Marco Mellone

Italy’s highest court ruled that children born with dual Italian and foreign citizenship do not automatically lose Italian citizenship if a parent later naturalizes abroad. The decision resolves the 'Minor Issue,' allowing descendants of Italian emigrants to claim citizenship by bloodline, particularly affecting families in North and South America.

Italy’s highest court ruled that children born with Italian citizenship do not automatically lose it if a parent later acquires another nationality, resolving the 'Minor Issue' and strengthening citizenship-by-descent claims for descendants of Italian emigrants. The decision reverses a restrictive interpretation that had blocked many applications, particularly affecting Italian-American families.