Italian Citizenship for Minors 2026: Deadlines, Changes

Attention families: the clock is ticking. The deadline to guarantee Italian citizenship for minor children expires on May 31, 2026, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel with the new Milleproroghe decree. We will explain what is at stake, the six proposals that could change everything, and how you should prepare so you don't lose this right.

1. Context: Law 91/1992 and the 2025 Changes

If you have Italian blood, you have certainly heard of the famous Law 91 of 1992. This is the law that governs citizenship by descent (the so-called iure sanguinis), ensuring that the child of an Italian is born a citizen, regardless of whether the birthplace was Rome or São Paulo.

However, in 2025, the Italian government approved significant changes through Law 74/2025 (conversion of Decree-Law 36/2025), which altered the rules for minor children of Italians who obtained citizenship exclusively by descent — that is, citizens who were not born in Italy nor have another basis for Italian citizenship.

Before these changes, transmission was automatic: it was enough for the father or mother to be recognized as an Italian citizen for the minor children to acquire the same status. As of May 2025, a formal declaration of will (dichiarazione di volontà), registered before the competent consulate, began to be required.

This change directly affects the Italian-Brazilian community, estimated at more than 30 million descendants in Brazil, according to data from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina).

2. What Is the Benefit of Law for Minors

The so-called "benefit of law" refers to the right of minor children to acquire Italian citizenship when one of the parents obtains it by descent. Following Law 74/2025, this right now depends on a formal action by the parents.

The rules vary according to the minor's date of birth:

A relevant point introduced by the 2026 Budget Law: declarations of will for minors became free of charge as of January 1, 2026. The previous 250-euro fee charged by the Ministry of the Interior was eliminated. There is, however, no provision for reimbursement for those who have already paid the fee.

This information was confirmed by the Italian Embassy in Brasília in an official statement in January 2026.

3. The Milleproroghe Decree: How It Works

The Milleproroghe (literally "a thousand extensions") is a decree-law approved annually by the Italian government to extend deadlines for regulations in force. The instrument brings together administrative, fiscal, judicial, and regulatory extensions that would otherwise expire without this intervention.

The 2026 Milleproroghe was published on December 29, 2025, and needs to be converted into law by Parliament by March 1, 2026. Until that date, the Italian Congress can discuss, modify, and vote on the proposals included in the text.

It is precisely in this legislative instrument that the amendments regarding the citizenship deadline for minors were inserted.

Parliamentary Schedule

According to the calendar defined by the Conference of Leaders of the Camera dei Deputati (Chamber of Deputies):

• February 18 (Wednesday): general discussion at 11:00 AM; presentation of the question of confidence at 1:00 PM
• February 19 (Thursday): voting declarations starting at 11:20 AM; voting starting at 1:00 PM
• February 24 (Monday): discussion of the orders of the day at 2:30 PM, followed by final voting declarations and final vote

After approval in the Chamber, the text proceeds to the Senato della Repubblica (Senate of the Republic) for definitive conversion into law.

4. The Six Amendments Under Debate

Six amendments were presented to the Milleproroghe proposing changes to the same section of Law 74/2025: the deadline for parents of minors to formalize the declaration of will. The proposals differ only regarding the new deadline date.

Important: the amendments are competing. If one is approved, the others dealing with the same point are no longer voted on. The most favorable amendment for families is 1.88, which would completely eliminate the fixed deadline, allowing the declaration of will to be made at any time until the minor turns 18.

What each scenario means in practice

If no amendment is approved, the deadline remains May 31, 2026 — leaving just over three months for thousands of families to regularize their situation.

If Amendment 1.88 is approved, the pressure on consulates decreases significantly, as parents would have until the child's majority to perform the procedure.

If any other amendment is approved, there will be additional breathing room of 1 to 3 years, but the structural problem of queues and delays at consulates will not be resolved.

5. Practical Obstacles for Families

The current deadline of May 31, 2026, is considered insufficient by many families for several reasons:

Consular Queues

Anyone who has tried to schedule an appointment at the consulates in São Paulo or Curitiba knows the drama: the queues are miles long and the wait can exceed 10 years. It's the same old problem: the law demands speed, but in practice, the consular structure simply cannot keep up, leaving thousands of families in a difficult position.

Delay in Issuing Certificates

Italian municipalities (comuni) also face difficulties in issuing certificates in a timely manner. Without complete documentation — updated birth, marriage, and death certificates — the request cannot be formalized.

AIRE Update

The AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero) is the registry of Italian citizens living outside Italy. Registration in AIRE is a prerequisite for various procedures, including the declaration of will. Delays in this registration can make it impossible to meet the deadline.

Centralization in Rome

A new regulation stipulates that, starting in 2029, all Italian citizenship applications will no longer be analyzed by consulates and will be processed exclusively in Rome. This centralization already creates uncertainty and could worsen delays.

6. What to Do Now: Practical Guidance

To be honest: you can't count on luck. As much as the amendments bring hope, our recommendation is to ignore the possible extension for now. The safest path to avoid headaches later is to rush to resolve everything as if the May 2026 deadline were tomorrow.

For those at the beginning of the Italian citizenship process, we recommend reading our Complete Guide to Italian Citizenship 2025.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

📚 Read Also

• Complete Guide to Italian Citizenship 2025
• European Citizenship: Complete Guide
• Our Advisory Services