Italy Outlines 4 Conditions Foreigners Must Meet To Apply for Citizenship

• Italy's naturalisation process requires foreigners to have lived lawfully in the country for a minimum of 10 years before applying
• Aside from residency, the Italian government also mentioned three other conditions immigrants must meet before being granted citizenship
• Minor children of newly naturalised Italian citizens can automatically acquire citizenship, provided three specific legal conditions are satisfied

Italy has outlined four requirements that foreign nationals must fulfil before they can apply for citizenship through naturalisation by right of residency, according to information published by the Italian Embassy in Nicosia.

The naturalisation pathway is open only to applicants who have lived lawfully in Italy for the required number of years, with the standard period set at a minimum of 10 years of legal residence in the country.

Italy's four conditions for naturalisation

Beyond the residency requirement, applicants must demonstrate that they have sufficient income to support themselves. A clean criminal record is also mandatory, and candidates must be willing to renounce their original citizenship where applicable under Italian law.

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The application itself is addressed to the President of the Republic of Italy and must be submitted at the Prefettura of the province where the applicant is officially registered as a resident.

Crucially, the process cannot be initiated through Italian consular offices abroad, meaning applicants must be physically present in Italy and engaged with Italian authorities to proceed.

How children of naturalised citizens acquire citizenship

Italy's Law No. 91/92 also makes provision for minor children of those who acquire or reacquire Italian citizenship. Under Article 14 of that law, a child living with a parent at the moment the parent becomes Italian will automatically acquire citizenship as well. Upon reaching the age of majority, the child retains the right to renounce that citizenship if they already hold another nationality.

Three conditions govern this transfer of citizenship status. A legally recognised parent-child relationship must exist, the child must not yet have reached the age of majority, and the parent and child must be residing together at the exact moment the parent's citizenship is granted.

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Article 12 of Presidential Decree No. 572/93 adds further detail, specifying that the cohabitation requirement must be stable, genuine, and supported by appropriate documentation. It cannot be established after the fact; the arrangement must be in place at the precise moment the parent acquires or reacquires citizenship for the child's automatic acquisition to be valid.

UAE lists foreign citizenship eligibility conditions

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the United Arab Emirates had published the conditions eligible foreigners must satisfy when applying for UAE citizenship, as well as the categories of individuals who can be nominated.

The UAE’s official government portal stated that the pathway to Emirati nationality is not available through a standard application process.

Citizenship can only be granted through the Rulers’ and Crown Princes’ Courts, the Offices of the Executive Councils, and the Cabinet, based on nominations from federal entities.

Source: YEN.com.gh