Published: 01.10.2026
Naturalisation generally requires 10 years of continuous lawful residence for non-EU citizens and four years for EU citizens; five years applies to refugees and stateless persons. Citizenship by marriage can generally be requested after two years of lawful residence in Italy, or after 12 months when there are children; Italian-language knowledge at B1 level is generally required.
For someone planning a long-term relocation, this is mainly a roadmap for the timeline and documents rather than a quick route to an Italian passport. The residence period, income, criminal-record requirements and language evidence directly affect eligibility, while the application requires translated and legalised documents. The source also describes separate rules for people with an Italian parent or grandparent and for holders of an EU long-term residence permit. It is worth reading for people choosing Italy as a multi-year base or relocating through marriage, but it is less relevant to short-term movers.