The outlook for descendants of Italians in 2026 begins with a mix of hope and skepticism. With the publication of Decree-Law 200/2025, the famous milleproroghe, and on Official GazetteThe parliamentary window has opened for promises made to communities abroad to finally be fulfilled, especially the exemption of Italian citizenship fees for all minors and the extension of the registration deadline until 2028.
However, what the government and allied parties present as "achievements" is seen by many as mere crumbs in the face of the financial and bureaucratic barriers imposed in recent months.
What is Milleproroghe?
O milleproroghe (a thousand extensions, in a free translation) It is a traditional decree-law in Italian politics, always published at the turn of the year. Its function is to "give breathing room" to the public administration, postponing deadlines that would expire and adjusting urgent laws. As it is a government decree, it comes into effect immediately, but needs to be ratified by Parliament within 60 days. It is in this procedural phase—which will begin in the Chamber of Deputies—that the amendments regarding citizenship must be inserted.
MAIE's promise: deadline extended until 2028
The great expectation revolves around the amendment promised by MAIE. (Associative Movement of Italians Abroad)The goal is to correct a bottleneck in the "Tajani Decree":
- The proposal aims to extend the deadline for children born up to May 24, 2025.
- The original deadline of 31/05/2026 would be pushed to 2028, preventing thousands of children from losing their right to recognition of citizenship, by virtue of law, due to the chronic inability of consulates to provide adequate service.
The controversy over the fees
Another point of contention is the €250 fee. Even before the final approval of the new rules, the MAIE enthusiastically announced that the registration fee would be waived for all minors.
However, the reality in consulates around the world paints a different picture. Internal regulations recently published by consular offices. They indicate that minors born before the new law (up to May 31, 2025) must still pay the 250 euros.
This discrepancy between the "political announcement" and the "reality at the counter" generates outrage. While parliamentarians try to clean up the government's image abroad, families face a labyrinth where the rules change according to Rome's revenue-raising convenience.
It remains to be seen whether MAIE, government ally, will get support from Forza Italy (of Antonio Tajani) for this amendment. It is important to remember that the party has been working towards "rigor in citizenship".
In contrast to the political climate, the community awaits the judgment of the Italian Constitutional Court. scheduled for March 11, 2026The analysis will determine the validity of the restrictions imposed by the Tajani Decree.
If the Court deems the measures unconstitutional, the registration rules could change radically, overriding the decisions of Parliament.
