Italy’s national association of municipalities (ANCI) has called for urgent reforms to simplify the country’s citizenship process, arguing that excessive bureaucracy is preventing thousands of long-term residents from integrating fully.
The appeal was made during the opening of the 42nd ANCI assembly in Bologna, in the presence of President Sergio Mattarella, where a formal letter was delivered requesting immediate administrative reforms.
“A Natural Selection Through Bureaucracy”
According to ANCI’s Head of Migration Policies for Emilia-Romagna, Luca Rizzo Nervo, the current procedures feel intentionally complex.
“There is this idea that it must necessarily be difficult, almost a natural selection through bureaucratic means, dividing those who make it through from those who do not,” he said.
The letter was co-signed by members of ANCI and the Administrators Network with a Migration Background (RAMI), created to strengthen representation for Italians of migrant heritage.
Long Delays and First Negative Contacts With Institutions
The signatories stressed that almost 5.3 million foreign nationals live in Italy—about 9% of the total population—and many experience severe delays when renewing their residence documents.
One example highlighted in the letter:
“Nine months just to get an appointment at the police station.”
The municipalities argue that such delays create frustration and distrust, especially for families who have lived in Italy for decades.
Proposed Reforms: From Post Offices to Direct Municipal Management
The letter outlines several measures intended to reduce the burden on police headquarters and simplify procedures:
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A memorandum of understanding to allow police stations to transmit stay-permit renewals directly to municipal registry offices
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A nationwide trial enabling local municipalities and local police to handle stay-permit case management
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Empowering equipped post offices to issue or renew long-term residence permits
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Implementing the national immigration and asylum database, legally foreseen since 2005 but still not activated
According to the proposal, these reforms would help standardize processes across Italy and reduce wait times that currently vary significantly between regions.
“Foreigners Are Energy for Our Economy”
ANCI chairman Gaetano Manfredi emphasized the economic and social importance of migrants:
“For our economy, those who come to Italy provide an indispensable energy.”
He also highlighted the challenge faced by children born and raised in Italy who still lack citizenship:
“Integration affects those who speak our language and attend our schools, but are not yet officially Italian.”
Manfredi concluded that a strong republic must ensure services and opportunities are free from barriers related to origin or status.
Background: Citizenship Debate Heating Up in Italy
The call for simplification comes amid ongoing debates over residency rights, integration policies, and Italy’s demographic challenges—including rising emigration of Italians and increasing dependence on foreign labor.
Recent polls show that more than half of Italians support a shorter path to citizenship, especially for those born in the country to foreign parents.