ACQUIRING ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP THROUGH MARRIAGE
Italian Citizenship Through Marriage: Timeframes, Language Requirement (B1) and Security Check (2026 Updated Guide)
Meta description: This guide explains the process for applying for Italian citizenship through marriage/civil union (Art. 5 L. 91/1992), including the timeframe, how to meet the B1 language requirement, and the criminal record and security checks. It covers the current procedures (2026), the required documents, common reasons for rejection, and steps to strengthen your application.
1) What is citizenship through marriage, and who can apply?
In Italy, "citizenship by marriage" is the process by which a foreign spouse married to an Italian citizen (or who has established a civil union recognized under Italian law) can acquire citizenship upon application , provided they meet the conditions stipulated by law . This method is based on Law L. 91/1992 , and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explicitly states that this area is regulated under Articles 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Law L. 91/1992 . ( esteri.it )
This type of application is not based on the logic of "recognition of status by birth" (iure sanguinis), but rather on a conditional process that proceeds through administrative review and decision (decreto). Therefore, the case is evaluated not only based on the marriage certificate, but also considering factors such as duration, validity of marriage, language, criminal record, and security . ( esteri.it )
2) Duration requirement: 2 years in Italy, 3 years abroad – half the duration if there are children
The first hurdle in obtaining citizenship through marriage is the question, "When can I apply?". Here is a summary of the current criteria from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
- Spouse living in Italy: Legal residence for 2 years after marriage/unione civile .
- Spouse living abroad: 3 years from the date of marriage/civil union .
- If there is a shared child (born/adopted): These periods are halved. (esteri.it)
There is another crucial detail: If the Italian spouse acquired Italian citizenship (e.g., naturalization by residence), the waiting periods not from the date of marriage, but from the date the spouse acquired citizenship . The Foreign Ministry clearly regulates this possibility. (esteri.it)
Italian representations in Turkey also provide similar details: Regarding applications abroad, the "3-year" rule states that if the spouse's citizenship was acquired after marriage, the three years the spouse's date of naturalization ; if there are children, the period to 1.5 years . (ambankara.esteri.it)
Sample timeline (practical)
- 10.01.2024: Marriage (Italian spouse, Italian by birth, residing abroad)
→ Application from 10.01.2027 onwards (if there are no children). - In the same example, if there is a child in common
→ application from 10.07.2025 (1.5 years). (ambankara.esteri.it)
3) The marriage must be "valid under Italian law" and transcription in Italy is required
Even if the deadline has passed, the marriage valid under Italian law and (in the case of marriages performed abroad) transcribed in the Italian Comune . The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers the validity of the marriage/civil union, its registration in the Comune , and the continuation of the bond until the time of the decision as prerequisites. (esteri.it)
Consulates in Turkey also clarify the same point: If the marriage took place abroad, a trascrizione (transmission) must be made to a Comune in Italy before applying. (ambankara.esteri.it)
What does "the bond continuing" mean?
Until the decision is made (decreto):
- separation or divorce ; otherwise, the application requirement will be violated. (ambankara.esteri.it)
- However, an important detail regarding the procedure: In response to the question, summarized in Turkish, "Does the death of a spouse automatically invalidate the application?", the Ankara and Istanbul offices the death of a spouse after the application does not always result in "loss of rights," but the case should be evaluated according to its own circumstances. (ambankara.esteri.it)
4) For applications from abroad, the issue of AIRE and co-residence (same address)
For couples living abroad, the "administrative backbone" of the system is as follows:
- The Italian spouse registered with AIRE .
- As a rule, it is assumed that the couple at the same address ; if they have separate addresses, reasonable grounds and documentation may be requested. (ambankara.esteri.it)
These two points are areas that frequently cause delays in application processing. This is because the system checks the application not only in terms of "duration" but also in terms of the continuation of the marriage and residence information.
5) Language requirement: B1 level requirement, accepted certificates and exemptions
5.1. How long has the B1 requirement been in place?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explicitly states that proof of Italian language proficiency at the QCER B1 level is required for citizenship through marriage, and that this rule applies to applications submitted from December 4, 2018 onwards . ( esteri.it )
5.2. Which certificates are accepted?
The foreign affairs list is a "closed list"; only certificates from specific institutions are accepted:
- CILS (Università per Stranieri di Siena)
- CELI (Università per Stranieri di Perugia)
- Cert.It (Università Roma Tre)
- Ce.Co.L. (Università per Stranieri “Dante Alighieri” di Reggio Calabria)
- PLIDA (Società Dante Alighieri) (esteri.it)
The Istanbul and Ankara offices also emphasize the warning that "no other certificates are accepted." (consistentbul.esteri.it)
5.3. Who is exempt from the B1 certificate?
The Foreign Ministry lists three main sets of exemptions:
- Accordo di integrazione (d.lgs. 286/1998 art. 4-bis),
- Holders of long-term EU residence permits issued by Italy (permesso UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo – art. 9),
- Those who have an educational certificate, such as a diploma from a public/equivalent school recognized by Italy . ( esteri.it )
In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Corte Costituzionale decision 25/2025 , individuals with severe limitations in their language learning capacity due to age/pathology/disability, and who document this with a report from a public health institution, are also exempt from the certificate. (esteri.it)
6) Security check and criminal record: The heart of the reasons for refusal
In citizenship applications through marriage, the area that most often leads to "case closure" criminal record and security checks. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the requirements clearly:
- In Italy, the absence of convictions for certain serious crimes as stipulated by law (e.g., a maximum sentence of at least 3 years )
- The status of a conviction exceeding one year for a non-political crime in a foreign country (and the registration/effectiveness of the decision in Italy),
- Absence of convictions under crimes against the personality of the state (codice penale, Libro II, Titolo I, Capi I–III),
- And most importantly: “obstacles to the security of Repubblica” (motivi ostativi per la sicurezza della Repubblica) . (esteri.it)
The Istanbul and Ankara offices repeat the same approach in the form of a "summary checklist": crimes punishable by more than 3 years in Italian law, foreign convictions exceeding 1 year, crimes against the state, and security obstacles block the application. (consistentbul.esteri.it)
6.1. What does "security barrier" mean, and why is it the riskiest area?
This area is not limited to convictions alone. Because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs directly sets a separate criterion called "security-related obstacle," the administration discretion . Therefore, even with a clean criminal record, facts that raise security concerns in the case (especially in some situations) may be examined more closely. (esteri.it)
The practical message is this:
even if a criminal record is "clean," statements throughout the case, past residences, identity consistency, and connections to other countries can all become important factors in a security assessment.
7) Documents and application method: Tele-matic application, €250 contribution and multi-country criminal records
7.1. Where to apply?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clearly states that those living abroad will submit their applications telematically , according to the Ministry of Interior's procedure; documents will be uploaded after registration and login to the portal. (esteri.it)
Turkish representations also require applications to be submitted "only through the electronic system." (consistentbul.esteri.it)
7.2. Core document set (core files)
In summary, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' list of mandatory documents is as follows:
- Birth certificate/excerpt (including all identification information),
- Country(s) criminal record certificates (country of origin + third countries if any + countries of citizenship held),
- 250 € payment receipt
- Identity document/passport,
- B1 language certificate or exemption certificate. (esteri.it)
The Istanbul Consulate provides a very practical note for Turkey: For birth certificates, Form A (multilingual format) is required and does not require an apostille; however, it emphasizes the need for an apostille/translation for criminal record certificates. (consistentbul.esteri.it)
Furthermore, it states that in most cases, criminal record certificates the last 6 months as a "definite" condition (especially for countries where the person lived after the age of 14). (consistentbul.esteri.it)
7.3. Why is there a €250 contribution fee?
The official migration information portal ( integrazionemigranti.gov.it ) clearly states that with the 2018 regulation, this contribution was increased from €200 to €250 and that this contribution is required for citizenship applications.
8) Application processing time: 24/36 month rule and 48 month regime
The issue of time limits is one of the areas where clients most often get confused. The Ministry of Internal Affairs' Ali Cittadinanza portal clearly states the processing time regime:
- Applications submitted after 20.12.2020 : 24 months , which can be extended to a maximum of 36 months if necessary . ( portateservizi.dlci.interno.it )
Some Prefettura websites also confirm the same time regime. (www1.prefettura.it)
Important practical note: These timeframes are based on the principle of "maximum administrative time"; missing documents, verification correspondence, and multi-country criminal record checks can effectively prolong the process. Therefore, the best strategy is to prepare the application completely and consistently .
9) Final step after approval: Oath (giuramento) within 6 months and the date of acquisition of citizenship
Even if the citizenship application is approved, the process doesn't end there; the oath-taking stage. The Turkish Embassy in Ankara within six months of notification ; that this six-month period absolute (tassativo) and that missing it will result in the loss of citizenship. (ambankara.esteri.it)
The Prefettura FAQ pages and municipalities also reiterate the same principle: if the oath is not taken within 6 months, the decision will not take effect. (prefettura.interno.gov.it)
The Izmir Consulate also explicitly states: Citizenship becomes effective the day after the oath . ( consizmir.esteri.it )
10) Most common reasons for rejection/delay and a checklist to strengthen the case
10.1. Common error areas
- Applying for marriage registration in Italy without first having the marriage registered with the Comune (trascrizione) . ( ambankara.esteri.it )
- The Italian spouse's AIRE registration/residence information is not up-to-date, and the spouses' separate addresses have been left without justification. (consistentbul.esteri.it)
- a B1 certificate from an unacceptable institution or submitting an "incorrect level". (esteri.it)
- "Country missing" in criminal record certificates (especially third countries of residence after age 14). (consistentbul.esteri.it)
- Missing the 6-month validity window for the documents. (consistentbul.esteri.it)
- Undisclosed or misrepresented information in criminal record/security records (increases the risk of rejection if discovered later). (esteri.it)
10.2. File checklist (practical)
- Is the marriage/civil union transcribed into Comune in Italy? (esteri.it)
- Is the duration calculation correct (2 years in Italy / 3 years abroad / half if there are children)? (esteri.it)
- If the spouse obtained citizenship after marriage, did you start the time period from the date of naturalization? (esteri.it)
- Is the B1 certificate from an “accepted” institution; if there is an exemption, is the document ready? (esteri.it)
- Are the criminal record certificates for the country of origin, third countries, and countries of citizenship complete? (esteri.it)
- Is the logic of Formula A and translation/apostille correct for Turkey? (consistentbul.esteri.it)
- Do you have the €250 payment receipt and photocopies of your ID/passport ready? (esteri.it)
- If approval is given, have preparations been made for a 6-month swearing-in schedule? (ambankara.esteri.it)
11) Frequently Asked Questions
My spouse is Italian, but we live in Turkey. Where should we apply?
As a rule, applications are made through the telematics system determined by the competent Italian representation in the country of residence; it is also expected that the Italian spouse's AIRE registration and address information are up-to-date. (ambankara.esteri.it)
Which documents can I use to meet the B1 requirement?
Only CILS, CELI, Cert.It, Ce.Co.L, and PLIDA are accepted; in some cases, exemption is possible with an integration agreement/long-term EU residence permit/school diploma or a health certificate issued after 2025. (esteri.it)
What happens if a divorce case is filed?
Until a decision is made, the marital bond must remain intact; separation/divorce proceedings will jeopardize the application. (esteri.it)
Does citizenship begin immediately after the decision is made?
No. An oath must be taken within 6 months ; citizenship becomes effective the day after the oath. (ambankara.esteri.it)
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