Minister suggests that current Italian citizenship law pleases government
"For now, the citizenship law is fine as it is." This phrase, taken from a statement by the Italian Minister of the Interior and Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini, is encouraging for Brazilians who wish to obtain Italian citizenship and fear a change in the law.
The minister was referring to the wish of teenager Ramy Shehata, “hero” of the hijacking of a school bus last Wednesday (20), which prevented a massacre of unprecedented proportions in the country, to offer Italian citizenship to his colleagues.
Despite being born in Italy, the young man will only be able to obtain citizenship upon turning 18, although the government is considering making him Italian to honor his act of heroism. Ramy said he would like to grant Italian citizenship to other children of immigrants who study with him.
“This is a choice he will be able to make when he is elected parliamentarian. For now, the citizenship law is fine,” said Salvini, when asked about Ramy’s desire. Regarding granting citizenship to the young man, the minister said that the government is “carrying out all the verifications in the case”.
Because he is responsible for tightening immigration policies in Italy, Salvini, from the League party, is seen as the politician capable of suggesting future changes to the Italian citizenship process. jus sanguinis (by right of blood). In response to the increasing number of applications for Italian citizenship, members of the government formed by the coalition between the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the League suggest that the rules for recognizing Italian citizenship be reviewed.
If for Salvini the citizenship law is this great, it is a good sign that – for now – there will be no changes.
Law made naturalization processes difficult
Salvini wrote the decree that toughened the processes for recognizing citizenship through marriage. In force since December last year, the “Decree-Law on Security and Immigration” requires prior knowledge of the Italian language through a proficiency test for anyone wishing to naturalize as Italian.
Read also Italian test comes into force and stops naturalization processes
The “Salvini Decree” also increased the fee for granting Italian citizenship through marriage from 200 to 250 euros, both in the country itself and through the consular network, and increased the maximum period for processing the application from 24 to 48 months (four years).
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