In 2024, 9,726 Bangladeshi citizens became Italian, 20.6% more than the previous year — 44.1% through naturalisation, meaning by residence. The June 2025 referendum proposing to cut the required residence from ten to five years failed to reach the quorum (turnout 30.6%), so the rules have not changed.
Requirements
- 10 years of legal, continuous residence in Italy, registered with the municipality and with a valid permit.
- Sufficient income in recent years: at least €8,263.31 for a single person, €11,362.05 with a dependent spouse, plus €516 per dependent child.
- Italian at B1 level, certified by a recognised body (Universities for Foreigners of Siena or Perugia, Roma Tre, Società Dante Alighieri). Holders of an Italian school qualification are exempt.
- No relevant criminal convictions, in Italy or in the country of origin.
Documents from Bangladesh
You need a birth certificate and a police clearance certificate from Bangladesh, legalised and translated into Italian. They must match your passport details: a name spelled differently can block the application.
Application and costs
You apply online on the Interior Ministry portal and pay a €250 fee plus a €16 revenue stamp. The law sets a deadline of 24 months, which can be extended to 36.
The oath
Once the citizenship decree is issued, you must swear allegiance to the Republic at the town hall within six months of notification. From that day you are an Italian citizen, with a passport and electronic identity card.
