By Italian law, if children are in the following conditions:
- if the parents are unknown or stateless or unable to pass on their citizenship according to the legislation of the country of origin/nationality;
- children found abandoned within the Italian territory when it is impossible to ascertain the citizenship.
Foreigners born in Italy, and/or in the above mentioned situations, may acquire Italian citizenship if lawfully and uninterruptedly resident in Italy from birth up until coming of age.