Italian Citizenship for Brazilians: New Law May Tighten Requirements

The Italian government is considering changes to its citizenship laws. These changes could affect many Brazilians seeking Italian passports.

Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister, visited Brazil recently. He discussed the potential new rules during his trip. The proposed law aims to update citizenship requirements.

It would limit eligibility to third-generation descendants, or great-grandchildren. Applicants would need to prove intermediate Italian language skills. They would also have to live in Italy for at least one year.

Currently, the rules are more flexible. There are no limits on which generation can apply. Language skills and residency are not required. This change could prompt many Brazilians to speed up their citizenship applications.

The European Union granted citizenship to about 25,900 Brazilians in 2022. This number increased by 26% from the previous year. Italy and Portugal accounted for 70% of these new citizenships.

Brazil has one of the largest Italian communities worldwide. Over 700,000 Italian citizens live in Brazil. This represents about 11% of all Italians living abroad. Experts estimate there are 30 million people of Italian descent in Brazil.

Urgent Advisory on Italian Citizenship for Brazilians

Nátali Lazzari, an expert in Italian citizenship, advises acting quickly. She warns that the new law could significantly impact Brazilians. Many Brazilian-Italians are already great-great-grandchildren or beyond.

These generations might lose their chance for citizenship. Italian citizenship offers many benefits. These include financial incentives and easier travel in Europe.

Some Italian regions even offer money to new residents. The Tuscany region, for example, pays between 10,000 and 30,000 euros ($11,800 to $35,400) to buy homes there.

However, lawyer Camila Briganti believes the changes won’t happen quickly. Italy’s legislative system requires both chambers to approve new laws.

This process can be long and complicated. Similar attempts to change citizenship laws have failed in the past. There are two ways to apply for Italian citizenship: administrative and judicial.

The administrative route can be done through Italian consulates in Brazil. It’s cheaper but can take over 10 years. The judicial route is faster but more expensive. It doesn’t require living in Italy.

Applicants need birth, marriage, and death certificates for all Italian ancestors. Documents must be translated into Italian and officially certified. Name spellings are important.

Many Italian surnames have been changed in Brazil over time. Applicants may need to correct these spellings in their documents.

Italian citizenship remains an attractive option for many Brazilians. The potential law changes have created urgency. Those interested should consider starting the process soon.

In short, the benefits of European citizenship continue to draw many applicants. The coming years may see significant changes in this long-standing connection between Italy and Brazil.