Italy Citizenship By Special Merit – Article 9(2) Speciale Merito Framework

Italy does not operate a formal citizenship-by-investment program.

However, Italian nationality legislation provides discretionary naturalisation mechanisms connected to national interest and exceptional merit considerations.

Under Article 9(2) of Italian Citizenship Law No. 91 of 1992, Italy may grant citizenship in cases of “speciale merito” (special merit) or where naturalisation is considered to be in the exceptional interest of the Republic.

These sovereign discretionary mechanisms operate outside ordinary residence-based naturalisation procedures and are internationally associated with the broader category of citizenship by exception, citizenship by special merit, or national-interest naturalisation.

This page does not describe a public citizenship-by-investment program or guaranteed investor pathway.

Instead, it documents legally relevant discretionary naturalisation mechanisms within the broader category of sovereign national-interest citizenship structures.

Legal Basis

Italian nationality legislation provides discretionary naturalisation mechanisms that may operate independently from ordinary residence-based naturalisation procedures.

Under Article 9(2) of Italian Citizenship Law No. 91 of 1992, Italy may grant citizenship in cases of “speciale merito” (special merit) or where naturalisation is considered to be in the exceptional interest of the Republic.

These sovereign discretionary mechanisms operate outside ordinary residence-based naturalisation procedures and are internationally associated with the broader category of citizenship by exception, citizenship by special merit, or national-interest naturalisation.

The existence of legal authority does not imply the existence of a public citizenship-by-investment program, standardised investor pathway or commercially distributed structure.

The mechanism remains selective, discretionary, state-controlled, and structurally non-industrialised.

The existence of legislation alone does not create guaranteed approval, operational transparency or repeatable execution outcomes.

That distinction is central to understanding the Italian framework.

This framework forms part of the broader category of citizenship by exception, merit and national-interest naturalisation mechanisms operating through sovereign discretionary authority.

Does Italy Have A Citizenship By Investment Program In 2026?

No.

Italy does not operate a citizenship-by-investment program.

Italy does, however, operate the Investor Visa for Italy, which allows qualifying non-EU nationals to obtain residence through specified investments in Italian companies, innovative startups, government bonds or qualifying philanthropic initiatives.

The Investor Visa grants residence rights rather than Italian citizenship.

Citizenship is governed separately under Italian nationality law, and participation in the Investor Visa program does not provide an accelerated or automatic route to naturalisation.

The exceptional citizenship mechanism described on this page is also entirely separate from the Investor Visa.

Under Article 9(2) of Law No. 91 of 5 February 1992, Italian citizenship may be granted by decree of the President of the Republic, following deliberation by the Council of Ministers and on the proposal of the Minister of the Interior, where a foreign national has rendered eminent services to Italy or where an exceptional interest of the State exists.

This is a sovereign and highly discretionary naturalisation mechanism. It has no published investment threshold, and an investment in Italy does not itself create an entitlement to citizenship.

Exceptional economic contribution could potentially form part of the circumstances considered in an appropriate case, but any such case would need to satisfy the considerably broader statutory standard of eminent service or exceptional state interest.

In summary: Prospective applicants researching Italian citizenship by investment should take cognisance of the fact that Italy offers investment-based residence, not investment-based citizenship.

Italian law separately preserves an exceptional citizenship mechanism under Article 9(2), but this should not be confused with the Investor Visa or presented as a formal CBI program.

Related reading: Citizenship By Merit vs Citizenship By Investment

DirectCitizenship.com Focuses On Executable Sovereign Discretion Structures

DirectCitizenship.com does not operate as a public directory of discretionary citizenship programs.

Instead, the platform focuses on a limited number of lower-visibility sovereign discretion environments where the following remains intact:

• Political tolerance
• Administrative continuity
• Economic contribution alignment
• And practical execution viability

These structures are typically:

• Highly selective
• Relationship-driven
• Politically sensitive
• And intentionally capacity-constrained.

As a result, most are neither publicly marketed at scale nor discussed openly in detail.

Interested parties seeking further information regarding discretionary naturalisation environments discussed on this platform may get in touch where appropriate.

Structured Enquiry

DirectCitizenship.com monitors a limited number of lower-visibility discretionary citizenship structures operating through:

• National interest
• Executive authority
• Exceptional contribution
• Merit-based naturalization
• Presidential decree
• And other legally enshrined sovereign discretion mechanisms.

Some environments may support practical implementation under highly specific conditions.

Structured enquiries may be submitted for further discussion.

Submit a structured enquiry for further discussion regarding discretionary citizenship structures and sovereign naturalisation mechanisms.