Italy just slammed the brakes on its popular citizenship-by-descent program, making it harder to score that coveted EU passport. (We’ve rounded up countries where your grandparents still count.)

Meanwhile, in Japan, a slick new housing startup called Somado is changing the game for digital nomads in Tokyo. Think fully furnished apartments, long-stay discounts, and 3D tours—all without the prices of Airbnb 🙌

Let’s dive in 👇

This Week in Nomad Deals

🛂Italy Tightens Citizenship: Obtaining an Italian passport through citizenship by descent just got much harder; here are other countries where your ancestors can help you out.

🏯Living in Japan: A new startup aims to make Japanese living more affordable and accessible for digital nomads.

Passports

Citizenship by Descent: Are You Eligible?

Mamma Mia!

Last month, the Italian government announced major changes to its popular citizenship by descent policy. Effective March 28, the main changes are that 1) Italian great-grandparents no longer count, and 2) you will need to demonstrate proficiency in the Italian language.

Why It Matters

For those who did not get around to applying earlier, this could be a major setback.

Italy was one of the most generous countries when it came to jus sanguinis (citizenship by blood), allowing people to claim citizenship even if their Italian ancestors had emigrated generations ago. The Italian government cited widespread abuse of the policy, with one official complaining that many applicants wanted a passport just to “go shopping in Miami.”

Earlier this year, we predicted that “golden passport” programs would shrink. The same can likely be said for citizenship by descent. If you aspire to a second passport, the time to pursue it is now.

💡Alternatives for EU Citizenship

A few European Union countries still offer relatively accessible paths to citizenship through ancestry. Some only require that you are the grandchild of a citizen, while others stipulate that you can only apply if your ancestors were forced to flee due to persecution during World War Two. If you’ve got the right heritage, here are some alternatives worth exploring:

Japan

Somado Review: Finding Cheap Apartments in Tokyo

Looking for affordable, flexible housing in Japan? Whether you're a digital nomad, remote worker, or long-term traveler, Somado might be your new favorite rental tool.

Launched in late 2024, Somado connects travelers with fully furnished apartments across Tokyo. Prices that are often 30–50% cheaper than Airbnb, and unlike many Japanese sites, it is designed with digital nomads, expats, and travelers in mind.

What Sets Somado Apart

We like that there’s no registration required to browse listings, and the interface is sleek, intuitive, and available in English. Features like interactive train line overlays, neighborhood filters, and even 3D apartment tours make apartment hunting in Tokyo surprisingly simple.

Somado isn’t a direct booking site—you’ll message landlords directly and sign a short lease off-platform. Currently, the platform is Tokyo-only, though the sites founders tell us that other cities are in the works.

🎉 Use code NomadDeals to get up to $50 off your first booking.