Which pathway applies to you?
Route 1 — Residence (10 years)
After 10 years of continuous legal residence in Italy. The most common route for non-EU workers and their families. Italian language certificate B1 required. No Decreto Flussi quota involved — eligibility depends entirely on your residence history.
Route 2 — Marriage (2 years)
After 2 years of legal residence in Italy following marriage to an Italian citizen. 3 years if residing abroad. Halved to 1 year (or 18 months abroad) if the couple has children. Italian language certificate B1 required.
Route 3 — Born in Italy
Non-EU citizens born in Italy who have resided continuously and legally until age 18. The application must be filed within one year of turning 18 (i.e. before age 19). No language requirement. No residence interruption tolerated.
Route 4 — Special cases
Recognised refugees and stateless persons: 5 years. EU citizens: 4 years. Former Italian citizens who renounced for political reasons: by declaration. Each category has specific rules — we assess your situation at the orientation call.
At a glance
10 years of residence
Continuous legal residence required for the standard route. A single gap in registration can reset the count. We verify your history before setting a filing date.
Italian B1 — required
Required for all routes except birth in Italy. Accepted certificates: CILS, PLIDA, CELI. An Italian university degree also satisfies the requirement.
12 – 24 months
Ministry of the Interior processing time after filing. No official fast-track. A complete, well-organised dossier reduces the risk of additional document requests.
€ 250 government fee
Non-refundable stamp duty paid at the time of the online application. Additional costs: apostilles, sworn translations, B1 exam fee.