Italian citizenship: when you need B1 certification and who is exempt

Applying for Italian citizenship? In many cases, you must prove that your Italian is at least B1 level.

Find out when it’s required, how to prove it and who is exempt.

When do you need B1?

You must meet the B1 language requirement if you’re applying for citizenship:

• through residency;
• through marriage or a civil union with an Italian citizen.

You do not need B1 if you are seeking recognition of Italian citizenship by descent. Otherwise, you must prove your B1 level before submitting your application online.

What does B1 level mean?

B1 is an intermediate level of Italian. You should be able to:

• understand simple conversations;
• communicate in everyday situations;
• talk about their work, family and experiences;
• read and write simple texts.
  
  

How can you prove it?

You can prove your B1 level with:

• a language certificate issued by a recognised provider;
• or a valid qualification issued by a recognised state or state-accredited school.

Note: a certificate showing you attended an Italian course may not be enough.

Who is exempt from B1?

According to the Ministry of the Interior, you do not need to provide B1 certification if you:

• holds an EU long-term resident permit;
• has signed the Integration Agreement;
• has serious difficulty learning a language because of age, illness or disability.

In the latter case, the difficulty must be serious and documented by a certificate issued by a public healthcare provider, as established by Constitutional Court ruling no. 25/2025.

Older age alone does not automatically qualify you for an exemption.

Check your permit type

Not every multi-year residence permit exempts you from the B1 requirement. Check that yours is an EU long-term resident permit.

Avoid mistakes in your application

Before applying for citizenship, check that your certificate is valid and recognised. An incorrect or missing document could make your application inadmissible or delay its processing.

Do you need B1 for citizenship?

Etnopoint can help you check whether you’re exempt, obtain a recognised certificate and prepare your application correctly.

Contact Etnopoint and get ready to apply for Italian citizenship.

This is general information. Your circumstances must be assessed against your documents and current rules.