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Registering a Birth in Italy

IMPORTANT: Starting from September 2, 2024, the application for a first passport can only be submitted to the Passport Office after the Registry Office has transmitted the birth certificate to the competent Municipality. The certified email sent by the Registry Office to the Municipality, in which the parents will be copied, will serve as proof. 

Applications received after said date will be returned.

 

The request to register a birth can be submitted to the competent Consulate (if temporarily or permanently residing abroad), directly to the AIRE registration Municipality in Italy (if temporarily in Italy), or to the Italian residence Municipality (if residing or repatriated in Italy).

Registering the birth in Italy is a free administrative procedure that allows a minor under the age of 18 to:

  • Automatically obtain Italian citizenship (Law 91/1992);
  • Be enrolled in the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad (A.I.R.E.);
  • Receive, upon request by the parents, the issuance of an identity card, tax code, and passport.

If the birth certificate is not registered by the age of 18, the person will have to submit an application for recognition of Italian citizenship to the Citizenship Office of this Consulate (Servizi per il cittadino straniero – Cittadinanza).

Who must register the birth:

  • Minors born abroad to one or both parents who are Italian citizens, as the competent Municipality will provide the transcription of the act in its Civil Status Register.

IMPORTANT: If the minor was born abroad before the parent obtained Italian citizenship, and was not residing with the parent at the time of the oath, the minor has not automatically acquired Italian citizenship.

Who does not need to register the birth:

  • Minors born in Italy to one or both parents who are Italian citizens, as registration takes place automatically at birth.

The parents of a minor born abroad, whose birth certificate has never been registered, must send the request for transcription and the required documents via Royal Mail Special Delivery to the Registry Office of the Consulate at the following address:

CONSOLATO GENERALE D’ITALIA A LONDRA

Ufficio di Stato Civile – Sez. Nascite

“Harp House” – 83/86 Farringdon Street

EC4A 4BL London.

The birth registration request must be sent exclusively by mail and involves the following steps:

In the process of registering a birth, three main parties are involved: the Italian citizen submitting the request, the Consulate, and the Municipality. Each has specific responsibilities to ensure proper registration.

 

To request the registration of a birth, ALL the following requirements must be met:

  • Residence within the jurisdiction of this Consulate: At least one of the parents must reside in one of the following areas: Southern England, Wales, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Territories. Residents within the Manchester and Edinburgh jurisdictions must contact the relevant Consular Offices for their territory (Verifica il tuo Consolato di competenza – La Rete Consolare).

 

  • Italian citizenship and A.I.R.E. registration: At least one of the parents must be an Italian citizen registered with the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad (A.I.R.E.) (Come iscriversi all’AIRE).

 

 

  • Updated residential address: It is recommended that the residential address declared on the request corresponds to the last address communicated to the Consulate. To verify the address in the consular database, log in to your profile on Fast It. To update your residential address, follow the procedure indicated in the A.I.R.E. section (AIRE – 2. Aggiornamento di indirizzo).

Please send ALL the following documents via Special Delivery to the Registry Office of the Consulate:

 

A. APPLICATION FORM FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATE REGISTRATION

 Complete and sign form no. 14 for the transcription of the birth certificate by both parents or the legal guardian. If the parents are registered with A.I.R.E. in two different municipalities, indicate the preferred municipality on the form (Modulistica Stato Civile – Modulo N. 14).

 

B. PHOTOCOPY OF A VALID DOCUMENT FOR THE MINOR

Include a photocopy of the minor’s passport or foreign identity card, if available.

 

C. PHOTOCOPY OF A VALID DOCUMENT FOR BOTH PARENTS OR THE LEGAL GUARDIAN

Include a photocopy of the passport or identity card, Italian or foreign, of both parents or the legal guardian.

 

D.PRE-PAID SPECIAL DELIVERY ENVELOPE

Purchase a pre-paid envelope from the post office and write your surname and address in the recipient section for the potential return of incomplete or incorrect documentation or for the request of additional documents.

 

E. ORIGINAL BRITISH BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Include the original British full birth certificate, issued as a “Certified Copy of an Entry of Birth” by the British Registry Office. Photocopies cannot be accepted.

 

IMPORTANT:

  • If the parents WERE NOT MARRIED at the time of the minor’s birth:
    The birth certificate must list both parents, Mother and Father, as informants (at point 12 “Informant”). If the certificate lists only one informant, Mother or Father, a Declaration of Recognition for a Child Born Out of Wedlock is required, which can be obtained from the Notary Office of this Consulate (Servizi Notarili).

 

  • If the parents WERE MARRIED at the time of the minor’s birth:

If the marriage has already been registered in Italy, the certificate can list only one informant, Mother or Father.

 

F. LEGALIZATION OF THE BRITISH BIRTH CERTIFICATE

The birth certificate must have been sent to the Legalization Office of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office for legalization with a paper-based Apostille (Legalisation Office – Standard paper-based apostille).

 

IMPORTANT: Legalizations carried out by notaries, solicitors, etc. (for example, UK notary or solicitor) cannot be accepted.

 

G. ITALIAN TRANSLATION OF THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE

The British birth certificate must be translated into Italian to be accepted by the Municipality in Italy (it is not necessary to translate the Apostille). It is recommended to use a professional translator. A list of translators is available on our website: Translators and Interpreters. Please note that this Consulate does not provide translation services.

IMPORTANT: The original documents will not be returned and will remain on file with this Consulate. Additional “Certified copies” of the birth certificate can be requested from the Registry Office.

Requests are processed by the Consulate in the order they are received by the Registry Office. The estimated processing time is currently about TEN WEEKS from the receipt of the documentation, ending with the transmission of the documents to the competent A.I.R.E. Municipality.

To monitor the progress of the application, citizens can:

  • Verify the receipt of documents by the Consulate using the Special Delivery tracking service on the Royal Mail website.
  • Wait for the notification of transmission to the Municipality, which will be sent by this Consulate to the provided email address. It is important to check the spam folder to ensure you receive the communication.

The Municipality will register the act in its civil status records according to its office’s processing times. In case of rejection, the Municipality will communicate the reasons to the Consulate via PEC, and the applicant will be informed of the negative outcome.

Once the transmission notification has been received via email, the Consulate has completed its duties.

For updates on the transcription, you can:

  • Contact the competent AIRE Municipality directly; email and phone contacts are available on the Municipality’s homepage.
  • Check the update of your personal data on the ANPR portal (ANPR), accessible through the Public Digital Identity System (SPID) or Electronic Identity Card (CIE). For more information on how to obtain SPID or how to request CIE, visit the following links: Cos’é lo SPID e come si ottiene; Come richiedere la Carta di identitá elettronica).

 

To request the registration of a birth, ALL the following requirements must be met:

  • Residence within the jurisdiction of this Consulate: At least one of the parents must reside in one of the following areas: Southern England, Wales, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Territories. Residents within the Manchester and Edinburgh jurisdictions must contact the relevant Consular Offices for their territory (Verifica il tuo Consolato di competenza – La Rete Consolare).

 

  • Italian citizenship and A.I.R.E. registration: At least one of the parents must be an Italian citizen registered with the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad (A.I.R.E.) (Come iscriversi all’AIRE).

 

 

  • Updated residential address: It is recommended that the residential address declared on the request corresponds to the last address communicated to the Consulate. To verify the address in the consular database, log in to your profile on Fast It. To update your residential address, follow the procedure indicated in the A.I.R.E. section (AIRE – 2. Aggiornamento di indirizzo).

Please send ALL the following documents via Special Delivery to the Registry Office of the Consulate:

A. APPLICATION FORM FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATE TRANSCRIPTION

 Complete and sign form no. 14 for the transcription of the birth certificate by both parents or the legal guardian. If the parents are registered with A.I.R.E. in two different municipalities, indicate the preferred municipality on the form (Modulistica Stato Civile – Modulo N. 14).

B. PHOTOCOPY OF A VALID DOCUMENT FOR THE MINOR

Include a photocopy of the minor’s passport or foreign identity card, if available.

C. PHOTOCOPY OF A VALID DOCUMENT FOR BOTH PARENTS OR THE LEGAL GUARDIAN

Include a photocopy of the passport or identity card, Italian or foreign, of both parents or the legal guardian.

D. PRE-PAID SPECIAL DELIVERY ENVELOPE

Purchase a pre-paid envelope from the post office and write your surname and address in the recipient section for the potential return of incomplete or incorrect documentation or for the request of additional documents.

E. ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Include the original birth certificate issued by the competent authority of the country where the birth took place. Photocopies cannot be accepted.

Example: if the child was born in Brazil, include the “Certidão de nascimento de Inteiro Teor” issued by the Cartório.

 IMPORTANT:

  • If the parents WERE NOT MARRIED at the time of the child’s birth:
    The birth certificate must list both parents as informants. If the certificate lists only one informant, a Declaration of Recognition for a Child Born Out of Wedlock is required, which can be obtained from the Notary Office of this Consulate (Servizi Notarili).
  • If the parents WERE MARRIED at the time of the child’s birth:

If the marriage has already been registered in Italy, the certificate can list only one informant, either the mother or the father.

F. LEGALIZATION OF THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE

The legalization process depends on whether the country where the birth took place is a signatory to the 1961 Hague Convention. Verify if the country is a signatory: Convenzione sulle Apostille – Lista dei Paesi aderenti

  • CASE 1 – Country is a Signatory to the 1961 Hague Convention:

If the child’s country of birth is on the list of signatory countries, the original birth certificate must be legalized with a paper-based apostille from the competent authority of the country where the birth took place.

Example: if the child was born in Brazil, the competent authority for the legalization of the “Inteiro Teor” birth certificate is the Cartório.

  • CASE 2 – All Other Countries Not Covered by the 1961 Convention:

If the child’s country of birth is not on the list of signatory countries, the original birth certificate must be legalized by the Italian Embassy or Consulate in the country where the birth took place.

Example: if the child was born in Accra, the competent authority for the legalization of the birth certificate is the Italian Embassy in Accra. If the child was born in Islamabad, our representation responsible for the legalization of the certificate is the Italian Embassy in Islamabad.

G. ITALIAN TRANSLATION OF THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE

The translation must be done by a professional translator. It is not necessary to translate the Apostille.

H. LEGALIZATION OF THE ITALIAN TRANSLATION

  • For certificates issued in English:
    It is NOT necessary to legalize the translation, as the Consulate will verify its accuracy.
  • For certificates issued in languages other than English:
    The translation must be apostilled according to the procedures of the country of issuance or legalized by the Italian Consulate competent for the territory where the document was issued.

IMPORTANT: The original documents will not be returned and will remain on file with this Consulate. Additional copies of the birth certificate can be requested from the issuing authority.

Requests are processed by the Consulate in the order they are received by the Registry Office. The estimated processing time is currently about TEN WEEKS from the receipt of the documentation, ending with the transmission of the documents to the competent A.I.R.E. Municipality.

To monitor the progress of the application, citizens can:

  • Verify the receipt of documents by the Consulate using the Special Delivery tracking service on the Royal Mail website: .
  • Wait for the notification of transmission to the Municipality, which will be sent by this Consulate to the provided email address. It is important to check the spam folder to ensure you receive the communication.

The Municipality will register the act in its civil status records according to its office’s processing times. In case of rejection, the Municipality will communicate the reasons to the Consulate via PEC, and the applicant will be informed of the negative outcome.

Once the transmission notification has been received via email, the Consulate has completed its duties.

For updates on the transcription, you can:

  • Contact the competent AIRE Municipality directly; email and phone contacts are available on the Municipality’s homepage.
  • Check the update of your personal data on the ANPR portal (ANPR), accessible through the Public Digital Identity System (SPID) or Electronic Identity Card (CIE). For more information on how to obtain SPID or how to request CIE, visit the following links: Cos’é lo SPID e come si ottiene; Come richiedere la Carta di identitá elettronica).

 

 

Multilingual birth certificates, issued by the States that are signatories of the Vienna Convention of September 8, 1976, are exempt from both legalization and translation.

The states adhering to the convention are: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey.

IMPORTANT: Albania is not part of the convention. Multilingual certificates issued by this State must be apostilled and accompanied by an Italian translation.

To request the registration of a birth, ALL the following requirements must be met:

  • Residence within the jurisdiction of this Consulate: At least one of the parents must reside in one of the following areas: Southern England, Wales, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Territories. Residents within the Manchester and Edinburgh jurisdictions must contact the relevant Consular Offices for their territory (Verifica il tuo Consolato di competenza – La Rete Consolare).

 

  • Italian citizenship and A.I.R.E. registration: At least one of the parents must be an Italian citizen registered with the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad (A.I.R.E.) (Come iscriversi all’AIRE).

 

 

  • Updated residential address: It is recommended that the residential address declared on the request corresponds to the last address communicated to the Consulate. To verify the address in the consular database, log in to your profile on Fast It. To update your residential address, follow the procedure indicated in the A.I.R.E. section (AIRE – 2. Aggiornamento di indirizzo).

Please send ALL the following documents via Special Delivery to the Registry Office of the Consulate:

A. APPLICATION FORM FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATE TRANSCRIPTION

Complete and sign form no. 14 for the transcription of the birth certificate by both parents or the legal guardian. If the parents are registered with A.I.R.E. in two different municipalities, indicate the preferred municipality on the form (Modulistica Stato Civile – Modulo N. 14).

B. PHOTOCOPY OF THE MINOR’S PASSPORT

If the minor has a foreign passport, include a photocopy.

C. PHOTOCOPY OF A VALID DOCUMENT FOR BOTH PARENTS OR THE LEGAL GUARDIAN

Include a photocopy of the passport or identity card, Italian or foreign, of both parents or the legal guardian.

D. PRE-PAID SPECIAL DELIVERY ENVELOPE

Purchase a pre-paid envelope from the post office and write your surname and address in the recipient section for the potential return of incomplete or incorrect documentation or for the request of additional documents.

E. ORIGINAL MULTILINGUAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Include the original multilingual birth certificate issued by the competent authority of the country adhering to the Vienna Convention of 1976 where the birth took place. Photocopies cannot be accepted.

IMPORTANT: The original documents will not be returned and will remain on file with this Consulate. Additional copies of the birth certificate can be requested from the issuing authority.

Requests are processed by the Consulate in the order they are received by the Registry Office. The estimated processing time is currently about TEN WEEKS from the receipt of the documentation, ending with the transmission of the documents to the competent A.I.R.E. Municipality.

To monitor the progress of the application, citizens can:

  • Verify the receipt of documents by the Consulate using the Special Delivery tracking service on the Royal Mail website.
  • Wait for the notification of transmission to the Municipality, which will be sent by this Consulate to the provided email address. It is important to check the spam folder to ensure you receive the communication.

 

The Municipality will register the act in its civil status records according to its office’s processing times. In case of rejection, the Municipality will communicate the reasons to the Consulate via PEC, and the applicant will be informed of the negative outcome.

Once the transmission notification has been received via email, the Consulate has completed its duties.

For updates on the transcription, you can:

  • Contact the competent AIRE Municipality directly; email and phone contacts are available on the Municipality’s homepage.
  • Check the update of your personal data on the ANPR portal (ANPR), accessible through the Public Digital Identity System (SPID) or Electronic Identity Card (CIE). For more information on how to obtain SPID or how to request CIE, visit the following links: Cos’é lo SPID e come si ottiene; Come richiedere la Carta di identitá elettronica).

The Registry Office answers calls from Italian nationals at the number 020 3327 9592 every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM.

Alternatively, you can send an email to statocivile.londra@esteri.it specifying in the subject line “Birth Registration – Name and Surname” and indicating the reason for your request.

For example: “Birth registration – Luca Rossi: retransmission of the act to the Municipality following repatriation.”

IMPORTANT: Due to the high volume of emails our office receives, in order to prioritize assistance to those who need it most, we will not respond to emails that:

  • Request confirmation of receipt of documentation, as this information can be obtained from the Royal Mail website on the page “Track your item“;
  • Request an update on the status of the application before the indicated processing time has elapsed (approximately ten weeks);
  • Request an update on the transcription, as this request must be directed to the competent Municipality, which is responsible for the transcription timing;
  • Pose questions whose answers are already available on this page, in the various provided links, and in the FAQs.

 

Frequently asked questions regarding the application requirements.

  • How can I verify if the Consulate in London is my consular jurisdiction?
    You can check your relevant Consulate by consulting our website at the following page: La Rete diplomatico-consolare.

 

  • I would like to register my child’s birth, but I am not registered with A.I.R.E. How can I register?
    You can register with the Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero (A.I.R.E.) by following the instructions provided on the page Come iscriversi all’AIRE.

 

  • How can I verify which municipality I am registered with for A.I.R.E.?
    Every Italian citizen residing abroad maintains a reference municipality in Italy. Generally, this corresponds to the municipality of the last recorded residence before moving abroad, or to the municipality of the parents’ residence if born abroad

 

 

  • My minor child was born abroad: how can they obtain recognition of Italian citizenship?
    Italian citizenship is automatically passed from the Italian parent to the minor child through the registration or transcription of the birth certificate. Follow the procedure indicated on this page to submit the transcription request to the Consulate in London.

 

  • My minor child was born in Italy: do I need to register their birth certificate?
    No, for minors born in Italy to one or both Italian parents, the registration is automatically done at birth.

 

  • I am not sure if I registered my child’s birth certificate. How can I verify it?
    You can verify the update of the personal data record on the Anagrafe Nazionale della Popolazione Residente (ANPR), portal, accessible via SPID or Electronic Identity Card (Come richiedere la Carta di identità elettronica; Cos’è lo SPID e come si ottiene). Alternatively, you can contact the relevant A.I.R.E. municipality in Italy for verification.

 

  • My child is of legal age, and I never requested the transcription of their birth certificate. What should I do?
    Adults residing in this jurisdiction who have never had their birth certificate transcribed in Italy must contact the Citizenship Office of this Consulate (Cittadinanza).

 

  • How do I register my child with A.I.R.E.?
    A minor’s A.I.R.E. registration is automatically done with the birth registration.

Frequently asked questions regarding the registration procedure.

 

  • How can I book an appointment to register a birth?
    The birth registration procedure is conducted entirely by mail, so there is no need to book an appointment.

 

  • Can I send the documentation for birth registration via email?
    No, the documentation must be sent in the original via mail using the Royal Mail Special Delivery service.

 

  • I sent the requested documentation; how can I know if it was received?
    You can verify the receipt of the documents by the Consulate by entering the tracking number of the shipment on the Royal Mail website: Track your item.

 

  • What is an Apostille, and why is it necessary?
    The Apostille is a certification that authenticates the origin of a public document, making it valid for international use. This certification is required for the transcription in Italy of official documents drafted abroad, as required by law.

 

  • Is it possible to use an electronic Apostille instead of a paper one?
    No, unfortunately, many municipalities currently do not have the tools to read electronic Apostilles. For this reason, the Apostille must be in paper format.

  • Will the original documents I sent be returned to me?
    The Consulate cannot return the original documents as it is required to keep the original records in its archive. You can request additional copies of the documents from the issuing authority.

 

 

  • Will I receive the birth certificate in Italian after the registration?
    Consulates are not authorized to issue birth, marriage, or death certificates. After the transcription, the Italian birth certificate can be requested directly from the municipality or downloaded from the Anagrafe Nazionale della Popolazione Residente portal (ANPR).

 

  • Once the act has been transmitted, can I request the issuance of an identity card and/or a tax code?
    Yes, but only after the act has been transcribed by the municipality in Italy. You can request the identity card at the Identity Card Office and the tax code at the Notarial Office of this Consulate.