The Government of Italy has made a historic shift in its citizenship policy, approving a legal change that drastically restricts access to one of the most sought-after European passports in South America.

As of this Friday, only children and grandchildren of Italians can claim nationality — a decision that shuts out thousands of descendants in Argentina, where the process was seen as a direct bridge to Europe and a chance for greater international mobility. 

Until now, anyone who could prove they had an Italian ancestor alive after 1861 — when the Kingdom of Italy was established — could apply under the principle of ius sanguinis.

That rule allowed descendants in the third, fourth, or even fifth generation to secure citizenship. The Council of Ministers has now closed that option, limiting eligibility strictly to parents or grandparents. 

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani defended the move, arguing the system was being abused: “Being an Italian citizen is something serious. It’s not a game to get a passport that lets you go shopping in Miami.”

According to Tajani, consulates were overwhelmed by the flood of applications, especially in South America. In practice, the Italian passport had become one of the most powerful in the world, granting visa-free access to dozens of countries. 

How does it impact Latin America?

The impact in Argentina is immediate. Corriere della Sera reported that recognition applications in Buenos Aires jumped from nearly 20,000 in 2023 to 30,000 in 2024.

Similar surges occurred in Brazil and Venezuela, but the Argentine case was emblematic: endless waits at consulates, with appointments delayed for years, became the norm. Now, for thousands of applicants, the door has suddenly closed. 

The Foreign Ministry in Rome will now handle applications directly, raising uncertainty for those who still qualify under the new rules. This shift means consulates will no longer oversee the process, which could either streamline or complicate the system depending on how it is implemented. 

This tightening is not entirely new. Back in October, the Interior Ministry reinterpreted ius sanguinis following court rulings. Under that interpretation, if an Italian ancestor naturalized in another country — for example, as an Argentine — while their child was still a minor, that child automatically lost Italian citizenship, unless they claimed it upon reaching adulthood. 

For many descendants, the passport symbolized not only a link to their roots but also the chance to study, work, or live freely in Europe. 

Framed as a solution to administrative chaos, the move also carries a political message. It aims to curb the “boom” of applications that, according to Corriere della Sera, raised the number of Italian citizens from 4.6 million to 6.4 million in just a decade. Tajani was blunt: “From midnight, citizenship can no longer be requested under the old rules, only up to Italian grandparents.” 

Ultimately, Italy’s decision marks a turning point in its relationship with the diaspora — especially with Argentina, where millions grew up hearing stories of grandparents and great-grandparents from the Mediterranean, and where, until yesterday, that heritage still offered a real gateway to Europe.