Italian Citizenship by Descent: Recognition, Reconciliation, and Implementation
I. Identity Across Legal Systems Italian citizenship by descent is often perceived as a straightforward process: document lineage, obtain recognition, and register the result. In practice, however, the process unfolds at the intersection of two distinct legal systems: the common-law system and the civil-law system. Understanding this structural difference is essential to understanding the challenges […]
Italian Citizenship Event for the Italian-American Community | New York 2026
Casa Belvedere – Staten Island, New York | February 19, 2026 On February 19, 2026, members of Casa Belvedere gathered in Staten Island for an evening dedicated to understanding upcoming legal developments and how they may impact the future of Italian citizenship and what those changes could mean for Americans of Italian descent. Casa Belvedere, […]
The Upcoming Seminar on Italian Citizenship in Light of Legislative Decree D.L. 36/25
We are pleased to be attending a very significant seminar on the topic of citizenship, in light of Decree Law 36/25 titled: Seminar on Legislative Decree D.L. 36/25 on citizenship matters in light of the two referral orders to the Constitutional Court. Event Details This crucial and in-depth session will be held on February 6, […]
New Italian Citizenship Rules Face Constitutional Challenges
Experts warn Italy’s 2025 citizenship reform is unconstitutional, especially its retroactive denial of citizenship by descent.
Reporting Back from the University of Pavia Conference on Citizenship
On May 23, we attended an important legal conference at the University of Pavia focused on Decree-Law 36/2025 and the constitutional referral submitted by the judge in Bologna. On stage, among several speakers, were the former President of the Court of Venice, Mr. Salvatore Laganà, and Associate Professor Sandro De Nardi (School of Constitutional Law, […]
Italian Citizenship Law DL-36 Is Converted – So Now What?
Many of our clients—and others in contact with the firm—are now wondering: What happens to my citizenship case? Does it still make sense to continue? This concern is especially valid after reading the final version of DL36, converted into Law no. 74 of May 23, 2025, which appears to render many applicants no longer eligible. […]
Constitutional vs. Cassation Court in Italian Citizenship
Learn how Italy’s top courts impact dual citizenship rights—and why the Constitutional Court may be key to restoring justice for Italian descendants.
A Note About Our Recent Citizenship Webinar
Dear Clients, Thank you for your messages following our webinar on May 8, 2025. We’re truly grateful for your engagement and your continued commitment to staying informed. To clarify: the webinar was designed specifically for a select group of clients whose cases share a unique set of legal circumstances. It was not a general session, […]
Decree Law No. 36/2025 – Hearings Underway in the Italian Senate
The Italian government’s Decree Law No. 36/2025, issued on March 28, 2025, introduces a dramatic shift in the legal framework for Italian citizenship iure sanguinis. The decree—currently under review by the First Commission of the Senate, chaired by Senator Alberto Balboni—imposes significant restrictions on access to citizenship by descent, limiting recognition to a maximum of […]
Arturo Grasso Speaks on ‘A New Life in Italy’ Podcast
The so-called ‘Tajani Decree’ or Decree-Law no. 36/2025 (Decreto-Legge 28 marzo 2025, n. 36) has sent shockwaves through the Italian citizenship community: the Italian diaspora, attorneys and judges, other professionals in the sector, and so many more affected by the shock decree law. The founder of My Lawyer in Italy, Avvocato Arturo Grasso, has been working […]
FAQs on Court Cases after Decree-Law no. 36/2025
Introduction The new DL-36 (the so-called ‘Tajani Decree’) has had a major impact on all people petitioning for their Italian citizenship by descent, drastically affecting people’s rights. These changes have sparked many questions among our clients filing to court, and we have collected the most relevant ones here.While these changes are already in effect and […]
Important Update: New €600 Court Filing Fee Per Petitioner for Citizenship Cases
The Italian Parliament has introduced a significant change to court filing fees through Law no. 207 of December 30, 2024, which became effective on January 1, 2025, under the 2025 Budget Law. The filing fee has increased from €518 per case to €600 per petitioner. This change has raised widespread concerns among associations, politicians, and […]
The Bologna Judge’s Referral to the Constitutional Court: Context, Analysis and Commentary
The context In March 2024, 12 petitioners filed a case in the Bologna court seeking recognition of their Italian citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis). Their claim was based on their female Italian ancestor, born in Marzabotto in 1878. Judge Marco Gattuso, assigned to the case, raised several questions to the petitioners’ representative regarding their permanent […]
Navigating Change: How The Citizenship-by-Descent Process Has Evolved Since 2021
The journey to obtain Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) has always required determination and preparation. Over the last two years, however, a series of legislative, administrative, and judicial developments have made the process more complex, time-consuming, and more expensive for applicants. Key Developments in the Citizenship-by-Descent Process (updated January, 2025) Here’s a timeline of […]
New Italian Supreme Court Ruling And Its Impact On Citizenship Denials
The Italian Supreme Court (Corte di Cassazione) recently issued a significant ruling in case 36949/2024, which may affect individuals seeking Italian citizenship. The court reaffirmed that a finalized judgment cannot be reopened solely due to a shift in judicial interpretation, even if the new interpretation might favor the individual. While this ruling specifically addresses criminal […]
What are the risks involved when declaring a residence that is not your actual one?
In Italy, it is assumed that the actual residence of a person is the same one registered in their municipality. In our legal system, a residence is attributed to a single municipality. For this reason, we speak of a registered residence, with every citizen having the right to appear in the municipal registry. According to […]
The Settlors’ Choice of Law in Italian-American Cross-Border Successions
In the area of estate planning, common law jurisdictions typically afford much more discretion to the individual to design a scheme of distribution. Conversely, civil law systems (such as Italy’s) have statutes that tend to be long, detailed, and allow for less discretion on the part of the settlor and the court. In Italy, statutes […]