Short answer
Expect about 2 to 3 months for CILS B1 Cittadinanza, PLIDA B1 and CERT.IT B1, and 4 to 5 months for CELI 2 i1,2,3,4. These are not guarantees: each certifier states a target counted from when it receives the exam papers, and centres add their own time. You see the result online (CILS, CELI, PLIDA) and the certificate is mostly digital, except for the points marked unverified below. If your consulate accepts only the final certificate, count on the longer figure5.
Results time and delivery by certifier
| CILS B1 Cittadinanza | CELI 2 i Cittadinanza | PLIDA B1 | CERT.IT B1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official rule | "About 3 months" after the exam; no early marking1 | About 90 working days after CVCL receives the papers, so 4 months or more4 | Results reach the centres within 60 working days of the Dante receiving all the exam materials2 | Results reach the centre within 40 working days of Roma Tre receiving the papers (2020 regulation, partly outdated)3 |
| What centres say | Padova: about 2 months for B1 Cittadinanza (40–45 working days from papers arriving in Siena)6. Venice: 2 to 4 months7 | Milan: about 3 months for results and about 5 months for the digital certificate8 | Messina: official results "not before two months" after the exam9 | Naples: results by email about 3 months after the exam; certificate a few weeks later10 |
| Our expectation | 2–3 months, sometimes 4 | 4–5 months | 2–3 months | 2–3 months |
| Where you see the result | Online, with your CILS candidate number (matricola) and date of birth1 | Candidates' area of the CVCL site, with your matricola and date of birth; also at the centre. Passes are A, B or C; D and E are fails4 | Your account on the PLIDA certification site, with the email you gave the centre11 | No online publication found on Roma Tre's site (unverified); the centre communicates it3,10 |
| The certificate | Download it online; the paper certificate is collected at the centre12,1 | Electronic. CVCL sends it to the centre, which gives it to you. A provisional pass document can be downloaded first4 | A PDF in your account, digital since the November 2024 session13,11 | The centre hands it out. Roma Tre candidates are called by email to collect it in person, by courier for a fee, or through a delegate (2020 regulation)3 |
| Ask to see your papers | Within 30 days of the results going online1 | Access to the papers is possible under law 241/19904 | Within 15 days of the results2 | By appointment; the result is final3 |
| Certificate expiry | "Currently" none12 | None "as long as the certification system is in force"14 | Not stated (unverified) | Not stated (unverified) |
What the sources do not say
- CILS: how long the paper certificate takes after the results, and the legal status of the downloadable certificate, are not stated (unverified)12.
- CELI: CVCL gives no figure for the certificate; the "about 5 months" comes from one centre (Milan)8.
- PLIDA: there is no official figure in calendar days. Some centres may still send paper certificates; we could not confirm it (unverified)13.
- CERT.IT: the 2020 regulation says you collect the certificate in person, while one centre says it is emailed. We could not confirm what Roma Tre does today, or whether a digital certificate exists (unverified)3,10.
- Verifying a certificate: we found no official service where a third party can check a certificate for any of the four exams (unverified).
Can results be faster?
CILS does no early marking1. For PLIDA, the calendar marks "urgent correction" as available for every adult B1 session, but the Dante publishes no terms; Minneapolis, for example, charges $4015,16. For the others we found no faster option.
How to plan the wait
- Work backwards from the filing date. You must have the certificate when you file the application17.
- Allow for the longer figure if your consulate accepts only the definitive certificate, as São Paulo does5.
- Think about retakes before you know the result. CILS B1 Cittadinanza sessions come roughly every two months while results take two to three, so you may have to choose the next session before you have the result. A failed CILS or CERT.IT B1 means sitting the whole exam again; see the retake rules compared and what a retake costs.
- Not sure you need it? Check who is exempt.
Per-exam details are in the guides: CILS, CELI 2 i, PLIDA and CERT.IT.
Frequently asked questions
How long do CILS B1 Cittadinanza results take?
Siena says about three months after the exam. The Padova centre says about two months for B1 Cittadinanza, and Ca' Foscari says two to four months. You see the result online with your CILS candidate number and date of birth.
How long do CELI 2 i results take?
CVCL's regulation says about 90 working days after it receives the papers, which is four months or more. The Milan centre tells candidates about three months for the result and about five months for the digital certificate.
How long do PLIDA B1 results take?
Results reach the centres within 60 working days of the Società Dante Alighieri receiving the exam materials. Messina says official results come no earlier than two months after the exam. Overall, expect two to three months.
How long do CERT.IT B1 results take?
The 2020 regulation says within 40 working days of Roma Tre receiving the papers. The Naples centre tells candidates about three months, with the certificate emailed a few weeks later.
How do I receive my certificate?
CILS: download it online and collect the paper copy at your centre. CELI: an electronic certificate sent to your centre. PLIDA: a PDF in your account. CERT.IT: from the centre; how Roma Tre delivers it today is unverified.
Can I use a provisional result to apply for citizenship?
It depends on your consulate or prefecture. Some consulates accept only the final certificate: São Paulo, for example, asks for the definitive certificate with its QR code. Ask yours before you rely on a provisional document.
Does the certificate expire?
CILS certificates currently have no expiry date and CELI certificates have none while the certification system is in force. PLIDA and Roma Tre do not say. We found no time limit in the Ministry's guidance we read, but ask your prefecture or consulate if your certificate is old.