Italy: residency, citizenship and cost of living

Path to citizenship

Italian citizenship for non-EU nationals comes after 10 years of uninterrupted legal residence (4 years for EU citizens), with sufficient income and Italian at B1 or above; it is granted at the state's discretion, not as a right. Processing takes 2–3 years by law and often 3–4 in practice. Spouses of citizens qualify after 2 years of residence in Italy after the wedding. The 2025 referendum to cut the period to 5 years failed to reach quorum, so the rules are unchanged. Dual citizenship is allowed. Routes for descendants of Italians after the 2025 reform are not covered here: courts are still settling those rules.

• • 10 years of legal residence, income and Italian B1
• • EU citizens — 4 years of residence
• • spouses of citizens — 2 years of residence in Italy after the wedding

Citizenship application processing, years: 2–4.

Monthly budget

Average lifestyle, employed; data as of 10.2026. Deposits, furniture and the move itself are not included.

Country scores (out of 100)

• Safety82
• Earning potential85
• Healthcare89
• Path to citizenship16
• Schools and education66
• Environment63
• Warm, sunny climate77

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Law 91/1992
• The 8–9 June 2025 referendum to cut the period from 10 to 5 years failed to reach quorum — the rules are unchanged (Sky TG24). In practice the route takes about 14 years