In short. The Italian citizenship special merit route is the exceptional grant in Article 9(2) of Law 91/1992: a decree of the President of the Republic may give citizenship to a foreigner who has rendered “eminent services to Italy” or where there is an “exceptional interest of the State”. It is not a right and, according to a Foreign Ministry information sheet, it starts from a proposal by bodies or public figures, not from an application by the person concerned. The other routes (residence, marriage, descent) work differently.
This guide explains what the law says, who decides, how the procedure works according to the official sources and which alternatives exist, plus the separate case of relatives of road-collapse victims (Law 63/2025). See all the routes on the page Types of Italian citizenship, and the general picture in the official guide to Italian citizenship.
Reviewed 1 November 2026. The guide describes official rules and steps: it is not personalised advice and does not assess individual cases.
What is the Italian citizenship special merit route?
Article 9 of Law no. 91 of 5 February 1992 has two kinds of grant (concessione). Paragraph 1 covers people who have lived legally in Italy for a set number of years: that is citizenship by residence, not repeated here. Paragraph 2 is separate: citizenship “may be granted” to a foreigner who has rendered eminent services to Italy, or when there is an exceptional interest of the State.
The law does not use the words “special merit” (meriti speciali): that is the title the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives to the route in one of its information sheets, and the name used here. Parliamentary dossiers describe it as a route for “exceptional cases”, linked to merit or to the interest of the State.
Who decides, and which bodies are involved?
Under the current text of Article 9(2), the grant needs:
- a proposal by the Minister of the Interior, in agreement with the Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- the opinion of the Council of State (the body that gives legal opinions to the Government);
- a resolution of the Council of Ministers;
- a decree of the President of the Republic (DPR).
How does the procedure work?
The Ministry of the Interior pages we consulted do not mention special merit; they describe an online application, with SPID (digital identity) or CIE (electronic identity card), for the ordinary grant. The only official description we found is an information sheet of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published on the website of the Italian Consulate in Nice. According to the sheet:
- Proposal. No act by the person concerned is needed; it takes a proposal from bodies, public figures, associations and the like, showing a widely shared view that the person meets the legal requirements.
- Opinions and consent. Opinions are obtained from the security bodies and, for people living in Italy, from the Prefettura (the local office of the Ministry of the Interior) of the place of residence. The person must also declare that they accept to acquire citizenship.
- Decree and oath. The presidential decree follows the steps listed above and has no effect without the oath of loyalty to the Republic (Article 10); people living abroad take it before the competent consulate.
The sheet is undated and the Ministry of the Interior pages we read neither confirm nor contradict it. The sources contain no form, list of documents or counter for this route: to learn how it works today, ask the Ministry of the Interior, which proposes the decree. They describe no specific remedy (appeal, time limits) if citizenship is not granted; for refusals of citizenship by residence, see the residence guide.
Who can get it, and what do “eminent services” mean?
The law does not define “eminent services to Italy” or “exceptional interest of the State”, does not list categories of people and sets no thresholds. The official pages we consulted give no real examples or figures: the Department’s statistics pages do not report data by type of grant.
Paragraph 2 does not mention years of residence, income or certificates, and the Foreign Ministry sheet also considers people who live abroad. One point stays open: Article 9.1 (the language article) makes the grant “under Articles 5 and 9” conditional on Italian at level B1, without naming a paragraph, and the sources do not say whether and how the requirement applies to special merit. For B1 in general, see the guide on the B1 certificate for citizenship.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Article 9-bis sets a contribution of EUR 250 for applications or declarations for the grant of citizenship. For special merit, where there is no application by the person concerned, the sources consulted do not say whether or how the contribution is requested.
No official timings appear for this route either. The term of 24 months, extendable to 36, in Article 9-ter covers the procedures of Articles 5 and 9 and runs from the filing of the application; the sources do not explain how it applies when there is no application.
How does it differ from citizenship by residence?
| Point | Residence (Article 9(1)) | Special merit (Article 9(2)) |
|---|---|---|
| Who starts the procedure | The person, with an online application on the Ministry of the Interior portal | According to the Foreign Ministry sheet: a proposal from bodies, public figures or associations; the person gives consent |
| What must be shown | Years of legal residence by category, B1 Italian, integration, income and conduct (see the guide) | Eminent services to Italy or exceptional interest of the State; the text sets no years of residence |
| Who decides | DPR, after the Council of State has been heard, on the proposal of the Minister of the Interior | The same, plus a resolution of the Council of Ministers and the agreement of the Foreign Minister |
| Legal time limit | 24 months from the application, extendable to 36 (Article 9-ter) | No official time limit found |
| After the decree | Oath within six months of notification (Article 10) | The same; before the consulate if you live abroad |
What happens after the decree?
The decree has no effect unless, within six months of notification, you swear loyalty to the Republic and promise to observe the Constitution and the laws (Article 10). You become an Italian citizen on the day after the conditions and formalities required are completed (Article 15); for this route the sheet gives the day after the oath.
- Your original citizenship. Articles 9 and 10 do not ask you to give it up, but the law of the other country also matters: see dual citizenship in Italy.
- Minor children. Article 14 extends the acquisition to minor children who live with the parent; since 24 May 2025 they must also have lived legally in Italy for at least two continuous years (or since birth, if under two). See Italian citizenship for minor children.
- Revocation. Citizenship acquired under Article 9 can be revoked by presidential decree after a final conviction for the offences listed in Article 10-bis, including terrorism. See loss and renunciation.
Is there a special case for relatives of road-collapse victims?
Yes, but it does not go through special merit. Article 7 of Law no. 63 of 15 April 2025 (benefits for victims of total or partial collapses of road or motorway infrastructure of national importance) provides that citizenship may be granted under Article 9(1). According to Ministry of the Interior circular no. 28896 of 13 June 2025:
- it covers the foreign spouse, civil partner or stable cohabitant (Law 76/2016, Article 1(36)), children, parents, brothers and sisters of a victim, who are not Italian citizens and were lawfully resident in Italy when the victim died;
- five years of legal residence are needed at the time of the grant; the application may be filed after three years, but the decree cannot be issued before five;
- citizenship “may be granted”: the usual checks on integration and conduct remain;
- the events (from 13 August 2018 onwards) and the beneficiaries are identified by decrees of the President of the Council of Ministers (DPCM): the sources consulted do not say which have been adopted.
The circular describes no portal, documents or fees: for the ordinary procedure see the guide on citizenship by residence.
What are the alternatives if you do not fit the special merit route?
- Residence (Article 9(1)). The categories include people who have served the State, even abroad, for at least five years (letter c).
- Marriage (Article 5). See citizenship by marriage.
- Descent. For descendants of Italian citizens: citizenship by descent.
What changed in 2025, and what may change?
In Article 9, Law 74/2025 (in force since 24 May 2025) touched only paragraph 1, letters a and a-bis: paragraph 2 stayed as it was. Law 63/2025 added the case of relatives of collapse victims.
The Chamber of Deputies dossier of 16 October 2026 on the Committee text of bill A.C. 2124-A (acquisition and revocation of citizenship; committee examination concluded on 14 October 2026) does not provide for changes to paragraph 2, but it touches other rules, including Articles 9.1 (language), 9-ter (time limit) and 10 (oath). It is not law and the text may change: until it appears in the Gazzetta Ufficiale, the rules in this guide apply.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for citizenship for special merit myself?
The sources consulted describe no form, portal or counter for it. A Foreign Ministry information sheet says the route needs a proposal from bodies, public figures or associations, not an act by the person concerned, and then that person’s consent. Online applications are for ordinary routes.
Who decides on citizenship for special merit?
A decree of the President of the Republic, on the proposal of the Minister of the Interior in agreement with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, after the opinion of the Council of State and a resolution of the Council of Ministers (Article 9(2)). It is not a right: citizenship “may be granted”.
Do I need years of residence in Italy?
Article 9(2) sets no years of residence, income or certificates: it speaks only of eminent services to Italy or an exceptional interest of the State. Article 9.1 (the language article), however, requires B1 Italian for grants “under Articles 5 and 9”, and the sources do not explain how it applies here.
Must I give up my original citizenship?
Articles 9 and 10 of the Italian law do not ask you to: after the decree you must take the oath within six months of notification. Whether you can keep it also depends on the law of the other country, which you should check before accepting.
Official sources
- Law 91/1992, consolidated text after Law 74/2025 (not updated for Article 9-bis and Article 10-bis) – Italian Consulate General in Cologne (MAECI) (Italian text)
- “Cittadinanza” information sheet, section 7 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs (website of the Italian Consulate in Nice) (Italian text)
- Office IV – Citizenship – Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration, Ministry of the Interior (Italian text)
- Circular no. 28896 of 13 June 2025 on Law 63/2025 – Ministry of the Interior (Italian text)
- Dossier A.C. 2124-A, 16 October 2026 – Chamber of Deputies (Italian text)
- Dossier no. 462 on Decree-Law 36/2025 – Senate and Chamber of Deputies (Italian text)
- Gazzetta Ufficiale no. 118 of 23 May 2025 (Law 74/2025) – Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana (Italian text)
The sources were consulted on 1 November 2026. The Foreign Ministry sheet is undated and some ministerial pages may not reflect the 2025 laws: always check the latest instructions of the competent office.
How can SH Immigration Specialists help?
The sources describe no application to prepare for the special merit route, but for the ordinary routes SH Immigration Specialists can help with the administrative side: checking requirements, gathering documents and assisting with the application. Legal advice, appeals and representation are handled by the lawyers of SH Immigration Specialists. The outcome depends on the competent authorities. For an assessment, contact us.
This content provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.
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Which other guides may help you?
- Italian citizenship by residence: years required, income, B1 and timing
- Italian citizenship by marriage: requirements, timing and refusal risks
- Dual citizenship in Italy: what Italian law allows and what changes
- Loss and renunciation of Italian citizenship: when and how to renounce
- Italian citizenship for minor children: when they become Italian and what to do
