#citizenship-by-descent

#citizenship-by-descent

Citizenship by descent is granted by "jus sanguinis," which is Latin for "right of blood." Until May 2025, people could get Italian citizenship if they had a great-grandparent who was born in Italy. However, the updated law dictates that the furthest you can go back now is to a grandparent. To be eligible, at least one of your grandparents had to have been born in Italy and not renounce their Italian citizenship or obtain citizenship in another country before their child (your parent) was a legal adult. If your parent was born prior to 1975, they were deemed an adult at age 21. If your parent was born in 1975 or later, they were deemed an adult at age 18.

Having one passport is a luxury that not everyone in the world gets, but having more than one passport is an even bigger privilege. Citizenship in multiple countries means more opportunities, easier travel, and the chance to live abroad legally and efficiently as a dual citizen. The number of American citizens seeking to apply for a second passport has increased year-over-year since 2024, with a rise of over 183% in second citizenship inquiries from U.S. citizens, according to a Henley & Partners report.

Citizenship by descent allows individuals to apply for a passport based on their ancestry, with varying processes and requirements across different countries.