Few people understand the rapidly evolving landscape of Italian citizenship by descent better than the attorney arguing it in Italy’s highest courts. In this episode of Your Italian Podcast, host Lauren Hopkins sits down once again with Marco Mellone, founding attorney of Mellone Law Firm in Bologna and one of the leading voices in the jure sanguinis cases now shaping Italy’s legal future.

This time, Marco walks us through two historic decisions that have transformed the conversation around Italian dual citizenship. First, he explains the Corte di Cassazione’s July 2026 ruling that struck down the long‑contested minor issue, reaffirming that a child who is a dual citizen from birth never loses Italian citizenship because of a parent’s later naturalization. It’s a decision with sweeping implications for families whose claims were previously denied or stalled.

Then, Marco breaks down the Constitutional Court’s Order No. 147/2026, which has paused domestic challenges to the 2025 Tajani Decree and referred a central question to the European Court of Justice. He offers a clear, measured look at why this referral is unprecedented, how EU citizenship protections may come into play, and what this means for applicants whose eligibility depends on pre‑reform rules.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore your Italian heritage or you already have a case pending at an Italian consulate or the court in Rome, this episode cuts through the noise and the speculation. You’ll hear directly from one of Italy’s foremost citizenship attorneys — someone helping shape how these cases are decided and what they mean for your path to an Italian passport.

Listen to the full conversation on the future of Italian citizenship by descent. And if you have questions about your own eligibility under the current law, you can book a consultation with Your Italian Passport.

ABOUT YOUR ITALIAN PODCAST

Your Italian Podcast is the show for anyone drawn to their Italian roots. Hosted by attorney Lauren Hopkins, founder of Your Italian Passport, each episode explores Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis), heritage, culture, food, and life in Italy, with the stories and practical guidance the worldwide Italian diaspora is looking for. From tracing your family tree through an Italian comune to understanding Law 74/2025 and what it means for your eligibility, we help you reconnect with the country your family came from.

CONNECT WITH US

Website: https://youritalianpassport.com/
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/d037bc1fbc98/yip-newsletter-sign-up
Instagram: @youritalianpassport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourITPassport/

Explore your eligibility for Italian citizenship by descent: https://calendly.com/youritpassport/italian-citizenship-consultation?back=1&month=2026-04

If this episode resonated with you, follow Your Italian Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a rating and review. It helps other members of the jure sanguinis community find the show.

DISCLAIMER

Your Italian Podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Italian citizenship law changes frequently, and how it applies depends on the specific facts of your family line. For guid...

Stanley Tucci returns to Italy in this episode of Your Italian Podcast, and for the first time publicly he shares that he has been recognized as an Italian citizen jure sanguinis. The beloved actor, author, and Searching for Italy host opens up about his Calabrian ancestry, his family's roots in the town of Cittanova, and the long emotional road to reclaiming the Italian citizenship his ancestors carried with them when they left for America generations ago.

Host Lauren Hopkins talks with Tucci about heritage, belonging, food, and what it truly means to be recognized as Italian by descent rather than simply feeling Italian at heart. Their conversation moves between the personal and the practical: the family stories that kept Italy alive across generations, the documents and vital records that turn a bloodline into a recognized claim, and the deep sense of identity that comes with holding an Italian passport and, with it, European Union citizenship.

For the millions of Italian Americans and members of the worldwide diaspora pursuing Italian citizenship by descent, Tucci's story is both inspiring and timely. It arrives at a pivotal moment for the jure sanguinis community, as Law 74/2025 (the Tajani Decree) and the 2026 Constitutional Court ruling reshape who qualifies and how. Whether you grew up in an Italian American household, are tracing your family tree through a comune or consulate, navigating a 1948 maternal line case, or just beginning your own jure sanguinis journey, this episode offers a rare and personal look at what it means to call Italy home again.

ABOUT YOUR ITALIAN PODCAST

Your Italian Podcast is the show for anyone drawn to their Italian roots. Hosted by attorney Lauren Hopkins, founder of Your Italian Passport, each episode explores Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis), heritage, culture, food, and life in Italy, with the stories and practical guidance the worldwide Italian diaspora is looking for. From tracing your family tree through an Italian comune to understanding Law 74/2025 and what it means for your eligibility, we help you reconnect with the country your family came from.

CONNECT WITH US

Website: https://youritalianpassport.com/
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/d037bc1fbc98/yip-newsletter-sign-up
Instagram: @youritalianpassport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourITPassport/

Explore your eligibility for Italian citizenship by descent: https://calendly.com/youritpassport/italian-citizenship-consultation?back=1&month=2026-04

If this episode resonated with you, follow Your Italian Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a rating and review. It helps other members of the jure sanguinis community find the show.

DISCLAIMER

Your Italian Podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Italian citizenship law changes frequently, and how it applies depends on the specific facts of your family line. For guid...

Few people understand the future of Italian citizenship by descent better than the attorney arguing it in Italy's highest courts. In this episode of Your Italian Podcast, host Lauren Hopkins sits down with Marco Mellone, founding attorney of Mellone Law Firm and a leading voice in the jure sanguinis litigation now before the Constitutional Court and the Court of Cassation.

Marco represents the families at the center of the constitutional challenges to Italy's 2025 citizenship reform, including the pivotal question of whether the new law can be applied retroactively to claims filed before it took effect. In a clear, measured conversation, he explains what the recent decisions actually mean for descendants, particularly those tracing their line through a great-grandparent (bisnonno) or further back, and why he maintains that citizenship by blood has always been consistent with the Italian Constitution.

If you have been following the headlines with growing uncertainty, this is the episode that cuts through the noise. You will hear directly from the person helping shape how these cases are decided.

Listen to the full conversation. And if you have questions about your own eligibility under the current law, you can book a consultation with Your Italian Passport.

ABOUT YOUR ITALIAN PODCAST

Your Italian Podcast is the show for anyone drawn to their Italian roots. Hosted by attorney Lauren Hopkins, founder of Your Italian Passport, each episode explores Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis), heritage, culture, food, and life in Italy, with the stories and practical guidance the worldwide Italian diaspora is looking for. From tracing your family tree through an Italian comune to understanding Law 74/2025 and what it means for your eligibility, we help you reconnect with the country your family came from.

CONNECT WITH US

Website: https://youritalianpassport.com/
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/d037bc1fbc98/yip-newsletter-sign-up
Instagram: @youritalianpassport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourITPassport/

Explore your eligibility for Italian citizenship by descent: https://calendly.com/youritpassport/italian-citizenship-consultation?back=1&month=2026-04

If this episode resonated with you, follow Your Italian Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a rating and review. It helps other members of the jure sanguinis community find the show.

DISCLAIMER

Your Italian Podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Italian citizenship law changes frequently, and how it applies depends on the specific facts of your family line. For guid...

In this episode of Your Italian Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Liz Knight, an American expat who has spent more than a decade building a life, career, and family in Rome. If you’ve ever dreamed of moving to Italy or wondered what day‑to‑day life in Rome is actually like, this conversation delivers real, grounded insight into the expat experience.

Liz shares her journey from Tennessee to the Eternal City, opening up about the realities behind the romantic idea of “living in Italy.” Together, we explore Italian bureaucracy, navigating residency and taxes, how the healthcare system works, and what it’s like to raise children and build community in Rome. You’ll also hear what surprises most Americans when they move to Italy, what families should know about Italian schools, how long it truly takes to feel settled, and the emotional side of starting over in a new country.

Whether you’re planning a move, exploring your Italian citizenship, or simply fascinated by expat life, this episode offers an honest, practical look at what it means to build a life in Italy—beyond the postcards and pasta.

ABOUT YOUR ITALIAN PODCAST

Your Italian Podcast is the show for anyone drawn to their Italian roots. Hosted by attorney Lauren Hopkins, founder of Your Italian Passport, each episode explores Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis), heritage, culture, food, and life in Italy, with the stories and practical guidance the worldwide Italian diaspora is looking for. From tracing your family tree through an Italian comune to understanding Law 74/2025 and what it means for your eligibility, we help you reconnect with the country your family came from.

CONNECT WITH US

Website: https://youritalianpassport.com/
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/d037bc1fbc98/yip-newsletter-sign-up
Instagram: @youritalianpassport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourITPassport/

Explore your eligibility for Italian citizenship by descent: https://calendly.com/youritpassport/italian-citizenship-consultation?back=1&month=2026-04

If this episode resonated with you, follow Your Italian Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a rating and review. It helps other members of the jure sanguinis community find the show.

DISCLAIMER

Your Italian Podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Italian citizenship law changes frequently, and how it applies depends on the specific facts of your family line. For guid...

In this episode, Lauren talks with Nikki Taylor, founder of Italy Property Consulting and one of the leading experts on buying property in Italy as a foreigner. Nikki shares her journey from Australia to Italy, how she built a career helping international buyers navigate the Italian real estate market, and what anyone considering a home in Italy needs to know before taking the leap.

Together, they explore the questions people ask when they begin imagining a life in Italy. How do you buy a home in Italy as a non‑resident? Which regions offer the best value? What should buyers look for when evaluating Italian properties? And how can you avoid the pitfalls that often surprise first‑time foreign buyers?

Nikki also opens up about the realities of the Italian property market, including some of the unforgettable moments she has experienced while touring homes across the country. From breathtaking opportunities to situations she never could have anticipated, her stories reveal the full spectrum of what it means to help people find their place in Italy.

This conversation is practical, inspiring, and filled with clear guidance for anyone dreaming of owning a home in Italy. Whether you are exploring Italian real estate for the first time or actively planning a move, Nikki offers the insight and confidence needed to take the next step.

A must‑listen for anyone considering buying property in Italy, building a life abroad, or turning their Italian citizenship into a meaningful new chapter.

ABOUT YOUR ITALIAN PODCAST

Your Italian Podcast is the show for anyone drawn to their Italian roots. Hosted by attorney Lauren Hopkins, founder of Your Italian Passport, each episode explores Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis), heritage, culture, food, and life in Italy, with the stories and practical guidance the worldwide Italian diaspora is looking for. From tracing your family tree through an Italian comune to understanding Law 74/2025 and what it means for your eligibility, we help you reconnect with the country your family came from.

CONNECT WITH US

Website: https://youritalianpassport.com/
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/d037bc1fbc98/yip-newsletter-sign-up
Instagram: @youritalianpassport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourITPassport/

Explore your eligibility for Italian citizenship by descent: https://calendly.com/youritpassport/italian-citizenship-consultation?back=1&month=2026-04

If this episode resonated with you, follow Your Italian Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a rating and review. It helps other members of the jure sanguinis community find the show.

DISCLAIMER

Your Italian Podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Italian citizenship law changes frequently, and how it applies depends on the specific facts of your family line. For guid...

Paula and Lauren Hopkins began the Italian citizenship process together years ago, long before there was a business, a community, or even the idea of a podcast. What started as a simple mother‑daughter project quickly became something deeper: a shared exploration of family history, identity, and the stories that shape who we are. That experience became the foundation for Your Italian Passport and, now, Your Italian Podcast.

In this first episode, Paula reflects on what it meant to reconnect with her roots, to honor the generations that came before her, and to walk this journey side‑by‑side with her daughter. Their conversation is filled with heart, reflection, laughter, and the kind of honesty that only happens when two people know each other’s stories by heart.

Together, they revisit the small moments that sparked big change. They talk about the curiosity that led them to dig deeper, the encouragement that kept them moving forward, and the quiet realization that reclaiming citizenship is about so much more than documents. It’s about belonging. It’s about legacy. It’s about remembering where we come from so we can understand where we’re going.

A beautiful beginning to the stories we’ll tell here, and the perfect way to open this new chapter.

ABOUT YOUR ITALIAN PODCAST

Your Italian Podcast is the show for anyone drawn to their Italian roots. Hosted by attorney Lauren Hopkins, founder of Your Italian Passport, each episode explores Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis), heritage, culture, food, and life in Italy, with the stories and practical guidance the worldwide Italian diaspora is looking for. From tracing your family tree through an Italian comune to understanding Law 74/2025 and what it means for your eligibility, we help you reconnect with the country your family came from.

CONNECT WITH US

Website: https://youritalianpassport.com/
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/d037bc1fbc98/yip-newsletter-sign-up
Instagram: @youritalianpassport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourITPassport/

Explore your eligibility for Italian citizenship by descent: https://calendly.com/youritpassport/italian-citizenship-consultation?back=1&month=2026-04

If this episode resonated with you, follow Your Italian Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a rating and review. It helps other members of the jure sanguinis community find the show.

DISCLAIMER

Your Italian Podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Italian citizenship law changes frequently, and how it applies depends on the specific facts of your family line. For guid...