The senator Francesco Giacobbe (Democratic Party) participated in a meeting with the Presidency Committee of the General Council of Italians Abroad on Monday (30), at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in Rome.
The debate revolved around policies for Italians abroad, with a focus on citizenship and consular services.
During his speech, Giacobbe criticized the recent law passed by the right-wing majority in Parliament. According to him, the new law "penalizes and, indeed, discriminates against the children of Italians abroad," that is, it discriminates against the children of Italians living outside Italy.
The senator advocates for a thorough review of current legislation, balancing the continuity of descendants with combating abuse.
Overloaded consoles and lack of vacancies
Giacobbe also addressed the difficulty in scheduling appointments at consulates, especially citizenship services.
“It is necessary to simplify procedures or allocate resources to increase the number of places, avoiding harming Italian families abroad,” he said.
According to him, the ideal would be to adopt clear, simple and uniform standards, capable of ensuring “equity and transparency” in access to citizenship recognition.
Today, each consulate adopts its own rules — often confusing and misaligned with each other.
Criticism of the fee for minors and insufficient timeframe
Another point criticized by the senator was the charging of a fee, amounting to 250 euros (approximately R$1.570) for the registration of minors born abroad before the new legislation came into effect.
He called the measure "unfair, wrong, discriminatory, and unconstitutional." Giacobbe said it was an "unjustified obstacle that needs to be eliminated."
In the end, the parliamentarian suggested more flexibility in the deadlines for registering minor children. Current legislation requires this process to be completed by May 31, 2026.
"Time flies. Longer deadlines may be necessary. Adequate resources and simplified procedures are needed to guarantee the right to citizenship," he concluded.
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