Parents who wish to apply for Italian citizenship for their minor children, for the benefit of the law, have until May 31, 2026, to submit their request. This deadline was established by new legislation in effect since May 2025. However, operational difficulties at consulates have led to delays that may result in an extension.
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Italian consulates abroad took about three months to begin providing services related to the new regulations. Even after reopening, they still don't offer enough slots on the Prenotami scheduling system, the main platform used to schedule consular services.
Initial discussions in Parliament indicate that the deadline could be extended with the approval of the Milleproroghe decree, a legal instrument used to extend the deadlines for government measures. Parliamentarians linked to Italians abroad are discussing the possibility of postponing the original deadline by at least two years.
The justification is that the one-year period was insufficient for most families, both due to the lack of publicity regarding the rule and the slow pace of consular services. A congressman involved in the matter, interviewed by Italianismo, stated that there is "hope that an extension of at least two years will be granted."
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According to the AISE news agency, “Ricardo Merlo expressed his 'comfort' with the rumors in Parliament that the deadline for requesting registration of minors born before the reform came into force could be extended with the approval of the so-called Milleproroghe decree.”
The extension of the term would benefit, if approved, minors born before the new law came into effect, guaranteeing the right to citizenship through the recognition provided for in the reform.
