When Kellen Matwick, his spouse Jacqueline and their two kids boarded a one-way flight to Italy in August 2024, they toasted their new life.
Matwick, whose great-grandparents emigrated from central Italy to Pennsylvania, is a part of the huge Italian diaspora.
He’s additionally one of many tens of millions who noticed his hopes dashed when the Italian authorities modified its legal guidelines round citizenship by descent a yr in the past, on March 28, 2025 — a transfer that was strengthened this month when Italy’s constitutional court docket gave discover that it will reject the primary authorized argument in opposition to the legislation.
When it launched the legislation by emergency decree, the federal government cited the spiraling numbers of residents by descent who had by no means lived in Italy.
However for Matwick, the brand new legislation — launched with out warning in March 2025 — hasn’t simply dashed his hopes for the long run. It has additionally torpedoed his day-to-day life.
He’s certainly one of many members of the diaspora who had moved to Italy to start the method of reclaiming their citizenship — solely to have the principles change earlier than the paperwork was accomplished.
And with no grace interval for many who had been already within the nation working by way of preliminary steps of the method that culminates in an official recognition of citizenship, he has discovered himself in limbo in Italy — unable to use for jobs, journey, or entry healthcare as he waits for his authorized scenario to be resolved.
Individuals in Matwick’s scenario had two choices when the legislation modified: wait to see what occurred, or quit and go house.
However for many who give up their jobs, bought their properties and possessions, and acquired one-way flights, going house will not be so easy.
One yr on from the legislation change, they’re stranded in Italy — on unsure authorized floor, with unsure immigration standing, and no approach to earn a dwelling legally of their present circumstances. All as a result of they adopted their dream of returning to the nation of their ancestors — in a method that Italy used to permit.
‘It didn’t look like a danger’
For the Matwicks, transferring to Italy was step one in a brand new life.
The couple, who had beforehand lived in New York Metropolis, had been elevating their two youngsters in Arizona once they determined to to migrate in 2022. That they had two choices: Spain, the place Matwick might get a digital nomad visa as a contract video editor, or Italy, the place he certified for citizenship by descent by way of his great-grandparents. The couple each communicate Spanish fluently, however selected Italy as a result of citizenship meant a extra sure future.
Quite than claiming citizenship by way of a US consulate, which usually takes years, they opted to maneuver to Italy and do the paperwork on arrival — a route which has at all times been allowed for Italo-descendants. That method, they thought, they might combine their youngsters (5 and two once they left) whereas they had been nonetheless younger. “It was an incentive to start out our lives faster,” mentioned Jacqueline. “It didn’t look like a danger — the method has existed for many years.”
Immigrating as an Italian descendant is a lasagna of bureaucratic layers. First, arrivals should discover a long-term rental contract, then register with an area authority — a 45-day course of. They have to purchase a residency allow from the police. Solely then can they current their paperwork to the native authorities, who will then “acknowledge” their citizenship — which, till 2025’s legislation, was thought-about as present from delivery. The whole course of can take something from just a few months to a number of years.
One workaround is to maneuver to a small, rural neighborhood the place the method might be quicker. The Matwicks dominated this out, believing it to be an abuse of the system.
“We mentioned, ‘Let’s do it the proper method,’” mentioned Kellen. “We handled it like an precise transfer, selected town we truly needed to go to. We mentioned, we’ll get an residence, have the youngsters study Italian, dwell an actual Italian life. We did all the things they needed us to do. Now I really feel so silly — as a result of we did it the proper method, we acquired penalized.”
It took two years to assemble the documentation proving Matwick’s descent, and the household arrived in Turin in August 2024. The subsequent day, they emailed town authorities asserting their presence and intent to say citizenship.
“It was August, so no person responded,” mentioned Jacqueline — most companies in Italy shut for the month. “I messaged once more in three weeks, they usually informed us to come back in the midst of October.”
The Matwicks — who’ve since had one other child — are caught in authorized limbo in Italy, having arrived in August 2024. – Courtesy Jacqueline Matwick
However on October 3, the Italian authorities issued a round that rendered hundreds of Individuals ineligible for citizenship. The brand new rule, dubbed the “minor situation,” mentioned that if a mum or dad of an Italian baby born overseas naturalized whereas their youngsters had been nonetheless underage, that might “lower” the road of descent. There was no grace interval for many who had already began the method.
Kellen Matwick’s great-grandfather naturalized when his daughter was a toddler. He not certified for citizenship.
The household attended their appointment anyway.
“They informed us, ‘You guys had been already right here, so we expect you’ve gotten a very good likelihood,’” mentioned Jacqueline, who would have acquired citizenship by way of marriage as soon as Kellen had been acknowledged. “However finally they rejected us.”
The couple employed a lawyer who instructed they pivot to a court docket case by way of Kellen’s great-grandmother, assuring them that they’d have the ability to keep in Turin and put the youngsters by way of college as they waited for his or her listening to. Girls had been prevented from passing on Italian citizenship till 1948, however since 2009, hundreds have efficiently sued the federal government on civil rights grounds. The Matwicks began gathering the paperwork for Kellen’s great-grandmother.
On March 28, 2025, whereas they had been nonetheless collating the required paperwork, the Italian authorities launched an emergency decree limiting citizenship to 2 generations. It grandfathered in those that had already filed court docket instances, however for many who had been within the means of submitting, there was no grace interval.
Once more, the household had misplaced their path to citizenship.
“We felt we had been continually hit by waves,” mentioned Jacqueline. “We stored making the logical selection primarily based on the recommendation we got within the second, however every time it turned out to be the mistaken selection.”
Caught in limbo
Nineteen months on from their arrival, the Matwicks are nonetheless in Italy. Over the previous yr for the reason that new legislation was introduced in, they’ve been given permission to remain, then had it rescinded. Jacqueline has had a 3rd baby throughout this limbo — and though that meant dealing with an unsure future whereas pregnant, it entitled her to a short lived visa, overlaying her and the youngsters. It expires subsequent month.
In the meantime Kellen Matwick has not but been granted a allow to remain. His authorized limbo signifies that he’s been unable to journey to go to his household within the States — he doubtless wouldn’t be allowed again into the EU. He’s working as a freelancer, however paying taxes to the US, not Italy as he had deliberate — as a result of he isn’t a resident. And he doesn’t qualify for healthcare. The household are holding their breath till their court docket date in January 2027.
“We’ve youngsters in class. We shipped all our furnishings and needed to signal a four-year lease as a part of the method. We didn’t have the monetary assets to maneuver again instantly. I don’t know what they anticipate folks to do — it appears they didn’t take into consideration the affect,” mentioned Jacqueline.
The couple are attempting to lift their youngsters — who already attend college in Turin — with out passing on their stress. Faculty employees and their fellow dad and mom are a supply of help, even accompanying them to visa appointments.
“We’re doing all we will to combine,” mentioned Jacqueline, including that they love life in Turin. “If we now have to maneuver the youngsters it’ll make me actually unhappy that they’ve to interrupt off these relationships.”
‘Getting appointments was a nightmare’
Erica Galbreath pivoted to a scholar visa to maneuver together with her household to Tuscany. – Courtesy Erica Galbreath
The Matwicks aren’t alone of their wrestle to navigate Italy’s immigration system. Erica Galbreath had put her South Dakota house up on the market and was mid-purchase of a property in Tuscany, intending to maneuver together with her husband and three youngsters, when the “minor situation” hit.
Just like the Matwicks, Galbreath pivoted to a court docket case by way of her great-great grandmother (initially she and her dad had been making use of by way of his grandfather). Fortunately for her, she obtained the documentation in time to file the case 9 days earlier than the shock legislation change. Her citizenship was confirmed earlier this yr.
Within the meantime, she jumped by way of authorized hurdles to maneuver to Italy. She and her husband utilized for scholar visas to check Italian, which enabled them to carry the youngsters.
“We at all times deliberate to maneuver, and I knew getting appointments on the consulates was a nightmare — I spoke to individuals who tried for seven years,” she mentioned of their leap of religion.
“The children had been 10, seven and 5 on the time of the transfer. We needed to come back once they may very well be totally immersed within the language. They’d have been youngsters if we’d waited for an appointment.”
Galbreath’s pivot was profitable, however she says that she is aware of of at the very least 5 households in related conditions to the Matwicks. “They’re caught on this bizarre limbo,” she mentioned. “It’s heartbreaking for individuals who uprooted their whole lives, needed to be in Italy, to pay taxes, study the language and contribute, they usually’re locked out.”
CNN additionally spoke to an Italo-descendant who bought all their possessions to maneuver to Italy, arriving two days after the decree. Having completed their financial savings, they’re now dwelling within the nation illegally, working cash-in-hand, as they await their court docket date. CNN will not be figuring out them, in order to not put them in danger.
‘It left everybody screwed’
Jackie Wang was informed it will be simpler for her to go house, since she does not have youngsters. – Courtesy Jackie Wang
Whereas some have stayed, different would-be immigrants have reluctantly gone house. Jackie Wang spent 5 years making an attempt to get an appointment at Italy’s consulates in Boston and Los Angeles earlier than transferring to Turin after a pal efficiently claimed her citizenship within the metropolis.
A poet and tutorial, she signed a four-year rental contract, as required by the authorities, and arrived on October 1, 2024. Two days later, the “minor situation” hit. “It was the worst doable timing,” she mentioned.
Wang — who speaks Italian at a B2, or higher intermediate degree, and has 4 great-grandparents from Sicily — had already made an appointment to acknowledge her citizenship, so hoped she may be handled as a case in progress.
“He wouldn’t even take my paperwork,” she mentioned. “He mentioned, ‘Why did you even come right here?’ However I’d moved earlier than the legislation modified. I didn’t know this was going to occur.
“I began crying within the workplace. I’d uprooted my life. I had a lease and payments. I’d pay as you go for Italian courses. He mentioned, ‘Oh properly, because you don’t have a household it’ll be simpler so that you can return to the US.”
However Wang had nowhere to return to — she’d ended her US rental contract and had already accepted a job as a visiting scholar on the College of Turin. She went again to the US, staying at a pal’s residence whereas she utilized for a analysis visa, earlier than returning to Turin. Within the meantime, she, too, pivoted to a court docket case, however the generational restrict hit earlier than she might collate the paperwork. In December 2025 her visa expired, and she or he needed to return house.
“I used to be completely traumatized by this expertise,” she mentioned, describing the sudden modifications as “whiplash.”
Wang is now assistant professor of literary arts at Brown College, however nonetheless goals of a life in Italy. She is even nonetheless paying her Turin hire. “I needed to dwell there part-time, and finally settle full-time,” she mentioned. “If something modifications, I nonetheless wish to do it. Turin has a tremendous literary historical past, I fell in love with town.” She hopes to purchase an residence there.
“I used to be very dedicated to having a life in Italy,” she provides. “That’s what’s irritating about the way in which the principles had been written. There’s a approach to account for permitting individuals who wish to create a connection to remain — perhaps a time-limited residency. In the event that they had been afraid folks had been simply making an attempt to get an EU passport, why not write the legislation to account for that? What was surprising was there was no phase-in interval. It left everybody who’d moved to Italy screwed.”
‘No house, no job, no automotive’
Lea Black gave up her job, house, possessions and medical insurance to maneuver to Italy. She’s now staying with a pal. – Courtesy Lea Black
Lea Black can also be retaining the dream alive. She was raised in Connecticut by her late grandfather, whose dad and mom had been from Cattolica Eraclea, Sicily. Partly to honor him, and partly to attach together with her roots, she booked a one-way ticket to Italy in February 2025.
Now, she’s lodging with a pal in Atlanta, licking her wounds and searching for a brand new job, after giving up all the things to comply with her Italian dream.
“I’m again within the US with no house, no job, no automotive, no furnishings. And it’s as a result of I did precisely what they informed me to do,” she mentioned.
Black, who had tried for 3 years to get an appointment at Italy’s Miami consulate to have her citizenship acknowledged, give up her job in gross sales, ended her lease, and bought her possessions to maneuver.
“My grandfather used to speak about Sicily with such happiness, and I didn’t understand till I used to be in Cattolica Eraclea how deep it will contact me,” she mentioned.
“I noticed a avenue signal with my grandfather’s final identify on it, stopped to take a photograph and met my first pal. The Sicilians embraced me in such a method that I felt my grandfather was guiding me.”
Black arrived on March 8, together with her paperwork so as — in contrast to the others, she wasn’t affected by October’s ruling as her line wasn’t affected by the “minor situation.” She made an appointment for April 4 to get an Italian social safety quantity — one thing which she had requested from the consulate three months earlier than the transfer. However on March 28, the generational limits torpedoed her goals.
“I felt like a horse kicked me within the chest,” she mentioned. “I used to be taking a look at my suitcases, pondering, ‘Holy sh*t.’ This highway is simply riddled with landmines — whichever method you flip, you’re screwed.”
She’d put apart sufficient cash for her first yr in Italy, planning to ramp up her facet hustle to a full-time gig. As a substitute, she used her financial savings to file a lawsuit. However after 90 days — the utmost time a non-EU citizen can spend within the EU and not using a visa — she was no additional ahead.
Stalling for time, she moved to Albania, which is exterior the EU. After three months there, she returned to Italy. After one other 90 days, she flew to Pennsylvania, the place she had a job supply — but it surely promptly fell by way of.
Staying with a pal, Black’s remaining possessions slot in 4 suitcases; she has no medical insurance, and continues to be job-hunting. “If it wasn’t for the kindness of my buddies I don’t know what I’d do,” she mentioned. “The final yr has been so draining. I really feel very alone.”
Black’s court docket case was heard in March however she has but to study the end result. “I’m holding on for expensive life,” she mentioned.
Black additionally qualifies for Polish citizenship by way of the opposite facet of her household, however mentioned that it was at all times Italy that she needed. Thus far, she says she’s spent over $20,000 following her goals.
Hopes are fading
Italy’s Inside Ministry, which is answerable for immigration and citizenship, declined a request for touch upon the problems raised by CNN’s interviewees. When introducing the legislation in 2025, international minister Antonio Tajani mentioned: “Being an Italian citizen is a severe matter, the granting of citizenship is a severe matter. Sadly through the years there have been abuses and requests for citizenship that went a bit past the true curiosity in our nation.”
The nation’s citizenship legal guidelines have lengthy been controversial. Whereas the diaspora has loved ius sanguinis, or citizenship by descent, it’s much less common in Italy itself, the place it’s usually seen as a simple path to a coveted EU passport, with out generational limits (so long as no person misplaced citizenship, together with by naturalization) and with out the necessity for linguistic or cultural ties. By comparability, kids born in Italy to immigrant dad and mom can not apply for citizenship till they’re 18 (earlier if their dad and mom naturalize), usually leaving younger individuals who have been born, raised and schooled as Italians, foreigners. Black calls this “insane”; Wang “can’t even think about” what it’s like.
“We’re totally conscious we don’t have the toughest immigrant story,” mentioned Jacqueline Matwick. “I don’t wish to appear tone deaf. We’re secure. We gained’t get picked up exterior our youngsters’ college and put in a detention middle.”
And but, their lives have all been upended.
The dolce vita is a distant dream for many who moved to Italy and acquired caught within the legislation change. – Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
All say that if Italy had been to introduce a residency requirement for the diaspora to have their citizenship acknowledged, they’d leap on the likelihood.
“In the event that they mentioned ‘Reside right here for 2 years first,’ I’d be on the subsequent airplane over,” mentioned Black. “I needed to dwell right here endlessly.”
They hold on within the hope that the upcoming hearings in regards to the generational limits on the Constitutional Courtroom, and an April listening to in regards to the “minor situation” on the Corte di Cassazione, Italy’s supreme court docket, would possibly carry higher information. Marco Mellone, one of many attorneys concerned within the latter, has already informed CNN that he hopes to handle the generational limits throughout proceedings.
Within the meantime, these caught in limbo take issues day-to-day. “Each time we now have a glimmer of hope it will get shot down,” mentioned Jacqueline Matwick. “I really feel like I’m within the ocean and the waves maintain coming.”
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