Recognition of Italian Citizenship “JURE SANGUINIS”- Documentation

If you fall into Category 1, you must obtain the following documents-

A) Your father's birth certificate-
If you don’t have it already, write to the Italian "Comune" where your father was born, request a birth certificate in "formato internazionale", or in "estratto per riassunto" (showing his father's and mother's names). You can easily find the address of the "Comune" on this site by clicking on "Birth Certificate request".

B) Your parent's marriage certificate-
If the marriage took place in Italy, follow the procedure above. If it took place in the U.S.A., you must obtain a "certified copy" of the certificate and an "Apostille" from the Secretary of State of the State in which it was issued. ("Apostille" information follows); 

C) Your mother's birth certificate-
See above, or, if she was born in the U.S.A., request a "certified copy" of a "long form" or a "full form"; 

D) Your father's certificate of Naturalization or his Italian passport and "Alien Registration Card" ("green card").   Note: Most Italian embassies and consulates do NOT require this. The only ones that do are the Italian consulates in Miami and Chicago) (see category 1 D/A/B/C.
If your father became a US citizen but his Certificate of Naturalization is not available, you must provide the following-

1)      Official statement (in original, not photocopy, and with the Office Seal) from the US Immigration and Naturalization Services in Washington D.C. (425 I Street NW, 2nd Floor - ULLICO Bldg, Washington, D.C. 20536) and from the Court County in which he resided, stating the number of the Certificate of Naturalization and the date of his naturalization. The statement must show your father's full name (and any other names he went by on any official documents), place of birth and date of birth, date of the naturalization, certificate number. If he never became a US citizen, you must show his Italian passport and Alien Registration Card. 

2)     IF THE RESEARCH SHOWS NO RECORD: you are requested to double check with the National Archives (www.nara.gov) requesting a full search under his name and nicknames, possible dates of birth which he may have declared in the course of his life. If the record is found, you will obtain from the National Archives a certified copy of his "petition for naturalization" and "oath of allegiance" (Please note: we may at any time request that you present documentation from the National Archives - in case of discrepancies - to confirm the identity reported on the certificate of naturalization).

3)     If the record is still negative, you may want to check with the "CENSUS", requesting a survey report dated after your date of birth (www.census.org);

E) Your birth certificate-
You must obtain a "certified copy" (in "full form" or "long form"), with the “Apostille” from the Secretary of State of the State in which it was issued. 

F) Your declaration that you never renounced Italian citizenship before any Italian authority, listing all your places of residence. 

G) Your father's Death Certificate (if applicable) in "certified copy with “Apostille”.
If your father became a U.S. citizen by naturalization before your birth, you might be not entitled to Italian citizenship (unless you fit into another category); 

If you fall into Category 2, follow the instructions of such category. All documents are the same, but in this case will regard your mother and not your father.

If you fall into Category 3, you must obtain the following documents-

1. Your paternal/maternal grandmother's birth certificate
2. Your grandparents' marriage certificate
3. Your father's certificate of Naturalization or his Italian passport and "Alien Registration Card" ("green card"). (see cat.1 D 1,2,3)
4. Your father's birth certificate
5. Your mother's birth certificate
6. Your parents' marriage certificate
7. Your birth certificate

8. Your declaration that you never renounced Italian citizenship before any Italian authority, listing all your places of residence. 

 9. Declaration that your father never renounced hisItalian citizenship before any Italian authority, listing all his places of residence, (if he is living, ask him to sign his own affidavit, listing all his places of residence). If not signed before us his signature must be notarized. Copy of his passport and driver license are requested. 

10. Any pertinent Death Certificate/s related toItalian ascendants.
Note-  If your grandfather became a U.S. citizen by naturalization before your father’s birth, you might not be entitled to Italian citizenship (unless you fit into another category);

If you fall into Category 4 to you must obtain the following documents in original-  (For instructions about the proper documents, follow information listed under paragraph no.1)-

1. Your paternal/maternal great-grandfather's birth certificate from Italy
2.Your paternal/maternal great-grandmother's birth certificate.
3. Your great-grandparent's marriage certificate
4. Your paternal/maternal great-grandfather's certificate of Italian citizenship from Italy, also known as a certificato di cittadinanza italiana. (see category 1 /D/A/B/C)
5. Your paternal/maternal grandfather's birth certificate
6. Your paternal/maternal grandmother's birth certificate
7. Your grandparents' marriage certificate 

8. Your mother's birth certificate

9. Your father's birth certificate 

10. Your parents' marriage certificate
11. Your birth certificate

12. YOUR DECLARATION THAT YOU NEVER RENOUNCED ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BEFORE ANY ITALIAN AUTHORITY, LISTING ALL PLACES OF YOUR FORMER RESIDENCE (Form 2)
13. DECLARATION THAT YOUR FATHER/MOTHER NEVER RENOUNCED ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BEFORE ANY ITALIAN AUTHORITY, LISTING ALL HER PLACES OF THEIR FORMER RESIDENCE (if he/she is alive, ask him/her to sign his/ her own declaration. Signature must be notarized if not signed before us. Copy of his/her passport and driver license are requested. Use FORM 3)
14. DECLARATION THAT YOUR GRANDFATHER/GRANDMOTHER NEVER RENOUNCED ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BEFORE ANY ITALIAN AUTHORITY, listing all his places of residence (if he is alive, ask him to sign his own declaration. The signature must be notarized if not signed before us. Copy of his passport and I.D. card are requested. Use FORM 3 if he is alive or FORM 4 if he is deceased)
15. ANY PERTINENT DEATH CERTIFICATE/S RELATED TO THE ITALIAN ASCENDANTS
If your great-grandfather became a U.S. citizen by naturalization before your grandfather/grandmother’s birth, you might not be entitled to Italian citizenship (unless you fit into another category)
16. ANY PERTINENT DEATH CERTIFICATE/S RELATED TO THE ITALIAN ASCENDANTS
If your great grandfather became a U.S. citizen by naturalization before your paternal grandfather’s birth, you are not entitled to Italian citizenship (unless you fit into another category).

PLEASE NOTE:

Certificates: all certificates must be in "certified copy" a.k.a. "long form" or "full form" or “book copy” ("certification" or "abstract" will not be accepted). Such forms can be obtained at the Vital Statistics Office of the State in which the birth/marriage/death took place. Certificates reporting only the "Country" of birth cannot be accepted. You must request the Office of Vital Statistics to indicate the city of birth.
Apostille: U.S. birth / marriage / death records related to the Italian side must bear the Apostille of the Secretary of State of the State where the document was issued (except for the certificate of naturalization and/or similar documentation).
The “Apostille” is an international legalization. It is not a stamp on the certificate. It is a physical document stapled to the birth/marriage/death certificate.
Please note- The “Apostille” does not require translation.

IMPORTANT- Additional requirements for all categories-

1)    If you are married, you must also submit your marriage certificate along with a copy of your spouse's birth certificate.
2)    If you have children of minor age (under 18) you must also submit certified copy of their birth certificates.
3)    Certificates relating to the applicant’s family (his or her birth certificate, marriage certificate, birth certificates of minor children) in languages other than Italian must be translated into Italian. Documents that do not need to be translated and do not need an Apostille are: - U.S. Certificates of Naturalization and the letter of no records issued by Immigration and Naturalization Services. Statements regarding the naturalization status of the interested party, ancestors’ certificates and certificates related to the "not Italian side" of your family tree need an Apostille, but no traslation.

• For all certificates issued from New York City and New York State, please check the web site of the Consulate General of Italy in New York (www.consnewyork.esteri.it).

• Documents issued in countries other than the U.S. must comply with the local regulations on the legalization of documents and they must be translated into Italian. Such documents and their translations must be submitted to THE ITALIAN CONSULATE/EMBASSY IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE DOCUMENTS WERE ISSUED PRIOR TO BEING BROUGHT TO THIS CONSULATE.
A list of all the Italian Embassies and Consulates can be found at www.esteri.it

Discrepancies-

Double-check all documents word by word to make sure that there are no discrepancies or mismatches in the first names, last names, dates and places of birth. If there are discrepancies in first and last names, please contact this Office before submitting your application. If there are major discrepancies in names, dates, ages and places of birth/marriage, you will be asked to have those certificates amended through an official "affidavit to amend a record” to be requested to the Vital Statistics Office that issued the document or with another appropriate official document.

If you are concerned that any of the above procedures may affect your United States citizenship, you should contact the U.S. authorities.