Do You Have to Speak Italian to Get Italian Citizenship?
FEBRUARY 20, 2023 | BY NATOSHA FORTINI
When it comes to reading information about Italian citizenship on the internet, it may be hard to determine what is accurate and what is….misinformation. A lot of people come to me asking how to take an Italian language test for their citizenship application when they don’t even need one. And on the other hand, some people are shocked when I tell them they do need to take a language test. Let’s break down when a language test is and isn’t required for your Italian citizenship application.
Italian Citizenship by Descent
Also called Italian citizenship jure sanguinis, this is when a person is claiming Italian citizenship by blood through their ancestral ties to Italy. If you are eligible for Italian citizenship by descent, then you were born an Italian citizen and, through your citizenship application, are essentially asking Italy to officially recognize the citizenship you already have under Italian law. You received this citizenship at birth and whether or not you grew up to learn Italian is irrelevant to your citizenship claim. Applicants for Italian citizenship by descent do not need to speak Italian or take an Italian language proficiency test.
Italian Citizenship by Marriage
Whether you need to prove Italian language proficiency when applying for Italian citizenship through your marriage to an Italian spouse, depends on a couple of factors.
Marriage of a Female to an Italian Male Prior to April 27, 1983
Females who married Italian males (or males eligible for Italian citizenship) prior to April 27, 1983, automatically received Italian citizenship on their wedding day. Females applying for recognition of this Italian citizenship do not have to speak Italian or take a test to prove Italian language proficiency. This scenario applies only to females marrying Italian males, not males marrying Italian females.
Applicants Applying Through Marriage Prior to December 4, 2018
Any person married to an Italian citizen who submitted an application for Italian citizenship through marriage prior to December 4, 2018 did not need to speak Italian or prove Italian language proficiency.
Applicants Applying Through Marriage After December 4, 2018
If you’re married to an Italian citizen (or someone going through the citizenship by descent process where you intend to apply through marriage after their recognition) you will be required to obtain a B1 level of Italian proficiency. This test needs to be taken at a certified testing institution. You will be required to prove that you passed the B1 test by providing your certificate as part of your citizenship application.
Italian Citizenship by Residency
If you are naturalizing as an Italian citizen by residency in Italy, you will be required to prove a B1 level of Italian language proficiency. Your test must be administered by an approved testing facility.
Taking the B1 Language Test for Citizenship
If you need to take the B1 language test as part of your citizenship application, find your consulate’s website and navigate to their “citizenship by marriage” page. They will generally have information there on local approved testing facilities where you can take your test (and maybe even take language classes).