What changed for Italian citizenship by descent under Law 74/2025?

Law 74/2025 (effective May 24, 2025) limits automatic citizenship by descent to those with a parent or grandparent born in Italy. Applications started before March 27, 2025 follow the old unlimited-generation rules. New applications go to the centralized Farnesina office, not individual consulates.

FBI Fingerprinting for US Citizens
in Italy

US citizen applying for Italian citizenship by descent, an Elective Residency Visa, a Digital Nomad Visa, or any other Italian immigration purpose? MR Fingerprints provides FBI-approved fingerprinting, federal apostille coordination, and certified Italian translation — everything your Italian consulate requires, delivered as one complete package.

Italy has more specific FBI document requirements than almost any other country we serve. The consulate requires the physical original hard copy of your FBI Identity History Summary with the FBI Section Chief’s original signature and seal — not a PDF printout. It must be apostilled by the US Department of State and accompanied by a certified Italian translation that covers both the FBI document and the apostille page. MR Fingerprints handles all three steps under one roof.

Key Facts: FBI Background Check for Italy

Hard copy required — Italy requires the physical original with FBI Section Chief's original signature and seal. A PDF printout is NOT accepted. Federal apostille required — US Department of State only. State apostilles are invalid for FBI documents. Certified Italian translation required — covers both the FBI document AND the apostille page. Must be completed after the apostille is applied. Validity: 90 days from FBI issue date for most consulates (some allow 6 months — confirm with your specific consulate) Jure sanguinis update: Law 74/2025 now limits citizenship by descent to 2 generations (parent or grandparent born in Italy) as of May 24, 2025 Applications started before March 27, 2025 follow the old unlimited-generation rules Jure sanguinis applications now submitted to Farnesina (centralized Ministry of Foreign Affairs) — not individual consulates US Embassy in Italy cannot provide FBI fingerprinting services

Who Needs FBI Fingerprinting for Italy?

US citizens dealing with Italian immigration, residency, or citizenship applications require an FBI background check across a wide range of situations:

Applying for Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) — the most common reason US citizens need an FBI check for Italy. Under Law 74/2025 (effective May 24, 2025), eligibility is now limited to applicants with a parent or grandparent born in Italy. The FBI check must be the original hard copy, apostilled, and translated into Italian.
Applying for the Elective Residency Visa — Italy's long-stay visa for retirees and passive income earners (€32,000+/year). FBI background check, apostille, and certified Italian translation required.
Applying for the Digital Nomad Visa — for remote workers and freelancers earning €28,000+/year. Officially operational since 2024. FBI background check with apostille and Italian translation required by most consulates.
Applying for the Italian Golden Visa — investment-based residency (€250,000+ qualifying investment). Criminal clearance is a mandatory part of the application package.

Applying for a Work Visa (Nulla Osta) — employer-sponsored foreign workers subject to Italy's annual quota (decreto flussi). FBI check required for US citizens.
Applying for a Student Visa (Type D) — long-stay study programs in Italy. Confirm requirements with your specific Italian consulate.
Family Reunification — spouses and children of Italian residents. Apostilled FBI check required alongside apostilled marriage and birth certificates.
Employment in regulated sectors — healthcare, education, finance, and legal professions in Italy require criminal clearance from US-citizen employees.

The Most Important Italy-Specific Rule: Hard Copy Required

Most countries accept a PDF copy of your FBI Identity History Summary for apostille and submission purposes. Italy is one of the very few countries that specifically requires the PHYSICAL ORIGINAL hard copy — with the FBI Section Chief's original wet signature and raised seal. A printed PDF, even if apostilled, will be rejected by Italian consulates and the Farnesina. MR Fingerprints requests and handles your physical hard copy FBI document as standard for all Italy submissions. Do not use a PDF-only channeler service for Italy applications.

Italian Citizenship by Descent — Law 74/2025 Update

Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) was one of the most accessible dual citizenship programs in the world — with no generational limit, meaning Americans with Italian great-great-grandparents could potentially claim Italian citizenship and an EU passport.

That changed on May 24, 2025, when Law 74/2025 (the Tajani Decree) took effect. Here is what changed and what it means for your application:

New rule: Citizenship by descent is now automatically transmitted only to those with a parent or grandparent born in Italy who held only Italian citizenship at the time
Old rule: No generational limit — great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents, and further ancestors were eligible provided the citizenship chain was unbroken
Applications started before March 27, 2025 follow the old unlimited-generation rules — if you had a confirmed consulate appointment by that date, your application proceeds under the old rules
New applications are now submitted to a centralized office at the Farnesina (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) — not to individual consulates as before
Consular fee: €600 per adult applicant (increased from previous fee as of January 1, 2025)
If you had an Italian great-grandparent or more distant ancestor and had not started your application by March 27, 2025, you may need to explore alternative routes — residency in Italy or judicial appeals

The FBI background check requirement is identical under both the old and new rules — original hard copy, federal apostille, certified Italian translation. If you are unsure whether your application follows old or new rules, consult an Italian citizenship attorney. MR Fingerprints handles the FBI documentation regardless of which legal pathway applies to you.

Italy Visa Types — FBI Background Check Requirements

Visa / Application Type	Who It's For	FBI Check Required?	Key Notes
Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis)	Italian-Americans with parent or grandparent born in Italy	✅ Required — hard copy + apostille + Italian translation	Law 74/2025 limits eligibility to 2 generations as of May 2025. €600 consular fee per adult. New applications go to the Farnesina, not individual consulates.
Elective Residency Visa	Retirees and passive income earners (€32,000+/year)	✅ Required — apostille + Italian translation	90-day validity from FBI issue date for most consulates. Must submit to Italian consulate before traveling to Italy.
Digital Nomad Visa	Remote workers and freelancers (€28,000+/year)	✅ Required — apostille + Italian translation	Operational since 2024. Apostille + certified Italian translation required. Allow 6–10 weeks for the full documentation chain.
Golden Visa	Investors (€250,000+ qualifying investment)	✅ Required — apostille + Italian translation	Investment-based residency. Criminal clearance required as part of the application package.
Work Visa (Nulla Osta)	Employer-sponsored foreign workers	✅ Required — apostille + Italian translation	Subject to Italy's annual quota (decreto flussi). FBI check required for US citizens applying for work authorization.
Student Visa (Type D)	Degree programs and long-stay study	✅ Required — apostille + Italian translation	Confirm specific requirements with the Italian consulate handling your application — requirements can vary.
Family Reunification	Spouses and children joining an Italian resident	✅ Required — apostille + Italian translation	Apostilled marriage and birth certificates also required. FBI clearance standard for US-citizen applicants.

Requirements may vary by Italian consulate. Always confirm specific document requirements with the consulate handling your application before submitting.

How It Works: FBI Fingerprinting for Italy

Italy’s three-step documentation requirement — original hard copy + federal apostille + certified Italian translation — is more complex than most countries. MR Fingerprints handles all three steps so you deal with one provider, one process.

Step	What You Do	What Happens
1	Contact MR Fingerprints first	Get in touch before doing anything else. We confirm requirements for your specific visa type, advise on whether you need in-person Live Scan or the remote process, and — critically — confirm from the start that you need the physical hard copy, not a PDF. Italy's hard copy requirement must be established at Step 1 to avoid delays later. ⚠️ Hard copy required for Italy — not PDF
2	Get fingerprinted	For Italy, we strongly recommend in-person Live Scan at our downtown Los Angeles location — it produces the highest-quality prints with near-zero rejection rates and the fastest turnaround to hard copy. If you are not in Southern California, our remote process is available: visit a local police station or notary for ink fingerprinting on FD-258 cards, scan and email your card to us. 📍 In-person LA recommended for Italy
3	We submit to the FBI & request hard copy	As an FBI-approved channeler, we submit your fingerprints electronically to the DOJ in Sacramento and specifically request the physical original hard copy with the FBI Section Chief's original wet signature and raised official seal. This is the document Italy requires — not a PDF printout. Results and hard copy in 5–7 business days standard, 48 hours expedited. ⚡ Standard: 5–7 days 🚀 Expedited: 48 hours
4	We coordinate your federal apostille	Your physical hard copy is submitted to the US Department of State Office of Authentications via our DC partner — in person, not by mail. The apostille is attached to the original hard copy document. A PDF printout with an apostille is not accepted by Italian consulates or the Farnesina — the apostille must be on the original. ⚡ Expedited: ~2 weeks via DC partner 📬 Standard: 6–8 weeks
5	We coordinate certified Italian translation	After the apostilled hard copy is returned, our certified Italian translators produce the translation. Two Italy-specific rules most providers miss: (1) both the FBI document AND the apostille page must be translated — not just the FBI text, and (2) translation must be completed AFTER the apostille is attached, never before. We follow both rules correctly, every time. 📝 3–5 business days after apostille returned ⚠️ Translation must cover apostille page too
6	Submit to Italian consulate or Farnesina	Your complete package arrives together — physical original hard copy + federal apostille + certified Italian translation — ready to submit. For visa applications, submit to the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over your US residence. For new jure sanguinis applications (after May 2025), submit through the ALI Portal to the centralized Farnesina office. ✅ One complete submission-ready package

What Are You Applying For?

An FBI apostille is required across a wide range of purposes.
Here are the most common situations we handle:

🛂 Visas & Residency

Long-stay visa applications
Temporary & permanent residency
Residency card renewals
Golden Visa programs

🏛️ Citizenship

Dual citizenship applications
Citizenship by descent (Italy, Ireland, Portugal)
Citizenship by investment (Caribbean)

💼 Employment Abroad

Work visa documentation
Regulated industries abroad
DoD civilian & military
International school teaching

Timeline: Allow More Time for Italy Than Most Countries

Italy's hard copy + apostille + certified translation chain takes longer than a PDF-only process. Fingerprinting and FBI processing: 5–7 business days standard, 48 hours expedited Federal apostille (expedited via DC partner): ~2 weeks Federal apostille (standard mail): 6–8 weeks Certified Italian translation: 3–5 business days after apostille is returned TOTAL expedited: approximately 3–4 weeks from fingerprinting to complete package in hand TOTAL standard: approximately 9–11 weeks Most Italian consulates require the FBI document to be issued within 90 days of your appointment — plan accordingly

Italy is one of the strictest countries in our network when it comes to translation requirements. Two things make Italy different from most other countries:

Both the FBI document AND the apostille page must be translated — not just the FBI text itself. Many translation services miss this and applicants get rejected at the consulate.
Translation must be completed AFTER the apostille is applied — you cannot translate first and then apostille. The apostille page is part of what gets translated.
Translation must be by a certified (sworn) translator — a bilingual friend, a generic app, or an uncertified translation is not accepted by Italian consulates or the Farnesina.

MR Fingerprints coordinates certified Italian translation as the final step in the process — after your apostilled hard copy is returned. Your complete package (original hard copy + apostille + Italian translation) arrives together, ready to submit.

Why US Citizens Choose MR Fingerprints for Italy

✅ Hard copy handling — we request and process the physical original FBI document Italy requires, not just a PDF

✅ FBI-approved channeler — we submit directly to the DOJ, not through a third-party intermediary

✅ Federal apostille only — US Department of State, never a state apostille

✅ Certified Italian translation — covers both the FBI document AND the apostille page as required

✅ Translation completed after apostille — correct sequence, every time

✅ All 50 states served — we handle Italy submissions nationwide

✅ Jure sanguinis specialists — we understand Law 74/2025 and what Italian consulates require

✅ Expedited option available — ~3–4 weeks total for the complete package

✅ In-person Live Scan at our downtown Los Angeles location

📧 Contact us for Faster Expedited Service

Expedited service range from 7–10 business days

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Italy require the original hard copy of the FBI background check?

Yes — and this is the most important Italy-specific requirement. Italian consulates and the Farnesina require the physical original FBI Identity History Summary with the FBI Section Chief’s original wet signature and official seal. A printed PDF copy, even if apostilled, is not accepted. MR Fingerprints requests and handles your physical hard copy FBI document as standard for all Italy submissions.

Does Italy require a translation of the FBI background check?

Yes. Italy requires a certified Italian translation that covers both the FBI Identity History Summary AND the apostille page. The translation must be completed by a certified (sworn) translator and must be done after the apostille has been applied — not before. MR Fingerprints coordinates this translation as the final step in the process, delivered alongside your apostilled original as a complete, submission-ready package.

I have Italian great-grandparents — am I still eligible for citizenship by descent after Law 74/2025?

It depends on when you started your application. If you had a confirmed consulate appointment by March 27, 2025, your application proceeds under the old unlimited-generation rules. If you are starting a new application after May 24, 2025, eligibility is now generally limited to those with a parent or grandparent born in Italy who held only Italian citizenship at birth. If you fall outside the new two-generation rule, alternative routes include residency in Italy or judicial appeals. We recommend consulting an Italian citizenship attorney for your specific situation. MR Fingerprints handles the FBI documentation regardless of which legal pathway applies.

How long is the FBI background check valid for Italy?

Most Italian consulates require the FBI background check to be issued within 90 days of your consulate appointment date. Some consulates allow up to 6 months — confirm with your specific consulate. The 90-day clock starts when the FBI issues your document, not when the apostille or translation is completed. Given that the full hard copy + apostille + translation process takes 3–4 weeks on expedited or 9–11 weeks on standard, plan your fingerprinting timing carefully around your consulate appointment date.

Where do I now submit my jure sanguinis application after Law 74/2025?

Applications for Italian citizenship by descent are no longer handled by individual Italian consulates. As of 2025, new applications are submitted online through the ALI Portal (using SPID or CIE) to a centralized special office at the Farnesina (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Applications that were already in progress with individual consulates before March 27, 2025 continue to be processed by those consulates under the old rules. The FBI documentation requirements are identical regardless of where you submit.

Can MR Fingerprints handle fingerprinting, apostille, and Italian translation together?

Yes — this is our full-service option for Italy. We handle the complete chain: Live Scan fingerprinting at our Los Angeles location (or remote process), FBI submission and hard copy issuance, federal apostille coordination through our DC partner, and certified Italian translation covering both the FBI document and the apostille page. You receive one complete, submission-ready package. This is the recommended approach for Italy given the hard copy requirement and multi-step translation process.

Trusted for Live Scan Fingerprinting in Los Angeles

Our customers share their experience.

Victor D.

17:32 23 Apr 26

Excellent service, very friendly and professional staff, I highly recommend them!

Luke P.

11:06 22 Apr 26

They did exactly what they said they were going to do and in the exact timeframe they gave me. Literally down to the day. Very affordable, quick responses, and helped me a lot when I needed a background check + apostille within a month.

jaison G.

23:40 21 Apr 26

I contacted Mr. Fingerprints for an FBI background check that I needed for an immigration clearance from a foreign country. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to receive everything in time for my appointment that was only two months from the day. Not only did Mauricio & the team provide an excellent service, but also made sure it was delivered on time. They follow through with everything to the last detail. Quite a pleasant experience and I recommend them for anyone trying to get a notarized service last minute.

Mark W.

22:24 21 Apr 26

Excellent service, clear communication and great communication. Would highly recommend.

Yeryong C.

20:52 19 Feb 26

I highly recommend Mr. Fingerprint for anyone needing an FBI background check. I previously tried getting my fingerprints electronically scanned at a local USPS, but they were rejected twice due to 'quality issues.' But Mr. fingerprint was incredibly professional and handled the livescan perfectly according to my specific requirements. My fingerprints were accepted by the FBI on the first try this time. They are fast, professional, and reliable!

Winner N.

21:05 11 Feb 26

The service is very good, welcoming and efficient

Ivan H.

19:55 09 Jan 26

Professional, cordial, pleasant and efficient. If you need these services, great choice!

Avila R.

06:56 28 Dec 25

Their live fingerprint scanning services are truly impressive and inspire immediate confidence. The facility is modern, well-equipped, and designed to ensure that every fingerprinting requirement is handled with accuracy, efficiency, and care. From start to finish, the process feels seamless and professionally managed. In addition, their FBI background check services are extremely reliable and convenient, making them an excellent choice for individuals and organizations that require thorough and trustworthy verification. Overall, this company stands out for its high standards, advanced capabilities, and exceptional service in this specialized field.

A. Jay A.

14:44 04 Dec 25

Everything about our experience being fingerprinted for our visa application went as we might have hoped: quick, easy, and professional, Mauricio was informative and helpful and a pleasure to converse with.

martin V.

04:52 15 Nov 25

The gentleman that assisted me with my fingerprints was very professional and quick with getting me taken care of right away. Great people skills and was pleasant. I would recommend this location to others. Thank you for your service sir and for valuing my time, i appreciate that the most!

Dong L.

20:12 07 Oct 25

I came to Mr. Fingerprints for my FBI background check, and it was an excellent experience from start to finish! The business owner was extremely attentive and handled everything with great care and professionalism. The whole process was smooth, fast, and very well organized. I truly felt welcomed — the environment was warm and comfortable, almost like home. Highly recommend this place to anyone who needs fingerprinting or background check services!

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Italy has the most specific FBI documentation requirements of any country we serve. Getting the hard copy, apostille, and certified Italian translation right — in the correct sequence — is critical to avoiding consulate rejection. MR Fingerprints handles all three steps correctly, every time.

FBI Fingerprinting for US Citizens in Italy