Dual citizenship with Italy in 2026: is it permitted and what is important for Russians

Does Italy permit dual citizenship

Short answer - yes. Italy is among countries that recognize dual and even multiple citizenship without any reservations. This is enshrined in Article 11 of Law No. 91 of 1992: a person acquiring Italian citizenship is not obliged to renounce what they already have. Conversely, an Italian who acquires a foreign passport generally retains Italian citizenship.

This was not always the case. Before 1992, Italy in some cases required a choice in favor of one citizenship. But for more than thirty years now, a liberal approach has been in effect, and today an Italian passport coexists peacefully with Russian, Kazakh, Israeli, American, and any other passport - there are no prohibitions from Italy itself.

This fundamentally distinguishes Italy from countries where a second passport means automatic loss of the first. Here second citizenship is a tool, not a trap: you gain the rights of an EU citizen but do not lose your connection to your homeland, property, and family where you lived before.

No need to renounce your native passport

This is the point that most often causes confusion for people. There is a myth circulating on the internet that when obtaining an EU passport, the native passport is automatically annulled. This is incorrect as it applies to Italy. No renunciation procedure from previous citizenship is initiated by Italian authorities or required from you.

When you become a citizen of Italy - through naturalization, marriage, or descent - you take an oath and receive Italian documents. Your previous passport is neither confiscated, cancelled, nor reported to anyone. The further fate of your native citizenship is decided according to the laws of the country that issued it - and this is where the second half of the conversation begins, which is important for Russians.

Therefore, the phrase dual citizenship Russia Italy is more correctly understood as follows: there are no obstacles whatsoever from Italy's side, and from Russia's side there is permissibility plus one formality - notification. More on this below.

Dual citizenship Russia - Italy: how it works for Russians

Russia does not prohibit dual citizenship to its citizens. A person with a Russian passport has the right to obtain an Italian one and remain a citizen of the Russian Federation - the law does not change this. However, the Russian state wants to know about such situations, so there is an obligation to submit a notification about the presence of foreign citizenship or residence permit.

Precision in terminology is important here. From Russia's perspective, a person with two passports is in most cases considered a citizen of the Russian Federation - that is, within Russian territory, an Italian passport does not provide special advantages and does not exempt from the obligations of a citizen. This does not diminish the value of the second passport - it becomes useful outside Russia, in the European Union, and for international travel.

The request to retain both Russian and Italian citizenship is entirely feasible: you need only correctly fulfill the notification obligation and subsequently distinguish between two different issues - citizenship and tax residency. They are often confused, but these are different things.

Notification to the Ministry of Internal Affairs: conditions and deadlines

This is the key practical obligation for a Russian who has obtained an Italian passport. You must notify the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia about the presence of second citizenship or a foreign residence permit. The deadlines are as follows:

• 60 days from the date of acquiring foreign citizenship - if you are in Russia at that time;
• 30 days from the date of return to Russia - if you were abroad at the time of obtaining the passport.

You can submit the notification in person through a territorial migration department or through a Russian Post office in the established form; in some cases, the public services portal is used - the current method should be verified at the time of submission. Non-submission or failure to meet the deadline entails liability - up to criminal liability, with a fine of approximately 200,000 rubles, so it should not be treated formally.

The logic is simple: dual citizenship by itself is lawful; the penalty is not for having it, but for failing to disclose it. If you calmly submit the notification on time, the matter is closed.

If you are just planning your path to an Italian passport and want to build it in advance without mistakes, it makes sense to discuss your situation with our specialists - we will review the timelines, documents, and course of action for your specific case.

Citizenship and tax residency are not the same thing

The most common mistake is believing that an Italian passport automatically makes a person a taxpayer in Italy or, conversely, exempts them from taxes in Russia. This is not the case. Citizenship is about belonging to a country and a set of rights. Tax residency is about where you pay taxes and is determined by completely different criteria.

In Italy, a person is considered a tax resident if at least one condition is met during the year: they spend more than 183 days (184 in a leap year) in the country, or their domicile—that is, the center of their personal and family ties—is located in Italy, or they are registered in the permanent resident registry. Since 2024, when assessing domicile, priority is given to personal and family ties.

This means you can be a citizen of Italy and not be a tax resident—if you do not actually live there and the center of your life is elsewhere. And vice versa. Therefore, tax planning must be done separately from citizenship planning—based on the specific year's figures and taking into account double taxation avoidance agreements.

How to obtain Italian citizenship in general

Dual citizenship is not a separate program, but a consequence of how you obtained your Italian passport. There are several ways:

• By naturalization - after prolonged legal residence in Italy. Details on timelines below.
• By marriage to an Italian citizen - an accelerated path.
• By descent (jure sanguinis) - if your father, mother, or grandparents were Italian. After the 2025 reform, this path has narrowed - discussed separately.

It is worth noting separately: you cannot buy Italian citizenship for money - there is no such program in Italy. However, there are investor paths to residence permits that over time open the door to permanent residency and naturalization. This is discussed in detail in our article on Italian investment residency.

Whichever path you choose, the outcome is the same: once you obtain an Italian passport, you do not lose your native citizenship on Italy's part. That is, Italy grants dual citizenship under practically any lawful basis.

Citizenship by naturalization: timelines and language

Naturalization is the most universal path, not requiring Italian roots or marriage. The basic requirement is legal residence in Italy for an established period:

• 10 years - for citizens of non-EU countries, including Russians;
• 4 years - for citizens of other EU countries;
• 3 years - for persons of Italian descent and those born in Italy.

Additionally, you will need to confirm knowledge of Italian at the B1 level B1, demonstrate stable legal income over recent years, and have no disqualifying criminal record. Ten years is a significant period, so many choose naturalization as the end of a long path begun with an investor visa or residence for financially independent persons.

All these years you live under an Italian residence permit, then obtain the status of an EU long-term resident (after five years of residence), and only then—citizenship. In return, you get a full European Union passport without having to give up your native one.

Citizenship by marriage to an Italian citizen

Marriage to an Italian man or woman significantly shortens the path. You can apply for citizenship:

• after 2 years of joint residence in Italy;
• or after 3 years of marriage, if spouses live abroad.

If there are common children (biological or adopted), these timelines are cut in half. As with naturalization, you will need to confirm language knowledge at B1 level and the absence of disqualifying criminal record, as well as pay the established state fee.

Here the general rule applies again: when obtaining Italian citizenship by marriage, you are not obliged to renounce your native passport. A Russian spouse simply needs to remember to notify the Interior Ministry within the established timeframe—and both citizenships can coexist peacefully without interfering with each other.

By descent (jure sanguinis): what the 2025 reform changed

Historically, Italy was a champion of citizenship transfer through ancestors: one could restore a passport even through a great-great-grandfather emigrant without limitation on the number of generations. In March 2025, this changed dramatically - through a reform (decree-law approved by law in spring 2025), citizenship by descent was significantly restricted.

Now, as a rule, one can claim citizenship by descent if your father or mother, or grandfather or grandmother - was born in Italy; that is, within two generations, plus a number of conditions for the ancestor themselves. Many old schemes great-great-grandfather emigrant of the late 19th century no longer work in new applications.

It is important to know this in advance so as not to make plans based on outdated information. If you have close Italian roots - the descent route remains one of the fastest and most affordable. If your ancestor is distant - it is more to immediately consider naturalization, marriage, or investor residency. And in all these cases, dual citizenship remains available.

Briefly in question-answer format

Let us gather the main points into one table - to keep key answers on this topic in view.

Why you need a second passport: mobility and Plan B

Italian citizenship is citizenship of the European Union. It grants the right to live, work, study, and conduct business in any EU country, move freely through the Schengen area, and benefit from the visa opportunities of one of the world's most powerful passports. For a Russian citizen whose travel is now complicated by visa difficulties, this is a tangible expansion of freedom.

But it is not only about travel. A second passport is about resilience. It is a spare airfield for your family, an opportunity to give your children a European education, open an account and conduct business within a familiar legal system, plan your future more calmly for years to come. This is why second citizenship is increasingly viewed as an element of personal strategy, rather than a one-time purchase.

Moreover, a second passport does not oblige you to move immediately or change your tax registration. You decide where and how to live - citizenship merely gives you this option and freedom of choice.

Compliance and sanctions: how to pass verification

Here we must speak directly. Italy is a European Union country, and any path to its passport or residence permit goes through enhanced verification, especially for applicants from Russia and other CIS countries. Banks and government bodies carefully examine the origin of funds, sources of income, and business reputation.

This is not a reason to abandon the idea - it is a reason to prepare thoroughly. Everything must be within EU law, without attempts to circumvent sanctions restrictions: legal source of money, transparent asset structure, clear history. An applicant whose documents are in order passes verification calmly - and this is the only approach we consider correct.

It is important for a Russian citizen to remember two different levels: the legality of second citizenship itself (it exists) and the correctness of fulfilling formalities on both sides - both notification to the RF Interior Ministry in Russia and compliance in Italy. When both levels are covered, dual citizenship works for you without risks.

Where to start the path to an Italian passport

If the goal is specifically Italian citizenship while retaining your native one, the sequence is usually as follows:

• assess the closeness of your Italian roots - perhaps there is access to a short descent route;
• if there are no roots, choose a basis for long-term residence - investor residence permit, residence for financially independent persons, marriage;
• legally reside in Italy for the established period, bring your language skills to B1 level;
• obtain the status of long-term EU resident, then apply for naturalization;
• after obtaining a passport - submit a notification to the RF Interior Ministry in time.

Each of these steps has nuances, and an error at the start (for example, incorrectly chosen grounds for residence permit) can cost years. Therefore, it is reasonable to plan your route from the beginning with your specific situation in mind - taking into account family, assets, and timeframes.

Read more about the investor route and residence conditions on the page Italy's investment residence, and bring questions about your specific case to our specialists.

Conclusion: dual citizenship with Italy is real and legal

Let us summarize. Italy permits dual citizenship and does not require renunciation of your native passport - this is enshrined in law and has worked in practice for decades. Russia permits second citizenship, only requiring timely notification to the Interior Ministry. Citizenship and tax residency are different things: a passport by itself does not make you a tax payer of Italy.

The main emphases of 2026 are honesty: citizenship by descent has been narrowed to two generations after the reform, a passport cannot be bought for money, and real estate purchase alone does not provide a residence permit. However, there are enough legal paths to Italian citizenship, and almost each of them is compatible with retaining your native passport.

If you want to obtain a European Union passport without losing your connection to your homeland - this is an absolutely achievable goal with proper planning. Write to usand we will help you choose the path that is right for you.