Italian citizenship through grandmother

If your grandmother was born in Italy, in addition to the endless love and incredible food she spoiled you with during your entire life, she might also be able to give you the gift of new life opportunities by providing you with the right of Italian citizenship. Italian citizenship is based on the principle of jus sanguinis, or “right of blood,” meaning it is passed down through one’s ancestry rather than place of birth. If your grandmother was an Italian citizen, you may therefore be eligible for Italian citizenship by descent.

Historical background

Before 1983, Italian citizenship was traditionally passed down through the paternal line, as dictated by the 1912 law (no. 555). This law did not recognize the transmission of citizenship through mothers. The Italian Constitutional Court addressed this subject in 1983, ruling that the provision was unconstitutional and affirming that children could inherit Italian citizenship from either parent.

Subsequently, Law No. 123/1983 was enacted, granting equal citizenship rights to women and establishing that children inherit Italian citizenship from both parents. However, this legal advancement did not apply retroactively to individuals born to Italian mothers before 1983. As a result, Italy’s Ministry of the Interior requested a ruling from the Consiglio di Stato, which clarified that the principle of equality in citizenship rights applies only to children born after January 1, 1948, the date on which the Italian Constitution came into effect.

As a result, Italian consulates and city halls only process citizenship applications for individuals with an Italian father or grandfather born to an Italian mother after this date. Those with ancestors born before are left to seek judicial recourse under what is now known as the 1948 rule.

Here’s a summary:

Is it possible to obtain Italian citizenship through grandmother?

If your grandmother was born in Italy, you may be eligible for Italian citizenship by descent — but your specific path depends on several key factors, including whether you are claiming through your maternal or paternal line, whether your parent was born before or after 1948, and whether your grandmother ever naturalized as a citizen of another country.

If your closest Italian ancestor is a woman who gave birth to the next person in your lineage before 1 January 1948, then the 1948 Rule applies to you, meaning your case must be pursued through the courts rather than through the regular consulate process. After the enactment of Decree‑Law 36/2025, later converted into Law 74/2025, there is no way to know for sure how long this process will take, but processing time can range from 2 to 18 months in such cases.

If your closest Italian ancestor is a woman who gave birth after 1 January 1948, you may pursue Italian citizenship through the standard administrative route, as women were legally recognized as full transmitters of citizenship from that date onward.

Eligibility checklist — Italian citizenship through a grandmother

• Paternal grandmother — standard jus sanguinis — If your Italian ancestor is your father’s mother, your case follows the regular administrative process.
• Maternal grandmother (parent born after 1948) — standard route — If your mother was born on or after January 1, 1948, you qualify through the normal consular procedure.
• Maternal grandmother (parent born before 1948) — 1948 Rule — If your mother was born before January 1, 1948, the 1948 Rule applies, meaning your case must be pursued through the courts in Italy.

Loss of citizenship through marriage

If your grandmother married a non-Italian citizen before 1983, she would have to renounce her Italian nationality and adopt her husband’s at the time of marriage.

After 1983, Italy modified its laws to eliminate the automatic loss of citizenship due to marriage.

If your grandmother married after 1983, after last law modifications in 2009, you can now apply for the Rule of 1948 under the same principles.

Important: Under Law 74/2025, eligibility for Italian citizenship by descent requires that your Italian parent or grandparent held exclusively Italian citizenship at the time of your birth, or exclusively at the time of their death if they passed away before you were born.

The cost of Italian citizenship through maternal lineage

Standard applications involve a €600 consular fee per adult, however, applicants pursuing 1948 cases must also pay €650–€1,200 in court filing fees, on top of legal representation, making this route significantly more expensive.

Traveling back in time: a trip to your family history

Connecting with your Italian roots begins by exploring your grandmother’s personal history and gathering key details about her life. If she’s still alive, this step can become a meaningful opportunity to deepen your relationship, learning about the village she came from, the age at which she left Italy, and the experiences that shaped her journey.

How do I prove my right to dual citizenship?

In order to show enough evidence of your right to being Italian, the authorities will require you to show a series of legal documents:

• Birth certificates: this includes your grandmother’s and her child (your mother or father).
   
• Marriage certificates: to explain family unions.
   
• Death certificates: to anyone who applies. 
   
• No Naturalization certificate: maybe the most important one. Which demonstrates that she did not resign to their nationality once she moved to a different country.
   
• Personal certificates: all your personal information, born, marriage, divorce, anything that applies.

Where should I look for these documents?

Some grandparents have all their documents kept and safe with them; some others lost them on the way to their new country; some of them are no longer with us and we do not have the possibility to ask for them. 

No matter what your personal situation, there are many ways to find the information we need in order to request their official documents to the Italian comune where your grandmother was born.

Family Search and other online portals

For many years, the Italian government has worked with non-profits organizations in order to promote its history and make more accessible all personal records to italian family members around the world.

Being one the biggest sources of the world, Family Search is best known as it offers a vast collection of information, records and genealogies organized by year.

You can find more information and other sources in our post “How to search for Italian records online?“

Applying for Italian Citizenship by descent

Once you have gathered the necessary information, you can apply for Italian citizenship through the courts. To know the step by step, enter our post: How to get Italian citizenship by descent.

Italian History & Women Rights

It is well known that human rights were not always the same for men and women throughout history.  Unfortunately, Italy is not an exception.

Before 1948, Italian citizenship was only allowed to be transferred by male members of the family. 

After this year, and in order to pursue equality, the Italian government changed the constitution and proclaimed all children born from either  an Italian mother or father are entitled to Italian citizenship.

The importance of having an adviser

At io.citizen we understand that the path to citizenship can be tedious and that the lack of time and knowledge plays a key role when putting together the documentation folder.

It is for this reason that we offer personalized assistance, analyzing case by case, with a team of trained specialists who are constantly updated regarding Italian laws and history. In order to guarantee the best possible results.

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