Ever been on holiday and fallen so deeply in love with a destination that you’ve fantasised about moving there ever since? Of course you have – most of us do it, and for plenty of people that place is Italy.
But don’t give up on that pipedream just yet, as it could soon get a whole lot easier to gain Italian citizenship if you’re a non-EU national.
For some time, campaigners have been pushing to reduce the time someone needs to reside in Italy to be able to apply for citizenship, and this week it’s been announced that the project has gathered enough signatures behind it to qualify for a national referendum.
Right now, someone needs to have lived in Italy for 10 years or been married to a citizen for two years to be allowed to apply for citizenship. The referendum will ask whether that time frame should be reduced to just five years and if so, 2.5 million people could be eligible.
According to euronews, there have been attempts to change the law since 1999, but none have succeeded. If a change is approved this time, it would bring Italy’s citizenship laws inline with those of Germany, France, Portugal, the Netherlands and the UK.
Not everyone is keen to slash the residency requirement, however. Right-wing politicians, including the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, are opposed to easing Italy’s stance on immigration (shocker), saying there is ‘no need to change [the 10-year timeframe].’
However, opposition lawmaker Riccardo Magi said that people who signed this petition are pushing for ‘something simple, almost banal: those who choose to live, study, love and grow, those who imagine their future in our country, are Italian.’
For the referendum to go ahead, the request must be approved by two of the country’s highest courts with at least a 50 percent voter turnout. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.
Check out the prettiest islands, loveliest beaches and quaintest villages to visit in Italy on our Italy guide.
Did you see that this hotel has just been crowned the best in Europe – and second-best in the world?
Plus: These are the world’s cheapest cities for a bottle of wine.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.