Are you applying for Italian residency or citizenship? Did you sign an integration agreement, and you need to certify your language skills? You might assume that any Italian language certificate will do, but it won’t.
Completion certificates versus proficiency certifications
A certificate of completion means you finished a course or program. A proficiency certification means you took a proctored exam and proved you can use the language at a measurable, standardized level.
For Italian immigration and citizenship purposes, only accredited proficiency certifications count. Your Duolingo streak or completion certificates don’t count. Online quiz-based “certifications,” especially those multiple choice tests without speaking or listening being tested… don’t count. None of these are accepted. They are not official proof of anything. If you read the fine print, it might say that their certs are nice to show off on your LinkedIn. Probably not, and the Italian government doesn’t recognize them.
If someone is selling you a language certificate for €30 (or even nothing) after a 25-question multiple choice quiz, that certificate will not help you with Italian immigration or citizenship. Don’t bother!
The level required depends on what you’re applying for.
As of writing this in August 2026,
- Integration agreement (accordo di integrazione) and long-term residence permit: A2 level. Accepted certifications include CELI 1, CILS A2, PLIDA A2, or a certificate from a CPIA (free public adult education school in Italy).
- Italian citizenship: B1 level. Accepted certifications include CILS B1 cittadinanza, CELI 2, PLIDA B1, and CERT.IT. CPIA certificates are NOT accepted for citizenship — only for residency.
Check what you need.
If you passed a CELI 1 (A2) for your residency permit or integration agreement, that certificate does not satisfy the B1 requirement for citizenship. You need a separate, higher-level exam. Plan for this early.
I passed the A2 test in early 2019 as part of my integration agreement. I passed the B1 test in early 2024 to prepare for my citizenship application.
What about elective residency and investor visas?
Neither visa requires language proficiency to obtain. But if your long-term plan is permanent residency after 5 years or citizenship after 10 years, you will eventually need to demonstrate Italian language proficiency. Better to start learning early than to scramble eight years in when you realize the requirement is coming.
Which exam should you take?
CILS and CELI are the most widely recognized and available. Both are administered by Italian universities: CILS by the University of Siena, CELI by the University of Perugia. Exam sessions are limited, registration fills up, and results take months. The results for my 13 March 2024 B1 test arrived in September, the certification dated in late August.
Exams have multiple components: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. You must pass all of them. You can re-take exams, but you’ll have to pay again.
I recommend working with a private teacher rather than apps or group classes. My teacher Beatrice Ferrara (BeatriceFerrara.it, #NotSponsored) works with students at all levels and can help you prepare specifically for the exam format. She suggested the CELI exams for my needs and path.
Contact me if there’s anything I can do to help. The first call is always free. Ci vediamo!