An Italian passport unlocks life, work and property rights across the EU – and may even be easier to obtain than you think.
Picture yourself enjoying summers on the Amalfi Coast or winters skiing in the Dolomites, safe in the knowledge you have the right to live there permanently. An Italian passport provides that – plus the ability to live anywhere in the EU.
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Why an Italian passport is valuable
An Italian passport makes you an EU citizen, giving you freedom of movement across the continent. For retirees, this means security in healthcare and pensions. For remote workers, it’s the legal right to base yourself in co-working hubs from Milan to Madrid without extra bureaucracy.
Buying property with confidence
As an Italian passport holder, you can buy property in Italy without restriction. That could be a rustic farmhouse in Tuscany, a modern apartment in Rome or a lakeside retreat near Como. But you’ll also enjoy the same rights across the EU – allowing you to diversify your property portfolio with a holiday rental in Spain or a second base in France.
Pathways to citizenship
Italy has one of the more accessible ancestry routes. If you can prove you have an Italian parent, grandparent or even great-grandparent, you may qualify. The rules depend on the line of descent and historical details such as when your ancestor emigrated. This “jure sanguinis” principle has allowed millions abroad to reclaim Italian nationality.
How to apply for an Italian passport
If you have Italian ancestry, you may be entitled to citizenship – and eventually an Italian passport. The rules allow you to apply if your parent, grandparent or even great-grandparent was born in Italy.
To begin, you must apply for citizenship. The application fee is currently €600, following a recent increase from €300. Documentation proving your family connection is essential, so be prepared to collect official birth, marriage and death certificates from both Italy and your country of residence.
There are also some specific rules to be aware of. If you were born before 1st January 1948, Italian law only recognises citizenship passed down through the male line. If your qualifying ancestor is female, you’ll need to submit an appeal through the Italian civil courts to claim your rights.
Once your Italian citizenship is approved, applying for a passport is usually straightforward. Applications are made in person at the nearest Italian embassy or consulate, and the current fee is around £100 ($130).
What if I can’t get an Italian passport?
If you already have close family living in the EU, you may be able to explore residency through them. Some US and UK citizens may also qualify for another EU passport – Polish, Irish, Spanish, German or other European nationality through ancestry can open the same doors.
Even if applying for Italian citizenship isn’t an option, there are still other ways to achieve your dream of owning property in Europe.
Many EU countries offer visa schemes designed to welcome foreign residents and property buyers. The most common include:
- Non-lucrative visas
- Digital nomad visas
- Business and investment visas
These alternatives won’t provide the automatic rights of EU citizenship, but they still offer long-term routes to live, work and buy property across Europe.
