“During the committee debate on the ‘milleproroghe’ decree, the amendment I introduced together with the other Democratic Party deputies elected abroad – Porta, Ricciardi, and Care’ – to request an extension for the registration of minor children was approved,” said Christian Di Sanzo, a Member of Parliament elected in the North and Central America district.
“The new citizenship law has in fact created several negative consequences for the children of Italian citizens. One of these consequences was that families had time to register minor children of Italian parents, as of the date the new law took effect, only until May 31, 2026. After that deadline, those children would have permanently lost their right to Italian citizenship – a serious injustice.
However, registration requires obtaining a number of documents, including the historical certificate of citizenship, which many municipalities are experiencing significant difficulties issuing. In addition to the challenges involved in securing the required documentation, there is the chronic lack of available appointments at consulates, which are already overwhelmed with routine passport renewals and visa processing. This has created a situation of great anxiety within our Italian communities abroad, who have been forced into a race against time to secure recognition of such an important right as citizenship for their children.
Thanks to the Democratic Party’s amendment, there will now be time until 2029 – an important victory, especially for our communities in Canada and the United States, which were the most disadvantaged by the previous deadline. Following approval in committee in the Chamber of Deputies, only final passage by the full Chamber and then by the Senate remains. These votes are expected within the next two weeks. After that, consulates will be able to update their websites with the new registration deadline, which will finally provide some relief to our communities.”
