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You are a non-EU citizen and want to obtain Italian citizenship by naturalisation.
Can you move abroad in the meantime?
Italian citizenship is governed mainly by Law no. 91/1992.
One of the ways to acquire Italian citizenship is naturalisation, which for non-EU nationals means proving continuous, uninterrupted residence in Italy for 10 years.
The requirement of “continuous and uninterrupted” residence is strict, so moving your residence abroad, whether inside or outside the European Union, works against obtaining Italian citizenship.
Residence in Italy must also be shown by your registration in the municipal population register (anagrafe): simply being physically present in the country is not enough.
So you can spend time abroad, including for work, but it is essential to keep your registered residence in an Italian municipality (Comune).
For this reason, it is wise to check that your residence is still in place by going back to your address regularly, to pay close attention to registered letters (asking a trusted person to collect them if needed), and to check regularly whether a procedure to remove you from the register has been opened, so that you can step in quickly.
Need help? Find out how Avv. Giulia Lombardo can help with immigration and citizenship in Turin and online across Italy, or request a consultation.