SettledkitDo you need B1 Italian for citizenship? Exemptions and which exam (2026)
If you apply for Italian citizenship by marriage or by residence, you must prove Italian at level B1 of the European framework, unless you fall into one of the exemptions below. Citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis) does not have this requirement.
The rule
Article 9.1 of Law 91/1992 (added in 2018, applying to applications filed from 4 December 2018) makes citizenship by marriage and by residence subject to "adequate knowledge of the Italian language, not below level B1". You prove it with either:
- a study title from a public or officially recognised (paritario) school or university, in Italy or an Italian school abroad recognised by the Italian ministries; or
- a certificate from a certification body recognised by the Italian ministries. A certificate at a higher level (B2, C1, C2) from these bodies also counts.
You must already hold the certificate or title when you submit. An application without it is declared inadmissible, so pass the exam and get the result before you file.
The version of the article in force today dates from 13 March 2025. The 2025 citizenship reform (Law 74/2025) mainly changed the rules on citizenship by descent; it did not change this language requirement.
Who does not need the B1 certificate
Exemptions 1 and 2 only apply to people with Italian residence documents. If you apply from abroad through a consulate, you will normally need the certificate (or a qualifying Italian study title).
- Holders of the EU long-term residence permit (permesso di soggiorno UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo). That permit normally requires an A2 Italian test, but the exemption applies to every holder of the permit, including those who were not tested. Older cards say "CE" instead of "UE", and cards issued before 2007 were called "carta di soggiorno" (without "per familiari"); it is the same permit. Make sure the card itself is up to date, as you will upload a copy. - Careful: a residence card for family members of EU or Italian citizens (carta di soggiorno per familiari), even the permanent one, is a different document and does not give this exemption. Many spouses of Italian citizens hold this card.
- People who signed the integration agreement (accordo di integrazione). Prefectures may interpret this exemption in different ways, so check with yours before relying on it.
- People whose ability to learn the language is seriously limited by age, illness or disability, as certified by a public health structure. The Constitutional Court created this exemption in ruling 25/2025. Being older is not enough by itself: the limitation must be serious and certified.
Which certificates count
A prefecture instruction sheet for online applications (Prefettura di Pistoia, 2024, written before the 2025 ruling) names four certification bodies, whose certificates and affiliated exam centres are accepted:
| Body | Certificate | Version made for citizenship applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Università per Stranieri di Siena | CILS | CILS B1 Cittadinanza |
| Università per Stranieri di Perugia | CELI | CELI 2 i (B1) Cittadinanza |
| Società Dante Alighieri | PLIDA | None on its official 2026 calendar; the standard PLIDA B1 |
| Università Roma Tre | CERT.IT | None on its official site; the standard Certit B1 |
The standard B1 exams of all four bodies (including standard CILS B1 and CELI 2) also count for citizenship. Certificates from schools outside these bodies' networks are not valid.
Citizenship version or standard B1?
| Scope | If you fail one part | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CILS B1 Cittadinanza | Narrower range than standard B1; valid only for citizenship | Retake the whole exam and pay the full fee again | Fee set by each centre: about €100 at Italian centres such as Padova, often much more abroad (CHF 320 in Zurich) |
| CELI 2 i Cittadinanza | Aimed at migrants living in Italy; the oral includes civic topics and comparisons between Italy and your country | Check with the centre | €65 Perugia fee, plus the centre's own fee. Applicants abroad usually take CILS B1 Cittadinanza or a standard B1 at a centre near them |
| Standard CILS B1 | Full B1, usable for work and study too | Keep passed sections for 18 months | |
| PLIDA B1 | Full standard B1 | Retake only failed skills within 18 months of your first sitting | |
| Certit B1 | Full standard B1 | Sold as a whole exam; check with the centre | €80 at Roma Tre |
The University of Padova's language centre (a CILS exam centre) describes CILS B1 Cittadinanza as a narrower test with fewer tasks than the standard B1 (6 instead of 14). Check exactly which exam you are booking, and that your centre offers it.
Practical tips
- Not every centre runs every session date. Book early and confirm the exact exam name on your booking.
- CILS B1 Cittadinanza results take about two months (about three for standard CILS B1); allow for delays, especially if other documents in your application have expiry dates.
- Official sample papers with audio are free on the certifying bodies' websites. Use them.
This is general information, not legal advice; confirm your situation with your prefecture or consulate before applying. Settledkit is independent and not affiliated with any certification body; CILS, CELI, PLIDA and CERT.IT are names of their respective owners. Sources: L. 91/1992 art. 9.1 (normattiva.it); Corte costituzionale, sentenza 25/2025 (cortecostituzionale.it); Prefettura di Pistoia instruction sheet on the language requirement (prefettura.interno.gov.it, 2024); cils.unistrasi.it, CLA Università di Padova and Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Zurigo (iiczurigo.esteri.it); unistrapg.it and current CELI exam calls; plida.dante.global; certificazioneitaliano.uniroma3.it. Checked October 2026.