Published: 23.10.2026
Italy issued nearly half a million new residence permits in 2025, 47% more than the previous year, with particularly strong growth in study, family and work permits. At the same time, new citizenship acquisitions fell by about 10%, while citizenship claims by descent dropped by around 42% amid legislative changes.
According to the source, Italy is seeing stronger use of study, family and employment routes while access to citizenship by descent has become more restricted. For prospective movers, residence permits remain the main practical route, but citizenship through Italian ancestry is now harder to rely on, particularly for Brazilian and Argentine applicants. The rise in work permits does not mean that access is unlimited: permits issued in 2025 remained well below the overall quota, and only a small share went to self-employment. This is worth considering when choosing an immigration route and planning long-term legalisation.