British citizens of Italian origin

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE RIGHT TO BE RECOGNISED AS ITALIAN CITIZEN CEASES IF THE ANCESTOR NATURALISED BRITISH OR FOREIGN BEFORE THE NEXT DESCENDANT REACHED ADULTHOOD, AND IN ANY CASE BEFORE 01/07/1912, WHEN LAW 555 WAS IMPLEMENTED.

British citizens descending from Italian citizens who emigrated to countries other than the United Kingdom, are invited to check the list of documents required for non-British citizens at this link.

Applicants resident in this consular district, whose family members have already been recognised Italian by descent through another Italian Consulate or in Italy at the Municipality (Comune), must submit all original documentation concerning the direct ancestors.

British citizens born in the United Kingdom, descendants of Italian citizens who emigrated to the United Kingdom must submit the following:

1. Application form duly completed but not signed (the applicant will be required to sign on the day of the appointment);
2. Applicant’s valid passport and photocopy of the page with the photo and signature;
3. Proof of address (e.g. utility bill, council tax). The applicant should check if their address is included in this consular district;
4. Declaration of residence for the applicant and the ancestors; 
5. Documents concerning the AVO DANTE CAUSA – THE ITALIAN ANCESTOR LAST BORN IN ITALY

• Birth certificate of the Italian ancestor last born in Italy recently issued by the Italian Municipality (Comune): called ‘Estratto per riassunto dell’atto di nascita’ or alternatively ‘Copia conforme dell’atto integrale di nascita’.
  It must be original, stamped and signed by the Registry officer (Ufficiale di Stato Civile) of the Comune.
  It must bear the names of the ancestor’s parents and any additional notes (‘annotazioni a margine’) regarding any change in the marital status of the ancestor (birth, marriage, divorce if applicable, second marriage, loss/re-acquisition of Italian citizenship, death).
  Please note that if the ancestor was born before the Municipality (Comune) of birth established a Civil Status Register, the applicant must submit the original Baptism Certificate, signed and stamped by the church.
  Additionally the applicant must produce a letter issued by Municipality (Comune) stating the year of establishment of their Registry Office, and confirming that they do not retain any information on the ancestor.
• Registry Office certificates – marriage, if applicable divorce and second marriage, death certificates. Each British certificate must be original, duly legalised and translated into Italian. If British certificates have been registered in Italy, the applicant should request the “estratto per riassunto “at the appropriate Municipality (Comune).
• Declarations of Negative Naturalisation, both essential, issued respectively by:
  The National Archives – covering naturalisations gained between 1844 and 30th September 1986.
  Home Office UK Border Agency – covering naturalisations gained from 1^st October 1986 onwards.
  The declaration of Negative Naturalisation must be duly legalised and translated into Italian. The Apostille legalises the signature of the officer representing the authority that issued the above-mentioned declaration.
  Please note: in case of British naturalisation of the ancestor, it is necessary to produce the Certificate of Naturalisation, issued by the appropriate British authority, together with the ‘Oath of Allegiance’ (if applicable), clearly indicating British citizenship acquisition date. The whole document must be duly apostilled and translated into Italian.
  If the Italian ancestor last born in Italy lived in any countries other than the United Kingdom and Italy, the applicant will be required to submit declarations of negative Naturalisation, or Naturalisation, from all of these countries. For information: duly legalised and translated into Italian.
• ANY OTHER DOCUMENT concerning the Italian ancestor last born in Italy necessary to assess the application – passports, identity cards, landing documents in the immigration country, visas, residence permit etc.

5. Documents concerning ALL ANCESTORS BORN AFTER THE AVO DANTE CAUSA
   

• Registry Office certificates – Full birth certificate (long form), marriage, if applicable divorce or death certificate of the spouse and second marriage, death certificates of all direct ancestors

NB: The details concerning the ascendants and the applicant contained in the birth certificates must be consistent with the marital status of the parents. This means that, if at the time of birth, the parents were not married, the birth certificate must bear the signature of both parents as “informant”. Whereas if the parents were married, only one ‘informant’ is necessary.

Each British certificate must be original, duly legalised and translated into Italian. If the British certificates have been registered in Italy, the applicant should request the “estratto per riassunto ” at the relevant Municipality (Comune).

6. APPLICANT’S DOCUMENTS

• Original Full birth certificate (long form), duly legalised and translated into Italian.
• Registry Office certificates – marriage certificate and, if applicable, divorce and second marriage
  Each British certificate must be original, duly legalised and translated into Italian.
  If married, the applicant should produce copies of the passport and birth certificate of the spouse. In this case, the spouse’s birth certificate does not have to be legalised or translated into Italian.
  If the applicant has children under the age of 18 (minor children), they should submit their children’s birth certificate duly legalised and translated into Italian, in addition to copies of their passports.
  Please note that if the applicant has children over 18 years old, they are also entitled to submit an application for recognition of Italian citizenship by descent at the appropriate Italian consular office if they live abroad or at the Municipality (Comune) if resident in Italy.

7. CONSULAR FEE OF 600 EUR – The payment must be made on the day of the appointment in GBP with a British debit card according to the quarterly exchange rate published on the Italian Consulate General website.