In short. The B1 Italian citizenship requirement applies to citizenship by residence (Article 9) or by marriage (Article 5 of Law 91/1992), and the proof must be filed with the application. You show it with a certificate from a recognised body (CILS, CELI, CERT.IT, PLIDA and others) or with a qualification obtained in Italian. Some people are exempt, for example holders of the EU long-term residence permit, but EU citizens are not exempt as such.
This guide shows who must prove B1, which bodies and school qualifications count, who is exempt, how to attach the proof online and how B1 differs from the A2 for the EU long-term permit. All the routes to citizenship are compared in Types of Italian citizenship.
Reviewed 28 October 2026. The guide explains the rules and official sources. It is not personalised advice, and your case may have particular features.
B1 Italian citizenship: who needs it, and when?
The obligation comes from Article 9.1 of Law 91/1992, added by Decree-Law 113/2018 as converted by Law 132/2018 and in force since 4 December 2018. A grant of citizenship “under Articles 5 and 9” requires adequate knowledge of Italian, not below level B1 of the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. B1 is therefore needed for:
- citizenship by residence (Article 9), including for EU citizens;
- citizenship by marriage (Article 5).
The proof is due “at the time of filing the application”, so the exam comes before you submit. Article 9.1 refers only to Articles 5 and 9, so it does not provide for B1 in the other routes: recognition of citizenship by descent, the Article 4 declaration for people born in Italy and acquisition by minor children.
Which bodies issue a recognised B1 certificate?
For the B1 Italian citizenship requirement, the law accepts a certificate from a body recognised by the competent ministries. The reference list is in the Ministry of the Interior’s vademecum of 23 April 2025 (the operational guide for offices). Tests, dates and venues are those the bodies published in 2025–2026: they change, so check each body’s website.
| Body | B1 certificate | Tests and passing rule | Sessions and venues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Università per Stranieri (University for Foreigners) of Siena | CILS B1 Cittadinanza | Listening, reading and grammar, writing, speaking; about 120 minutes. If one part is failed, the whole exam is retaken | Six dates in 2026; venues in Italy and abroad |
| University for Foreigners of Perugia | CELI 2 Immigrati (B1) | Reading, writing, listening and speaking, 25% each; pass mark not stated on the page read | Three sessions a year; venues in Italy (none abroad found) |
| Roma Tre University | CERT.IT B1 | Listening, reading and writing (90 minutes in all), then speaking; 60% needed in the first three parts together and 60% in the speaking test | Centres in Italy and worldwide |
| Società Dante Alighieri | PLIDA B1 | Four skills; at least 18/30 in each | Four dates in 2026; centres also abroad |
| University for Foreigners “Dante Alighieri” of Reggio Calabria | Ce.Co.L. B1* | Four parts in the same session | Reggio Calabria and affiliated bodies in Italy |
*The vademecum does not name the Reggio Calabria certificate: “Ce.Co.L.” comes from the university’s own regulations, which also provide for a B1 Cittadinanza version.
Siena, Perugia, Roma Tre and the Società Dante Alighieri belong to the CLIQ association (Certificazione Lingua Italiana di Qualità, quality certification of Italian) but keep their own rules and calendars. The vademecum adds the CPIA (centri provinciali per l’istruzione degli adulti, provincial adult-education centres; Article 1(632) of Law 296/2006) and excludes certificates from regional vocational qualification courses.
Is a level above B1 accepted?
The law says “not lower than” B1, so B2 or C1 should be enough, and a 2019 consular notice refers to B1 or higher certificates. The sources read do not say so explicitly: if in doubt, ask the office.
How do the exams work: venues, dates and fees?
The tests are similar (listening, reading, writing, speaking), but the passing rules are not: read the body’s regulations before you enrol at an exam centre. The table shows which bodies also have centres abroad; if you live abroad, look for a centre in your country first.
Sessions are few. In 2026 the last CILS B1 Cittadinanza is on 3 December (registration at Siena has already closed, at the end of October) and the last PLIDA on 18 November; CELI Immigrati returns on 17 February, 20 May and 15 September 2027. For CILS and CELI, registration closes about a month before the exam, and CELI centres may set earlier deadlines; for the other bodies, ask the centre. CILS says results come after about three months; we found no times for the other bodies, so sit the exam with a margin: you need the certificate when you file.
Fees are set by the body and the centre. Published examples: €65 for CELI Immigrati B1 in Perugia (page updated 27 March 2026), €80 for CERT.IT B1 in Rome (page dated 21 October 2025) and €100 for CILS B1 (undated page). The pages read for PLIDA and Reggio Calabria give no amount, and affiliated centres may charge different fees.
Can a school qualification or a CPIA course replace the exam?
A school qualification can serve as proof of B1, with no exam, on the conditions set by the vademecum:
- it comes from a state school or a paritario school (a private school recognised by the State) recognised by the Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM), of University and Research (MUR) or of Foreign Affairs (MAECI), from lower secondary school (scuola media) upwards;
- it was obtained in Italian;
- a public body’s qualification is self-certified, giving the document’s details; one from a paritario school or a private body needs a certified copy.
It is proof, not an exemption. The vademecum does not mention degrees, so ask for confirmation before relying on a university qualification obtained in Italian. For the CPIA it says only that the certification can also be obtained there, without naming the document or level: ask the centre what it issues and whether that is at least B1.
Who is exempt from B1?
On the Ministry’s conditions, you do not have to prove B1 if you:
- have signed the integration agreement (accordo di integrazione, Article 4-bis of the Consolidated Immigration Act, Legislative Decree 286/1998): the vademecum ties this to people who entered Italy on family reunification and asks you to state the signing details;
- hold the EU long-term residence permit (Article 9 of the Consolidated Act), including a “CE” permit issued from 9 December 2010;
- have serious limitations in learning the language because of age, illness or disability, certified by a public health body: this follows Constitutional Court judgment no. 25/2025 (filed on 7 March 2025). According to the vademecum, a GP’s certificate is not enough (it cites circular no. 14605 of 13 March 2025).
EU citizens, and family members of EU citizens holding a residence document as such, are not exempt; the vademecum adds British citizens with a residence card under the Withdrawal Agreement.
As of 28 October 2026 the Chamber of Deputies is examining bill A.C. 2124-A on the acquisition and revocation of citizenship. In the committee text (14 October 2026) B1 stays, but the exemption for the integration agreement and for the EU long-term permit would go, and the oath would have to be in Italian. It is not law, and we have not checked how the Chamber’s debate ended: until it is passed and in force, the rules in this guide apply.
How do you attach the proof to the online application?
You apply on the Ministry of the Interior’s portal, signing in with SPID or CIE (the Italian digital identity or electronic ID card); if you are abroad, you register first. The file goes to the Prefettura (the Ministry’s local office) if you live in Italy and to the consulate if you live abroad. The official page lists the documents to upload in this order: an identity document; your birth certificate and criminal record certificate from your country of origin; the B1 certification; the receipt for the €250 contribution; and the details of the electronic revenue stamp (marca da bollo; only for applications from Italy).
The page mentions only a “certification”, but the law and the vademecum also accept a school qualification, and it does not describe the data to enter or the file formats. After filing, see the 7 steps of the application; for help with the file, see our Italian citizenship assistance.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
- Unrecognised body or wrong level. Check the body’s name against the vademecum list. An A2 certificate, valid for the EU long-term permit, does not prove B1: CELI, for example, separates CELI 1 Immigrati (A2) from CELI 2 Immigrati (B1).
- Assuming an exemption. EU citizens are not exempt, the integration agreement needs the signing details, and learning limitations need a public health body’s certificate, not a GP’s.
- Sitting the exam too late. B1 is needed when you file, and according to the Catania prefecture an incomplete or irregular application is rejected with reasons and must be filed again online.
How does B1 for citizenship differ from A2 for the EU long-term permit?
From 9 December 2010, people applying for the EU long-term residence permit must, unless exempt, show Italian at A2. According to the Integrazione Migranti portal of the Ministry of Labour (pages from 2021 and 2022), they can prove it with an A2 certificate from the same five bodies, an Italian qualification (the licenza media, or lower-secondary certificate, a diploma or a degree), enrolment on an Italian university course or, failing that, a computer-based test run by the Prefettura.
B1 for citizenship is higher and must be attached to the application: the sources read describe no Prefettura test, only a certificate or a qualification. We found no recent changes to the A2 rule (Legislative Decree 83/2026 does not touch Article 9 of the Consolidated Act), but the official pages are dated: check the latest instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need B1 for citizenship by marriage?
As a rule, yes. Article 9.1 of Law 91/1992 requires Italian not below B1 for grants under Articles 5 (marriage) and 9 (residence), proved when you file. Exemptions exist, for example for holders of the EU long-term permit or people with serious, certified learning limitations.
Does an Italian lower-secondary school certificate count as B1?
It can count as proof, but it is not an exemption. The vademecum accepts a qualification obtained in Italian, from lower secondary school upwards, from a recognised state or paritario school. A public body’s qualification is self-certified; a paritario school’s needs a certified copy.
Is an A2 certificate, or one from an unrecognised body, accepted?
As a rule, no. The law requires a level not below B1 and a body recognised by the ministries; the vademecum lists CILS, CELI, CERT.IT, PLIDA, Reggio Calabria and the CPIA. An A2 certificate, such as the one for the EU long-term permit, does not prove B1.
Does a B1 certificate expire?
The vademecum sets no expiry date. The University for Foreigners of Perugia says its CELI certificates do not expire while the certification system behind them stays in force; we found no statement from the other bodies. If your certificate is old, ask the competent office.
Do holders of the EU long-term permit need B1?
As a rule, no: Article 9.1 does not require it from holders of the EU long-term residence permit, and the vademecum also covers the “CE” permit issued from 9 December 2010. A bill before the Chamber of Deputies as of 28 October 2026 would remove this exemption, but it is not law.
Official sources
- Law 132/2018 and consolidated Decree-Law 113/2018 (Article 14, new Article 9.1 of Law 91/1992), issue no. 281 of 3 December 2018 – Gazzetta Ufficiale (Italian text)
- Vademecum on granting Italian citizenship (circular 20475 of 23 April 2025), section 2.5 – Ministry of the Interior (Italian text)
- Citizenship: submit your application – Ministry of the Interior (Italian text)
- Certification (CLIQ) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Law 91/1992, consolidated text as at 23 May 2025 – Consulate General of Italy in Bahía Blanca (Italian text)
- Italian test for the long-term residence permit – Integrazione Migranti (Italian text)
- Acquisition and revocation of citizenship, A.C. 2124-A, dossier of 16 October 2026 – Chamber of Deputies (Italian text)
The sources were consulted on 28 October 2026. For tests, dates and fees we also read the websites of the certifying bodies (Siena, Perugia, Roma Tre, Dante Alighieri, Reggio Calabria). Prefecture and consulate pages may be older than the law: always check the latest instructions of the competent office.
How can SH Immigration Specialists help?
On the administrative side we can help you check which documents are needed, choose a body and exam centre that fit the timing of your application, prepare the attachments and follow the filing on the portal. Legal advice, appeals and representation are handled by the lawyers of the SH Immigration Specialists law firm. 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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