriage
Step 1. Document Check and Digital ID.
Before submitting the application for Italian Citizenship by Marriage, You have to check Your documents if collected in the right way, and register yourself for an Italian Digital ID.
First of all, You have to submit electronically Your Italian Citizenship by Marriage application, with all paperwork scanned and submitted to the Italian Citizenship Department at the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The procedure was recently amended on this part, as the Italian Government requires to have a digital identity SPID, in order to be clearly identified as an Italian Citizenship Applicant.Â
That’s not an easy process, and that’s why of the many reasons You need an Italian Citizenship Lawyer to assist You during the process.
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Step 2. The Italian Citizenship Application.
From January 2021, the Portal for submitting the application for Italian Citizenship by Marriage changed, so beware to not select the wrong one.
Using the SPID ID described in Step 1., You can log in to the Official Italian Government’s Italian Citizenship portal.Â
As You may notice, the portal is entirely in the Italian language.Â
So, that’s another reason for avoiding self-application but hiring a qualified Italian Citizenship Lawyer to assist You in the process.
After you entered into the Portal, You will have to select the dedicated section for Italian Citizenship by Marriage:
So now You are ready to fill up all the forms with all the information requested, and at the same time, You’ll have to upload a scanned copy of the document You already have, related to that information.Â
As you can see from the left menu, there are several steps to satisfy in order to fill up a complete application for Italian Citizenship by Marriage.Â
It’s very important, for this purpose, to have all documents ready before the application.
Indeed, there won’t be the chance to integrate the documents in a second moment.
As You will send the application, the Offices will evaluate Your Italian Citizenship by Marriage application based on these documents You uploaded, that’s it.Â
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Step 3. The Appointment at the Italian Consulate
After a few weeks or months, the competent Italian Consulate (based where You’re resident) will contact You to bring all paper documents.
Indeed, through the Italian Citizenship by Marriage Portal, you uploaded a scanned version of these.Â
So they have to check these documents are not fake, and they fully correspond to the ones uploaded.
As they double-checked the documents, You have just to wait for the decision on Your application.Â
2 Important Notes, Pay Attention.
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Following the Law, You will never receive communication from the Italian Consulate itself (like an email). For monitoring Your application, You have to log in to the Portal and check the “Status“.
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As we said, the Italian Citizenship by Marriage Application has to be decided in MAXIMUM 2 Years, from the day you submitted Your application.
This means that, if You won’t have a decision in 2 years, You can fill out an appeal at the Italian Court, and they will decide Your Application.
A quick explanation Video on Italian Citizenship by Marriage key points
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#2. ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE FOR ITALIAN RESIDENTS
The application for Italian Citizenship by Marriage will follow [almost] the same rules and the same procedure as we described above for the Italian Citizenship through Marriage application for non-italian residents.
However, what it changes is related is the Step #3, and some other (unwritten) consequences.Â
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Step 3. The Appointment at the Italian Prefettura.
As an Italian resident, of course, You have not expected to have an appointment at the Italian Consulate, but at the Prefettura Office.
The Prefettura is the local representative office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Italy, located in each Italian Province.Â
But this may be an advantage for You in certain circumstances.Â
It’s a well-known fact many Italian Consulates are not able to process huge numbers of demands, and this may be a problem for Your application wait time.Â
That’s why it’s important and mandatory to check the 2-years wait time and do not hesitate to submit an appeal at the Italian Court with Your Italian Citizenship Lawyers, is case this time won’t be respected. Â
We recently talked about it here (Article in Italian Language)
Italian Citizenship now 2 Years [updated 2021]
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ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE F.A.Q.
Most Common Questions we received about Italian Citizenship through Marriage,  the Italian Citizenship by Marriage requirements and How to get Italian Citizenship by marriage.Â
You may find some useful responses here below.
WHAT IS ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE?
Italian Citizenship by Marriage is a way to get an Italian Passport and Dual Italian Citizenship thanks to the fact a person is married to an Italian spouse.
Civil unions are also recognized as the concept of Marriage.
HOW TO GET ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE?
The procedure to get Italian Citizenship by Marriage is almost the same in case You apply as an Italian resident or a non-Italian resident, with a few differences.
In both cases, You have to – first of all – submit Your Italian Citizenship through Marriage application online and, after that, Your documents will be checked before the evaluation of Your eligibility.
DO I NEED A LAWYER TO GET ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE?
In most cases, yes.
In the ordinary way to apply for Italian Citizenship by Marriage, if you don’t speak Italian or You’re not used to speaking it (also if You speak it a little), You have to be assisted by qualified Italian Citizenship Lawyers, as the application is exclusively in the Italian language.
The same is in case Your Italian Citizenship through Marriage will be denied, or not processed in maximum 2 years wait time.
IS IT WORTH TO APPLY FOR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE?
Getting Italian Dual Citizenship (through Marriage is actually a great investment for the future: it increases opportunities and quality of life, for the Italian Citizenship Applicant and for his/her family members and relatives.
The demands for Italian Citizenship by Marriage will not decrease in the next years, but it will certainly increase because of several political and economical circumstances.
This, for example, at Brexit – or think about the new opportunity to get an Italian Passport after some years with applying with the new Golden Visa For Italy.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE?
Full accesso to Free Public Education: free public education is available to children of those who reside in Italy.
Free Registration with National Health Care Service: Italian Citizens are fully covered by the Italian National Health Care without paying anything else except for little fees for special treatments.
Citizenship entitles to have a family doctor, access to all specialist tests and visits, be admitted to hospital, etc
Stop Bureaucracy: there is no need to go to the Police Headquarters for the renewal of your permit to stay, or thinking about getting a Visa for coming to Europe or Italy.
Become European Citizen: as an EU citizen, You can live and move all around the EU with all benefits like:
Freedom of movement and residence throughout the territory of the Union;
The right to vote and be elected in municipal and European Parliament elections in the Member State of residence;
The protection by the diplomatic and consular authorities of any Member State in a third country in which the State of which the person in question has citizenship is not represented;
Full civil and social rights: like the right to vote, to make jobs reserved only to Italians, enjoy political life, enjoy benefits reserved only to Italians, etc.
Benefits for traveling and moving outside the EU.
Am I Eligible for Italian Citizenship by Marriage?
In order to be eligible, you have to meet several requirements and be able to get several documents and certifications. We can evaluate together for a 1st free evaluation. Book a Consultancy or Contact Us!
What are the Italian Citizenship by Marriage Requirements?
There are several requirements when it comes to Italian Citizenship by marriage. The fact You are married to an Italian citizen doesn’t mean that you automatically qualify.
There are requirements related to the time passed since the date of Marriage: 2 years if living in Italy, 3 years if living abroad.
These times are decreased by 50% in case You have children.
There are also several requirements related to the documents needed for the application itself, like Certificate of Marriage, Criminal Background, Birth Certificate, Italian Language Certification, and so on.
What type of Assistance You will provide on my Italian Citizenship by Marriage?
As expertise Italian Citizenship Lawyers, we offer the Client tailored assistance on his/her Italian Citizenship by Marriage, which comprehends step-by-step assistance from the preparation of all documents to the Italian Passport.
We focus on assisting Clients (from beginning to end) in order to let them become Italian Citizens, solving all issues they can find in actual circumstances, and assisting them on the application itself.
We also assist the Client in the post-approval stage, so when Your Italian Citizenship by Marriage will be recognized. Several steps are necessary in order to fix Your position and getting an Italian Passport in your hands!
What happens if I won't have my Italian Citizenship by Marriage in 2 years?
We will assist You also in this circumstance.
In this case, we have to formally solicit the Ministry (and the Consulate) and – if the application won’t be decided yet – You have to submit an appeal at the Italian Court for having the approval of Your Italian Citizenship through Marriage.
OTHER WAYS TO GET ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP?
In case you don’t meet all requirements for Italian Citizenship by Marriage, You can always check if You meet the requirements for other Italian Citizenship programs.
Let’s see how to apply for Italian Citizenship, following the common ways listed.
There are several ways to obtain Italian Citizenship and so different are the way to apply for Italian Citizenship and all related requirements.Â
In particular, there are 3 common ways to apply for Italian Citizenship [we listed 2 ways, but the 3rd one is not common, just listed for being more informative]
So, before starting thinking to get an Italian Passport and be an owner of Italian Dual Citizenship, you have to clear IF you may be entitled to apply for Italian Citizenship and – if the answer is “Yes” – on which Italian Citizenship path, from the ones listed below.Â
According to the ius sanguinis or jure sanguinis (by birth, recognition or adoption, by even one parent Italian citizen – so-called Italian Citizenship Jure sanguinis), or according to ius soli (only born in Italy by stateless parents or by known parents whose legal system of origin does not contemplate the ” ius sanguinis “).
This also comprehends all special cases called the “1948 Italian Citizenship Case” and the Italian Citizenship 1948 case.Â
These special cases are always considered in the category of “Italian Citizenship by Descent“, but you apply for them when You have a woman in the bloodline and she had her next in line before January 1, 1948.
ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY RESIDENCE
After 10 years of legal residence in Italy.Â
The term is reduced to 3 years for former Italian citizens and their immediate descendants (ius sanguinis) and for foreigners born in Italy (ius soli), 4 years for citizens of other countries of the European Union, and 5 years for stateless persons and refugees.
MILITARY SERVICE OR ELECTION
For having served military service or civil service. By election, if you are born in Italy from foreign parents and you are legally and uninterruptedly living up to 18 years.
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LATEST ARTICLES ON ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
OUR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Italian Dual Citizenship
Apply for obtaining Italian Passport. Become a full-power Italian and EU citizen, without any limit.
We provide full Italian Citizenship Assistance from the beginning to the End of the administrative procedure. We will do it for You.
Latest Article About Italian Dual Citizenship:
HOW TO GET DUAL CITIZENSHIP IN ITALY?
You can obtain Italian Citizenship in different ways:
- Italian Citizenship by DescentÂ
- Italian Citizenship by MarriageÂ
- Italian Citizenship by Naturalization – Article in Italian/Eng
WHAT REQUIREMENTS FOR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP?
Italian Citizenship requirements are different, depending on which path you will take:
Italian Citizenship by Descent
Apply for obtaining Italian Citizenship by Descent or Italian Citizenship Jure Sanguinis.
We provide full Italian Citizenship Assistance from the beginning to the End of the administrative procedure and Judicial procedure like 1948 cases. We will do it for You.
HOW CAN I OBTAIN ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT?
You can obtain Italian Citizenship by Descent in different ways:
Latest Article About Italian Citizenship by Descent:
1948 Italian Citizenship Case
Apply for obtaining Italian Citizenship by Descent or Italian Citizenship Jure Sanguinis through the 1948 Rule.
We provide full Italian CitIzenship Assistance from the beginning to the End on the Court Path. We will do it for You.
HOW CAN I OBTAIN ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP 1948 case?
You can obtain Italian Citizenship through maternal line (1948 cases) only through Italian Court as Italian Consulates don’t recognize this type of cases.
Latest Article About Italian Citizenship 1948 Case:
Italian Citizenship by Marriage
Apply for obtaining Italian Citizenship by Marriage. Become a full-power Italian and EU citizen, without any limit.
We provide full Italian Citizenship by Marriage Assistance from the beginning to the End of the administrative procedure. We will do it for You.
HOW CAN I OBTAIN ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE?
You can obtain Italian Citizenship  by Marriage when:
The non-Italian Spouse married to an Italian can apply for Italian citizenship by marriage 2020 after 2 years from the marriage/civil union, if residing in Italy.
This term is reduced by half if the couple has children under the age of 18, or when children are legally adopted by the couple.
Foreigners residing outside Italy are eligible to apply for Italian citizenship by marriage 3 years after the date of marriage/civil union to an Italian Citizen.
The term is reduced by half if the couple has children under the age of 18 or when children are legally adopted by the couple.
Latest Article About Italian Citizenship By Marriage:
Why Us for Your Italian Citizenship by Marriage
![Italian Citizenship by Marriage [UPDATED 2021] 1](https://mbersanilaw.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/1004px-Google_22G22_Logo.svg-160x160.png "Italian Citizenship by Marriage [UPDATED 2021] 20"){kind=logo}
5★★★★★ Stars Google Rating on Our Italian Citizenship Assistance Reviews on our Google Business Profile
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COMFORT
Italian Citizenship by Marriage Procedure is complicated and, sometimes, confusing. We will do everything for You, just choose your path, and we will think about everything
COMPETENCE
We will provide the best Support needed for each Client, with constant advices & helps Step-by-Step for the entire procedure, until You will obtain Italian Citizenship through Marriage.
FAST
We will respond to Your doubts, questions, by email everyday. We will provice full intermediation with Authorities (Consulate, Local Office, etc.) for any need. And, we can speed up your Italian Citizenship by Marriage application.
FULL ASSISTANCE
We will provide the best assistance needed for each Client, with constant advices & helps, material assistance with documents, tips, with constant updates about Immigration legislation​
⇨ Did You Know? ⇦
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« What is the best way to apply for Italian Citizenship by Descent ? »
Discover Why our Italian Citizenship by Descent Assistance is different and Our tailored solutions to avoid infinite wait time by the Consulate.
Why Italian Passport through Marriage is so requested?
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70
%
New Applications
This year, statistics are seeing relevant New Applications increase, and it’s just the beginning.
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50
%
Moving
New Italian Citizenship by Marriage applicants every year, especially after Brexit.
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85
%
Benefits
Foreign investors that choose Italy see relevant profits, also because of Tax Benefits
⇨ Did You Know? ⇦
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« How can I apply if Consulate didn’t allow me to book appointments and/or there are years and years of wait? »
Discover Why our Italian Citizenship by Descent Assistance Program is different and Our tailored solutions to avoid these common Consulate issues.