There are 4 different ways of obtaining Italian citizenship. Below is a rough guide to the requirements for each.

🇮🇹 1. Citizenship by Residency

The most common route for expats who are moving to Italy.

✅ 10 years of legal residency in Italy (longer if not all of it is under the current regulations)
✅ Clean criminal record
✅ Stable income
✅ Italian language certificate at B1 level and ability to prove integration into Italian society

This route is best for those who have a long-term strategy and the time to wait for citizenship.

💼 2. Residency via the Investor Visa (then Citizenship by Residency)

The Investor Visa is not a citizenship route in itself, but it is one of the fastest ways to start the clock: the Nulla Osta is typically approved within 30 days, giving you rapid, flexible residency in Italy. From there, the standard citizenship-by-residency path applies - 10 years of legal residence, with the same requirements listed above. Investor Visa holders can also opt into Italy's flat tax regime for their foreign income during those years, making the wait considerably more tax-efficient.

💍 3. Marriage to an Italian Citizen

Marriage to an Italian citizen is a fast route to citizenship.

✅ 2 years if living in Italy
✅ 3 years if living abroad
🧒 Children halve the time for citizenship by marriage.

Italian language certificate at B1 level required.

🧬 4. Italian Ancestry (Jure Sanguinis)

Obtain Italian citizenship through Italian descent.

✅ No residency required
📚 Proof of Italian lineage required using official documents.
⚠️ Note: Italy significantly reformed its citizenship-by-descent rules in 2025, narrowing the categories of descendants who qualify. An individual assessment of your family line is now the essential first step. Timelines vary depending on the procedure and the offices involved, but typically run from 1 to 3 years.

📩 Contact Move To Dolce Vita for any questions on citizenship, or for help with the legal process and planning for Italian residency and citizenship. We can help you live your Italian life. 🇮🇹

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