San Marino citizenship by naturalisation

Registered and actual residence

The ordinary applicant must have both registered and actual residence in San Marino for at least twenty continuous years, and be registered and actually resident when applying. Competent public offices must certify the residence; this is not a twenty-year passport-holding or merely nominal-address rule. Separate reduced periods apply to specified family and continuous-from-birth cohorts.

Italian B1 and accepted proof

Italian knowledge must be at least B1 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (QCER/CEFR). Proof may be a certificate from an institution recognised by San Marino or Italy, an Italian-language educational qualification, or evidence of at least five years' attendance at recognised Italian-language schools. The reviewed provision does not separately specify tested language skills.

Civic test and adult exemptions

The written multiple-choice civic test covers San Marino's history, institutions, and citizenship values, with a pass threshold of two thirds of the questions. Both the language and civic requirements are waived for people aged at least eighty, or whose physical or mental impediment prevents compliance and is certified by a doctor employed by the Institute for Social Security.

Criminal and security assessment

The law excludes a final San Marino or foreign conviction imposing imprisonment or disqualification from public office exceeding one year for a non-negligent offence. It also addresses pending proceedings and judicial notifications for non-negligent offences with the specified statutory penalty. A panel verifies the conditions and considers public-order and security grounds that would prevent a grant.

Renunciation removed, loss rules remain

Law 27/2026 removes the naturalisation requirement to renounce an existing nationality. This is not a promise of unrestricted retention in every later situation: Article 4 still provides for loss when a San Marino citizen voluntarily acquires a foreign spouse's nationality as a consequence of marriage, and the other country's nationality law must also be considered.

Grant, oath and registration

Applications and supporting certificates go to the Civil Registry. After a positive assessment, the Grand and General Council grants citizenship by resolution; the applicant then takes the prescribed allegiance oath before the Captains Regent and the Secretary of State for Internal Affairs, followed by citizenship registration. Satisfying the residence period alone does not complete acquisition.