Italian citizenship for Russians in 2026: real paths to an EU passport

Can a Russian obtain Italian citizenship in 2026

Short answer—yes, but not quickly and not for money. Italy does not sell passports for investments, as some Caribbean countries do. Different logic applies here: first a person becomes part of the country—lives in it, pays taxes, learns the language—and only then obtains citizenship. Or proves that Italian blood runs through their family line.

For a Russian citizen, this means three legitimate routes:

• By descent (jure sanguinis) —if there are Italians born in Italy in your family line. After the 2025 reform, this means your father, mother, or grandparents.
• By naturalization —through a chain of visa, residence permit, permanent residence, and ten years of legal residence.
• Through marriage —if your spouse is an Italian citizen.

Investor visa, digital nomad, financially independent visa—all of these are residence permits, a starting point for your route, but not a passport per se. Italy is an EU and Schengen member, currency euro, official language Italian. All procedures follow strictly European law; enhanced source of funds verification applies for Russians.

Italian citizenship for Russians: how to obtain—three paths and their accessibility

Before diving into details, let's look at the full picture. Below is a comparison of three real roads to an Italian passport with a assessment of how accessible each is to a Russian citizen in 2026.

As evident, there are no fast routes to a passport. The shortest path is through ancestry, but it is only available to those with a close ancestor born in Italy. Others face a long but predictable path through residence.

Italian citizenship by ancestry: 2025 reform changed the rules

This is the major news of recent years and a major disappointment for many. Previously, Italy recognized blood rights with almost no generational restrictions: one could trace an emigrant great-great-grandfather from the late 19th century and obtain a passport through him. Thousands of people worldwide did just that.

In March 2025, Decree-Law No. 36 (DL 36/2025) was issued, which was approved as Law No. 74/2025 in May. It introduced a strict generational cap. Now citizenship by descent is recognized, as a rule, only if at least one of the parents, or a grandfather or grandmother, was born in Italy - not further back than the second generation.

What this means in a real example. If your grandfather was born in an Italian town and emigrated, there is a chance. If, however, it was your great-grandfather or great-great-grandfather who was Italian, and your father and grandfather were born outside Italy, the previous scheme no longer works. In March 2026, the Constitutional Court reviewed complaints from descendants of Italians and confirmed the legality of the new rules - there is no point in hoping for their repeal.

Important caveat: applications submitted or scheduled for appointment before March 27, 2025, are reviewed under the old rules. A detailed analysis of this route is in our article on Italian citizenship by descent.

How to prove Italian roots and gather documents

Suppose your grandfather or grandmother were indeed born in Italy. Next comes archival work - and it requires patience. You need to establish a documentary-verified family line from the Italian ancestor to you.

What is typically collected:

• Birth certificate of the Italian ancestor (obtained from the commune - the local municipality where he was born).
• Documents regarding his emigration and confirmation that he did not lose Italian citizenship before the birth of the next generation.
• Birth, marriage, and death certificates along the entire family line - from grandfather to you.
• Russian documents with apostille and sworn translation into Italian.

Separate requirement for the line through grandfather or grandmother: under the new rules, the ancestor must have maintained exclusively Italian citizenship until the moment of its transmission to the descendant - that is, not naturalize in another country prematurely. This is a subtle legal point that often undermines seemingly obvious cases.

The main difficulty for Russians is discrepancies in spelling of surnames and names due to transliteration, documents lost over a century, and different vital records registration systems. Each discrepancy must be resolved with an additional certificate or judicial correction.

Naturalization: the path through residence permit and ten years

If there are no Italian roots, the classical path of residency remains - naturalization. The logic is simple: a person legally resides in Italy, gradually establishes roots, and after the required period applies for citizenship.

The basic requirement for a Russian citizen is 10 years of legal residence in the country. Legal residence means official registration at the place of residence in the municipal registry (anagrafe) with a valid residence permit. For comparison: EU citizens need 4 years, and persons of Italian descent or born in Italy need 3 years.

In addition to the residency period, the following is required:

• Knowledge of Italian language at least at the B1 B1 level on the European scale - with a certificate from an accredited center.
• Stable documented income over recent years.
• Absence of serious criminal conviction that would impede the procedure.

Review of the application takes approximately 24 to 36 months in addition to ten years of residence. It is a marathon, not a sprint - but the route is open to anyone willing to genuinely relocate their life's center to Italy.

How to start the path to naturalization: residence permit for Russians

Ten years of residence do not appear from nowhere - they are preceded by obtaining a residence permit. This is the entry point to the country for a Russian citizen. Italy offers several grounds, and the choice depends on your profile.

Main legal options:

• Investor visa - for those investing in the Italian economy. This is discussed separately below.
• Visa for financially independent persons (Residenza Elettiva) - for people with passive income: rent, dividends, pension. Work is not permitted under it.
• Digital nomad visa - launched in 2024 for highly qualified remote workers with confirmed income.
• Work visa, family reunification, study - standard grounds.

All these options are discussed in detail in our guide on residence permits in Italy for Russians. It is important to understand: years spent on these residence permits count toward the record for future naturalization, so making the right choice of grounds at the outset saves time in the long term.

Italian citizenship by marriage: the shortest legal path

Marriage to an Italian citizen is the fastest lawful way to obtain a passport if ancestry is not involved. But even here there are clear timelines and checks.

Timelines depend on where the couple lives:

• 2 years Marriage or registered partnership, provided the spouses reside in Italy.
• 3 yearsif the couple lives outside Italy.
• These periods are halved if there are common or adopted children.

Since 2018, spouses are also required to demonstrate Italian language proficiency at B1 level with a certificate. The application is submitted online to the Italian Ministry of Interior; the review process takes approximately 24 to 36 months by law.

We emphasize separately: the marriage must be genuine. Italian authorities and consulates verify the authenticity of family relationships, and a fictitious union leads to rejection and serious legal consequences. This is not a loophole but a full-fledged life scenario.

Citizenship by birth: why giving birth to a child in Italy does not grant a passport

Common myth: if you give birth to a child in Italy, he or she will automatically become an Italian citizen, and parents will follow. This is not the case. Italy does not apply the principle of jus soli—right of soil. The mere fact of birth on Italian territory does not grant citizenship.

How it actually works:

• A child of an Italian citizen is Italian by blood, regardless of where he or she is born.
• A child born in Italy to foreigners (for example, Russian citizens) may obtain Italian citizenship upon reaching 18 years of age—provided continuous legal residence in the country since birth.

That is, for a Russian family, giving birth to a child in Italy is not a quick way to obtain passports but a long process tied to the family's own residence. Parents will still need to follow their own route—through naturalization or ancestry.

Investor visa: grants residence permit but not citizenship directly

It is important to clarify this point. Investment in Italy is not buying a passport but obtaining a residence permit, which may later lead to citizenship through the same ten-year naturalization period. Italy offers no accelerated citizenship for money.

Investor visa thresholds for 2026:

• 250,000 euros in an innovative Italian startup.
• 500,000 euros in an operating Italian company.
• 2,000,000 euros in Italian government bonds (BTP).
• 1,000,000 euros charitable donation to a project of public significance.

First, a Nulla Osta permit is obtained, then a visa and residence permit for 2 years with renewal for another 3. There are no residence requirements at the start—this is convenient for those not yet ready to relocate permanently. A full breakdown of amounts, procedures, and nuances for Russian citizens is in our article on Italian investor visas and on the page of the program investment residence in Italy.

Real estate and passport: talk about the golden visa that does not exist

One of the most frequent questions: does purchasing an apartment or house in Italy grant a residence permit or, especially, citizenship? The answer is no. Italy has no golden visa for real estate. By purchasing a villa in Tuscany, you acquire an asset and the right to own it, but no basis for residence.

What Russians should know about purchasing:

• Foreigners purchase real estate on the basis of reciprocity, and reciprocity exists with Russia—Russian citizens have the right to purchase.
• Transaction taxes (registration fees or VAT) are paid, and notary services are mandatory.
• Famous houses for 1 euro in small towns (borghi) are real but come with an obligation to renovate the property within a set timeframe and pay a deposit—this is not a gift but a project.

Real estate works well in combination with a visa for the financially independent: the purchased property satisfies the residence requirement. But property ownership alone does not lead to a passport.

Taxes and flat tax: what changes when relocating to Italy

Citizenship and tax residency are different things and must not be confused. One may obtain an Italian passport and not be a tax resident, and vice versa. One becomes a tax resident by residing in the country more than 183 days per year—and then an obligation to declare worldwide income arises.

For affluent relocators, Italy devised a special regime— flat tax (fixed tax for new tax residents, non-dom regime). Instead of ordinary progressive tax on foreign income, a fixed annual sum is paid:

• Initially—100,000 euros per year (since 2017).
• For those who entered after 10 August 2024, the rate increased to 200,000 euros.
• By budget law, it was raised to 300,000 euros per year for new applicants—approximately; clarify at the time of application.
• Plus 25,000 euros per year for each family member; the regime applies for up to 15 years.

Regular Italian taxes are significant: IRPEF income tax is progressive up to ~43%, property tax IMU (primary residence usually exempt), VAT (IVA) 22%. Flat tax is advantageous for those with large foreign income—for others it is not the best choice.

Russians in 2026: sanctions, compliance, and entry

Russian citizens face a separate set of realities that cannot be ignored. All legal routes to Italian residence permits and citizenship remain open, but procedures include enhanced verification.

What to consider:

• To enter Italy, a Russian citizen needs a Schengen visa—obtaining it is more difficult than before but possible with proper grounds.
• Source of funds is verified thoroughly: banks and authorities request documentary confirmation of the legality of capital.
• All steps strictly within European law - no schemes to circumvent sanctions regime. Any attempt to bypass restrictions leads to refusal and blocking.
• Sanctioned individuals face direct prohibitions - this must be checked in advance.

BRIDGES GLOBAL resolves issues of lawful obtaining of residence permit and Italian citizenship. Where exactly your family will live, in Italy or another country, you decide yourselves - our task is to ensure a legal and verifiable path.

Dual citizenship Russia - Italy: notification to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Good news: both Italy and Russia permit dual citizenship. Italy does not require renunciation of Russian passport - you can hold both. However, Russia has its own rule that must not be forgotten.

A Russian citizen who has obtained dual citizenship or foreign residence permit is obliged to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia within 60 days.If a person is abroad, these 60 days are counted from the date of entry into Russian territory.

How to submit notification:

• In person at the migration department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at your place of registration.
• Through the State Services portal in electronic form.
• A separate notification is submitted for each citizenship or residence permit.

Concealment of dual citizenship is subject to liability under Article 330.2 of the Russian Criminal Code - a fine of up to 200,000 rubles or mandatory work. Therefore, notification is not a formality but a mandatory step. Dual citizenship Russia - Italy is absolutely legal if this procedure is observed.

Conditions and overall picture: what is needed for an Italian passport.

Let us bring it all together. Italian citizenship for a Russian in 2026 is possible, but requires either Italian roots, or many years of residence, or marriage. Basic conditions by routes:

• By roots - close ancestor (father, mother, grandfather, grandmother) born in Italy, and complete documentary family line.
• Naturalization - 10 years of legal residence, Italian B1 language level, income, clean criminal record.
• By marriage - 2 years in Italy or 3 abroad, Italian B1 language level, genuine relationship.

In all cases - lawfulness, capital transparency and patience. A passport cannot be purchased, acceleration by roots is only possible if you have an ancestor, and investments open the door in the form of residence permit, but do not grant citizenship in exchange for money.

If you are unsure which path is yours, and want to assess your chances without false promises, discuss your case with BRIDGES GLOBAL specialists.We will analyze your profile, verify the grounds and draw up a realistic plan to an EU passport.

Comparison with other EU passports and assessment of prospects.

Is it worth going to Italy at all or are there easier ways? Here objective expert assessment is important. For those without Italian roots, Italian naturalization is one of the longest routes in the EU: ten years of residence versus five to eight in several other countries. However, the language and culture are close to many, and the country itself is attractive for living.

Those with an ancestor born in Italy should check as soon as possible after the 2025 reform whether their line passes under the new rules, and if prospects are positive, act without delay. The window for ancestry routes has narrowed, and there is no point in delaying.

For affluent families not in a hurry for a passport, a combination is reasonable: investor visa or visa for financially independent persons as comfortable residence, flat tax regime with substantial foreign income, and naturalization as a horizon for years ahead. Program details are on the page about Italian citizenship.The main rule for Russians remains unchanged: only legal grounds, transparent capital and precise compliance with procedures of both countries.