FOR A BETTER AND FASTER PROCESS OF THE APPLICATION CAREFULLY READ:
Recognition of Italian citizenship for people of Italian descent born in USA, or any other country where citizenship is acquired by birth.
Only for documented permanent residents of Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. Residents outside the above jurisdiction must present their application and documentation to the consular authority under whose jurisdiction they reside.
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED THAT ANY OF THE ABOVE PROCEDURES MAY AFFECT YOUR UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP, YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
APPLICATION FORM (FORM 1) be signed in front of the Consular Officer
FEE - refer to refernces on the right
(Law n. 66 April 24th, 2014 and modifications Law n. 89 June 23rd, 2014 art. 5-bis, comma1).
Effective July 8th, 2014, applications for the recognition of the Italian citizenship are subject to the PAYMENT OF A FEE OF 300,00 EURO equivilant to USD in accordance to the exchange rate posted in this web site (link) "Tariffe".
The fee is subject to change depending on the exchange rate.
We DO NOT accept the bank daily exchange rates.
Only US Dollars are accepted and the payment must be paid through MONEY ORDER to the “Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles” the same day of the appointment.
The application fee is non refundable, regardless of the outcome of the petition.
CATEGORIES
CASE BY-CASE
Below are several examples of different categories.
CATEGORY N. 1
Contact our VITAL RECORDS DEPARTMENT
CATEGORY N. 2
Contact our VITAL RECORDS DEPARTMENT
CATEGORY N. 3
Your father was born in the United States or a country other than Italy which considered him a citizen by birth “jure soli” (by the law of the soil), your paternal grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of your father’s birth, your father did not renounce his Italian citizenship before your birth;
CATEGORY N. 4
your mother was born in the United States or in a country other than Italy which considered her a citizen by birth “jure soli” (by the law of the soil), your maternal grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of your mother’s birth, you were born after January 1, 1948, and your mother did not renounce her Italian citizenship before your birth.
CATEGORY N. 5
Your direct paternal or maternal ancestors were born in the United States from Italian parents and they never renounced their right to Italian citizenship.
N.B.
If you are claiming citizenship through your maternal bloodline, you must provide information also about your father and maternal grandfather, since under Italian law it is necessary to establish that your female ancestors did not at any time lose Italian citizenship following the naturalization of their respective spouses.
DOCUMENTATION you must submit for each CATEGORY
EACH APPLICANT:
1) “Scheda iscrizione AIRE” Please refer to the AIRE Department of this website
2) “Modulo richiesta trascrizione Atto di Nascita” Please refer to the Vital Records Department of this webiste
CATEGORY N. 1
1) FORM 1 and FORM 2
2) FORM 3 if your father is alive (be signed in front of the Consular Officer in Los Angeles or with a signature Notarized)
3) FORM 4 if your father is deceased (be signed in front of the Consular Officer in Los Angeles or with a signature Notarized)
4) VALID PASSPORT (plus copy)
5) VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE (plus copy)
6) PROOF OF RESIDENCY (electricity or other utility bill)
7) YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE (in "full form" or "long form") TRANSLATED in Italian(link) (only the certificate) with an "APOSTILLE” (from the Secretary of State of the State in which it was issued.
8) YOUR FATHER’S AND MOTHER'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE Contact the Italian Municipality (Ufficio Anagrafe-Stato Civile) where your father/mother were born, request a birth certificate in the form of "estratto dell’atto di nascita" (showing your father/mother's names). You can find the address of the relevant Municipality by clicking here.
9) YOUR PARENTS' 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 license and certificate and an "Apostille" from the Secretary of State of the State in which it was issued);
10) YOUR FATHER’S DEATH CERTIFICATE (if is an Italian document, follow the procedure above If is an American document in the U.S.A., you must obtain a "certified copy" of the license and certificate and an "Apostille" from the Secretary of State of the State in which it was issued);
11) YOUR FATHER’S CERTICATE NATURALIZATION: (even if your father was naturalized in a Country other than USA - no translation is required):
A) DECLARATION OF INTENTION/PETITION FOR NATURALIZATION (certified copy )issued by the National Archive (www.archives.gov) (no translation is required);
B) NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE (no translation is required);
IF YOUR FATHER NEVER NATURALIZED US CITIZEN, PLEASE PROVIDE:
A) ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF NONEXISTENCE OF RECORDS issued by the the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (www.uscis.gov) (no translation is required)
B) CERTIFIED COPY OF THE CENSUS first available immediately after the birth in the US of the direct descent (www.census.org) (no translation is required.
IF YOUR FATHER NEVER WAS NATURALIZED IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN USA PLEASE PROVIDE:
(Canada and South America) the certificate of naturalization of that country. To be legally acceptable the certificate of naturalization needs the following:
1) Apostille issued by the Secretary of State if that country belongs to the Hague Convention of october 5th 1961
2) If the Country doe not belong to that convvention you must obtain the legalization of the certificate of naturalization by the Italian Embassy in that country:
3) The certificate of naturalization needs to be translated into Italian:
4) Such translation needs a legalization by the Italian Embassy in the country where the certificate of naturalization was issued.
IF YOUR FATHER BECAME US CITIZENS BUT HIS CERFICATE OF NATURALIZATION IS NOT AVAILABLE, PLEASE PROVIDE:
A) TWO OFFICIAL STATEMENT: (in original and with the office Seal)
§ the first one from the Homeland Security in Washington D.C. (425 I Street NW, 2nd Floor - ULLICO Bldg, Washington, D.C. 20536 (www.homelandsecurity.gov or http://www http://www. uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis);
· the second one from the Court County in which he resided, stating the N. 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/she went by on any official documents), place of birth and date of birth, date of the naturalization, certificate number ; if he never became US citizen you have to show his Italian passport and Alien Registration Card.
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: this Office 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).
CATEGORY N. 2
Follow the instructions under Category 1 but regarding your mother.
CATEGORY N. 3
1) FORM 1 and FORM 2 (be signed in front of the Consular Officer in Los Angeles)
2) VALID PASSPORT (plus copy)
3) VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE (plus copy)
4) PROOF OF RESIDENCY (electricity or other utility bill)
5) YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE (in "full form" or "long form") TRANSLATED in Italian(link) (only the certificate) with an "APOSTILLE” (from the Secretary of State of the State in which it was issued.
6) YOUR PATERNAL GRANDFATHER’S AND GRANDMOTHER'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE (same as category 1 for your father and mother)
7) YOUR GRANDPARENTS' MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE (same as category 1 for father and mother)
8) YOUR GRANDFATHER’S CERTICATE NATURALIZATION (same as category 1 for your father)
9) YOUR FATHER’S AND MOTHER'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE (same as category 1)
10)YOUR PARENTS' MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE (same as category 1)
11)YOUR FATHER’S AND GRANDFATHER'S DEATH CERTIFICATE (same as category 1 for your father)
12) FORM 3 if your father is alive (be signed in front of the Consular Officer in Los Angeles or with a signature Notarized)
13) FORM 4 if your father is deceased
CATEGORY N. 4
Follow the instructions under Category 3 but regarding your mother.
CATEGORY N. 5
Follow the instructions under Category 3 but regarding your great-grandfather and great-grandmother.
N.B.
Read the information regarding the DOCUMENTS (LINK Above)
NOTICE
If you are married and you have children, you must submit all the documents TO THE VITAL RECORDS OFFICE (LINK) only once this Citizenship office will inform you about the positive conclusion of the procedure by official letter.
