Local leaders across Italy are urging the government to make the Italian Citizenship process simpler and less bureaucratic. Their message is clear: the current system is too slow, too complicated, and often discouraging for people who want to become part of the country.
Why Local Administrators Are Speaking Up
At the national assembly of the Italian municipalities association (ANCI) in Bologna, representatives from ANCI and the Administrators Network with a Migration Background (RAMI) delivered a letter to President Sergio Mattarella. Their goal was to highlight how heavy bureaucracy has become a barrier for many foreign residents.
Luca Rizzo Nervo, who leads migration policies for Emilia-Romagna, described the current situation as a kind of “natural selection” created by paperwork as infomigrants.net reports. In his view, the process should not be designed to see who survives the obstacles, but to support people who wish to contribute to Italy.
What the Numbers Show
As of January 1, 2024, Italy had about 5.3 million foreign residents, around nine percent of the population. Only 20 municipalities in the entire country have no foreign citizens at all. This shows how much Italy has changed—and how important integration has become.
But for many newcomers, the first experience with public institutions is negative. Something as basic as renewing a stay permit can require months of waiting. In some areas, it takes up to nine months just to get an appointment at the police station.
Key Requests Made to the President
The letter delivered to the president and ANCI’s chairman outlined several suggestions to speed up immigration procedures and, in turn, the journey to Italian Citizenship.
Proposed Improvements
| Issue | Proposed Solution |
| Long delays for stay permit renewals | Allow police headquarters to send renewals directly to municipal registry offices |
| Heavy workload on police stations | Start a nationwide trial where municipal offices and local police help manage stay permit cases |
| Limited access to long-term permit services | Enable equipped post offices to issue and renew long-term stay permits |
| Lack of shared national data | Activate the immigration and asylum data-sharing system already provided for in Italian law since 2005 |
Local representatives argue that these changes would make the system more efficient, fair, and modern.
Why Integration Matters
ANCI chairman Gaetano Manfredi reminded the assembly that foreign residents are essential to the Italian economy. He also pointed out the unfair situation of young people born and raised in Italy—those who speak the language, attend Italian schools, and feel Italian in everyday life, yet still do not have Italian Citizenship.
For him, defending Italy’s core values means ensuring that everyone has equal access to services and opportunities, no matter their background.
A Call for a More Inclusive Future
The message from Italy’s municipalities is simple: the country is changing, and its laws and procedures must keep up. Making the path to Italian Citizenship clearer and more efficient is not only a matter of fairness—it is an investment in Italy’s future.