An important clarification. The ALI Portal is the Ministry of the Interior's platform for citizenship applications by residence and by marriage, submitted in Italy or from abroad. It is not the channel for citizenship jure sanguinis (by descent), which follows a different path, through a consulate or a municipality. If that is your case, this article does not apply.
Residence or marriage: what changes and what doesn't
Both applications go through the same portal and follow the same stages, with the same legal deadlines. The requirements for submitting the application are different (for marriage you can read this article), but once the application is sent, what you see on the portal means the same thing. There are two useful differences to know:
| By residence | By marriage | |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | K10 | K10/C |
| Stages and timing | The same. 24 months, extendable to 36, for applications filed from 20 December 2020 | The same. 24 months, extendable to 36, for applications filed from 20 December 2020 |
| Appeal if no one answers | Regional administrative court (TAR), within one year of the deadline expiring | Ordinary court, according to prevailing case law |
One detail that applies only to marriage: the marital bond must remain valid until the decree. Separation, divorce or other causes that end it beforehand can block the case, even if the portal shows an advanced stage.
How to check the status of your citizenship application on the ALI Portal
Log in to the portal with SPID or CIE (if you live abroad you can also use credentials created on the portal) and go to Cittadinanza → Comunicazioni / stato pratica. If your application was submitted earlier and is not linked to your login, you can link it with the Associa pratica function, using the case number. That number is the K10 for citizenship by residence and the K10/C for citizenship by marriage. Keep it safe: you need it for any communication, including a reminder.
Also check that the PEC (certified email) address in your personal area is correct and active. Official communications, including those about a rejection, arrive there.
The stages of the citizenship application, one by one
The portal does not show a numbered path: it shows a sentence summarizing where the case stands. Many law firms split it into seven stages to make it easier to understand, and that is a useful simplification. The exact wording has changed over time and varies from case to case, so treat the sentences below as indicative (they are translations of the Italian text) and always read the one you actually see.
| Stage | What you read on the portal | What it really means |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | "The review by the local offices has started" / "preliminary checks on the acquired elements are under way" | The Prefecture is checking documents, residence, income and requirements, and asking other offices for information. This is the starting stage of almost every case and has no fixed length. |
| 3 | "Investigative and informative elements have been acquired" / "the review by the local offices is being finalized" | The first answers have arrived (for example from the Police Headquarters) and the checks are being completed. It is usually the longest stage and the least visible from the outside. |
| 4 | "All the necessary information has been acquired; the case is under evaluation" / "the review by the competent offices has started" | The file is complete and is being evaluated at the Ministry. Security opinions weigh heavily. If problems emerge, a notice of intended rejection arrives first, not a direct rejection. |
| 5 | "The procedure for this case has concluded" / "with the competent bodies for signature" | The evaluation is over and the measure has been sent for signature. It does not mean the application was approved: the outcome can also be negative. |
| 6 | "The review concluded favorably" | The grant decree has been signed and is being sent to the Prefecture (or to the consulate, if you live abroad) for notification. Citizenship is not yet effective. |
| 7 | "Case finalized; a communication will arrive from the Prefecture / consulate" | The decree is notified to you. Then you must book the oath in your municipality: citizenship takes effect the following day. |
One thing to keep in mind: these sentences are deliberately generic. Each covers many different steps, and the portal can stay the same for months even if the case is moving behind the scenes. Don't read it as a precise counter.
The words that confuse people most
"Concluded" does not mean "approved". Stage 5 only says the review is finished. The verdict becomes clear in the next stage.
The notice of intended rejection is not a portal stage. It is a separate communication (the so-called "10 bis") in which the administration tells you in advance the reasons why it intends to reject the application. You have a few days, usually 10, to reply with observations and documents. If you receive this communication, don't wait: contact a lawyer right away, because those days matter.
A signed decree is not yet citizenship. You become a citizen only after the oath. The oath must be taken within 6 months of the decree being notified, otherwise the decree loses effect. Book it yourself at your municipality, don't wait for someone to do it for you.
How long the citizenship application takes: legal deadlines and real times
For applications filed from 20 December 2020, the procedure should conclude within 24 months, extendable to 36. For earlier ones the deadline was 48 months, which has now passed for everyone. In reality many cases take longer, and the central stages are the longest. Once the decree is signed, notification is much quicker: guides mention a few weeks or a few months, with differences between one Prefecture and another.
The administration's silence, even beyond the deadlines, never equals an approval.
When to send a reminder about your citizenship application
- Within 24-36 months, with the case stuck for a long time: you cannot force anyone to conclude, but you can write to ask for information. A polite PEC to the Prefecture, with your K10 number, is the simplest move. Alternatively you can request access to the file (law 241/1990) to understand whether an opinion is missing or the case is stuck somewhere.
- Deadline expired without a decision: here the reminder becomes more incisive. It is sent by PEC to the Prefecture and the Ministry (Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration), with the case details, the application date, the request to conclude and the reference to art. 2 of law 241/1990. There is no legal deadline by which they must reply.
- Still no answer: you move to a formal notice (usually written by a lawyer) and, if needed, an appeal against the silence. Here the two routes split: for citizenship by residence it is the TAR, to be filed within one year of the deadline expiring; for citizenship by marriage, according to prevailing case law, the ordinary court is competent. This is a point where it is worth being followed by a lawyer.
- Decree signed but notification is late: if many months pass without the Prefecture summoning you, a reminder is legitimate.
Reminding too early does not harm the case, but it doesn't speed it up either: it mainly leaves a written trace and helps you find out where the file is.
Frequently asked questions about the citizenship application
How long does it take to get Italian citizenship after applying?
The law provides for 24 months, extendable to 36, for applications filed from 20 December 2020. In practice many cases take longer, especially in the central stages of the review.
My status hasn't changed in months: is that normal?
Yes, it is very common. The portal shows generic sentences and can stay the same for a long time even when the case is moving. If, however, the initial wording has been stuck for many months and the legal deadline is approaching, it is time to consider a request for information or a reminder.
Does "procedure concluded" mean I got citizenship?
No. It means the review is finished and the measure has gone for signature. The outcome can be positive or negative, and it becomes clear in the next stage.
Where do I find my K10 number?
It is the identification number tied to your application: you find it in the documents and communications you received when you applied, and in your personal area of the portal. For applications by marriage the number is the K10/C.
Can I send a reminder before 24 months have passed?
You can write to ask for information, for example with a PEC to the Prefecture quoting the case number, but the administration is not obliged to conclude before the legal deadlines. A real reminder carries more weight when the deadline has expired or is about to.
What should I do if I receive a notice of intended rejection?
You have a few days, usually 10, to send observations and documents. Don't let time pass: contact a lawyer immediately.
How long do I have to take the oath?
Within 6 months of the decree being notified. If you don't take the oath in time, the decree loses effect. Citizenship takes effect the day after the oath.
Do I need a lawyer to send a reminder?
For a simple request for information or a reminder by PEC it is not mandatory, although it can help you write it well. For formal notices and appeals, however, a lawyer is required.
Are the stages different for residence and for marriage?
No, they are the same. What changes is the case number (K10 or K10/C) and the competent court in case of an appeal against the silence.
Is the ALI Portal also used for citizenship jure sanguinis?
No. The portal handles applications by residence and by marriage. Citizenship by descent follows a different path, through a consulate or a municipality.
A small glossary
- Prefecture (Prefettura)
- The local office that handles the case, communicates the outcome and notifies the decree.
- Police Headquarters (Questura)
- Provides opinions on criminal records and security, which feed into the review.
- Review (istruttoria)
- The set of checks on documents, requirements and opinions before the decision.
- Opinion (parere)
- The answer from a body involved in the procedure. Until it arrives, the case may stay stuck.
- Grant decree
- The measure that grants citizenship. It becomes effective after the oath.
- Oath (giuramento)
- The declaration of loyalty to the Republic, made before the mayor or a delegate.
- Notice of intended rejection (10 bis)
- A communication that tells you in advance the reasons for a possible refusal, before the final decision.
- Rejection
- A negative decision, always with reasons.
- Access to the file
- A request to see the documents in your file, provided for by law 241/1990.
- Formal notice (diffida)
- A formal demand to conclude the procedure, often with a 30-day deadline.
- Administrative silence
- When the administration does not decide within the deadlines. It can be challenged with an appeal.
- K10 / K10/C
- The case identification number, for residence (K10) or marriage (K10/C).
- PEC
- Certified email, the tool for official communications.
In short
- Residence and marriage have the same stages: what changes is the case number (K10 or K10/C) and the competent court in case of an appeal.
- The portal gives generic sentences: it is not a stopwatch.
- "Concluded" is not "approved", and the decree is not citizenship until you take the oath.
- Keep your K10, keep your PEC active and check your mail, spam folder included.
- Send reminders methodically, always in writing, and turn to a lawyer for formal notices, notices of intended rejection and appeals.
This article is for information purposes and is not legal advice. Rhiza Studio helps people organize their case and documents; formal notices and appeals require a lawyer.
Not sure where your case stands, or whether it is time to send a reminder? Let's talk it over in a free call and look at your situation together.
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