Language Requirement Italian Citizenship: Tajani Decree Update May 13th

Posted May 13, 2025

The Italian Senate’s 1st Permanent Commission (Constitutional Affairs) concluded another pivotal session today, May 13, 2025, voting on the proposed amendments to DDL 1432 – the bill to convert the controversial “Tajani Decree” (Decree-Law No. 36/2025) into permanent law. The outcomes of this session further refine the likely final form of the legislation, with significant implications for those seeking Italian citizenship jure sanguinis.

Following the intense discussions and initial votes on May 8th, today’s session saw the approval of a few more amendments, including some highly contentious ones, while the vast majority of remaining proposals were rejected. This solidifies the direction the Committee is taking before the bill moves to the full Senate floor.

Remember, this law, if converted, will have profound effects on how Italian citizenship by descent is recognized, particularly for those born abroad.

Disclaimer: This is an analysis of committee-level developments. The text is not yet final law and is subject to further votes and potential changes in the full Senate and then the Chamber of Deputies. This information is for news update purposes and is not legal advice. Always consult with a qualified immigration lawyer for advice tailored to your specific situation.

Key Developments from the May 13th Senate Committee Session:

The official summary from today’s session indicates the following key actions:

APPROVED AMENDMENTS:

Amendment 1.0.8 (Menia, Spinelli, et al.): The Language Requirement for Existing Citizens

Content: This highly controversial amendment was APPROVED.

It mandates that adult Italian citizens born and resident abroad, whose parents AND grandparents were also born abroad, and who hold dual citizenship, must submit a B1 level Italian language certificate within three years of the law’s entry into force.

For those currently under 18 fitting this description, the obligation applies between their 18th and 25th birthdays. Failure to submit the certificate by age 25 is explicitly stated as expressing the “will to renounce Italian citizenship.”

Exemptions are provided for citizens over 70 years old and those with permanent disabilities preventing them from obtaining the certificate.

False declarations regarding the certificate are considered equivalent to renunciation.

Reading Guide & Impact on Language Requirement for Italian Citizenship Applications:

This is a RADICAL change affecting ALREADY RECOGNIZED citizens, not just new applicants. If your path to citizenship was through a great-grandparent (or more distant ancestor), and both your parents and grandparents were born outside Italy, this new law, if it stands, would require you (or your children in the future) to actively prove Italian language proficiency to maintain citizenship. This development is crucial for understanding the evolving **Language Requirement for Italian Citizenship**.

The phrase “esprime la volontà di rinuncia” (expresses the will to renounce) for minors failing to meet the deadline is a strong indication of automatic loss or a strong presumption towards it. For adults over 25, while it says “is required” (è tenuto), the lack of an explicit “renunciation” clause for them is a slight ambiguity, but the intent seems to be a mandatory requirement to retain full rights or status.

This fundamentally alters the nature of ius sanguinis for certain categories from an unconditional birthright to one conditional on active language maintenance, even for those already holding passports.

The logistical challenges and potential for constitutional challenges (discrimination based on language, retroactivity of new maintenance conditions on acquired rights) are immense.

Amendment 1.0.500 (Government Proposal): Limited Reacquisition Window for Certain Former Citizens

Content: This government-backed amendment, previously discussed, was APPROVED.

It reopens a window (July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027) for individuals who were born in Italy OR had resided there for at least two years AND lost their Italian citizenship due to specific articles (Art. 8, items 1 & 2, or Art. 12) of the old 1912 Citizenship Law (Law 555/1912) to reacquire it by declaration.

A new consular fee of €250 is introduced for this declaration.

Crucially, it explicitly states: “Fermo restando quanto previsto dall’articolo 3-bis” (The provisions of Article 3-bis still stand).

Reading Guide & Impact on Jus Sanguinis Applications:

This amendment does NOT weaken or create a loophole around the main restrictions of the Tajani Decree (Article 3-bis) for new ius sanguinis claims.

Its impact is very specific, offering a limited-time opportunity for a defined group of former citizens who lost their citizenship under specific historical circumstances to regain it. It does not affect the eligibility criteria for individuals claiming citizenship by descent for the first time under the new Art. 3-bis.

Coordinating Amendment Coord. 1:

Content: This was APPROVED. Coordinating amendments are typically technical adjustments to ensure the legal text is consistent and coherent after other amendments are made. The exact text and its implications would depend on the final wording of all approved changes.

Reading Guide & Impact on Jus Sanguinis Applications:

Likely no direct substantive change to eligibility rules but aims to ensure the final law is technically sound.

APPROVED ORDERS OF THE DAY (Ordini del Giorno):

G/1432/2/1 and G/1432/3/1 (Testo 2) were APPROVED.

Reading Guide & Impact on Jus Sanguinis Applications:

Orders of the Day are not legally binding changes to the law itself. They are formal requests or statements of intent directed to the Government, urging it to consider certain actions or interpretations. While their approval indicates the Committee’s sentiment on specific issues, they don’t alter the legislative text directly. Their specific content would need to be reviewed to understand the precise requests being made.

WITHDRAWN AMENDMENT:

Amendment 1.0.11 (Measures for small villages at risk of depopulation) was withdrawn by its proponents.

REJECTED AMENDMENTS:

The Senate summary clearly states: “The remaining amendments, sub-amendments to amendment 1.0.500 and orders of the day were rejected.”

Reading Guide & Impact on Jus Sanguinis Applications:

This is a critical outcome. It means that the vast majority of amendments proposed by opposition parties and even some from within the majority, which aimed to:

• Completely suppress the Tajani Decree (like 1.1).
• Remove or significantly delay the retroactive application of Art. 3-bis.
• Broaden the exception conditions in Art. 3-bis (e.g., allowing qualification through more distant ancestors without the stringent new conditions, relying on AIRE registration, language skills of the applicant instead of ancestor’s birthplace, etc.).
• Substantially extend the March 27 deadline or make it much easier to meet (e.g., by just having requested an appointment).
• Introduce ius scholae or ius soli provisions as part of this bill.

All these attempts to fundamentally soften or negate the core restrictive impact of the Tajani Decree appear to have FAILED at the committee stage.

What This Means for Jus Sanguinis Applicants:

The Core of the Tajani Decree Remains Largely Intact (and Retroactive): The fundamental restrictions introduced by Article 3-bis, including its retroactive application to March 27, 2025, and the limited exception conditions (though modified as per the May 8th session – see previous blog post), seem set to move forward from the committee.

New Language Requirement for Existing Citizens (1.0.8) is a Game Changer: If Amendment 1.0.8 becomes final law, it imposes an unprecedented burden on a category of already recognized Italian citizens born and living abroad whose closest Italian-born ancestors are great-grandparents or beyond. This could lead to a de facto loss or renunciation of citizenship for those unable or unwilling to meet the B1 language requirement within the set timeframes. This will undoubtedly face significant legal and constitutional challenges, particularly regarding the **language requirement for Italian citizenship**.

Limited Scope of “Positive” Changes: The approved amendments offer very little relief for the broad categories of ius sanguinis applicants negatively impacted by the original decree. Amendment 1.0.500 is for a specific group of former citizens and explicitly upholds Art. 3-bis for new claims.

Focus Shifts to Senate Floor (and then Chamber of Deputies): While the committee’s decisions heavily influence the bill’s trajectory, the approved amendments and the main text will now be debated and voted on by the full Senate. There is still a theoretical possibility of changes on the Senate floor, or later in the Chamber of Deputies, but the government’s stance, indicated by the approval of its own amendment (1.0.500) and the rejection of most others, suggests a strong push to maintain the decree’s core.

Outlook:

Today’s session solidifies a rather stark outlook. The Italian government appears determined to enact significant restrictions on ius sanguinis citizenship, even extending new maintenance requirements to some existing citizens, including a notable **language requirement for Italian citizenship**. The rejection of most amendments aimed at softening the blow means that the path to Italian citizenship by descent for many will become considerably more difficult, if not impossible, under the rules being shaped.

The approval of Amendment 1.0.8, in particular, is likely to cause widespread concern and will be a focal point for future legal challenges, given its retroactive impact on acquired rights and potential constitutional issues regarding discrimination based on language.

ItalyGet.com will continue to monitor the parliamentary process closely as DDL 1432 moves to the Senate floor. The deadline for conversion into law remains May 27, 2025. You can find more information on official government proceedings on the Gazzetta Ufficiale.

---

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the new language requirement for Italian citizenship discussed in the Tajani Decree update?

The May 13th Tajani Decree updates highlight Amendment 1.0.8, which, if passed, mandates a B1 level Italian language certificate for certain existing adult Italian citizens born and residing abroad (whose parents and grandparents were also born abroad) and for their children between 18 and 25, to maintain their citizenship. This is a key aspect of the ongoing discussion surrounding the language requirement for Italian citizenship.

How does the Tajani Decree’s proposed language requirement for Italian citizenship affect current citizens?

Amendment 1.0.8 introduces a significant change by potentially imposing a B1 Italian language requirement for Italian citizenship maintenance on *already recognized* citizens born and living abroad under specific ancestral conditions, not just new applicants. Failure to comply could be interpreted as intent to renounce citizenship.

Where can I find official information on Italian citizenship laws and the language requirement for Italian citizenship?

For official information, consult the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Gazzetta Ufficiale for legislative texts. For specific advice, contact a qualified immigration lawyer, potentially seeking guidance through resources like the Italian Ministry of Justice.