Births

Children born abroad to an Italian parent are Italian citizens. Therefore, their birth certificate must be promptly submitted to the relevant consulate, which will then handle its subsequent transmission to the competent Italian municipality.

For this service, the following conditions must be met:

• At least one parent must be registered with the AIRE (register/update your registration on Fast It)
• If the parents are married or in a civil union, the respective certificate must have been registered in Italy, or the registration thereof must be requested simultaneously with the submission of the child’s birth certificate

If the Italian parent failed to submit the child’s birth certificate when the child was a minor, the request must be submitted not by the parent, but by the child upon reaching the age of majority (18 years of age). For more details, see the Citizenship section.

For special cases or situations not covered by these instructions (unmarried parents, parents whose names do not appear on the birth certificate, adoptions, etc.), email stcivile.washington@esteri.it before sending the documentation.

With the Law No. 169 of 4 November 2024 entering into force on December 3, 2024, the crime of surrogacy committed by an Italian citizen even abroad can be prosecuted and punished in accordance with Italian law, regardless of whether said practice is allowed in the foreign country where it occurred. Surrogacy is a crime punishable pursuant to article 12 paragraph 6 of the Law No. 40 of 19 February 2004, which already provided sanctions for the crime when committed on Italian national territory.

Please note, therefore, that in compliance with article 38 paragraph 1 of the Legislative Decree No. 71 of 3 February 2011, any consular authority receiving the birth certificate of a child that is, or can be presumed to be, born via surrogacy will be required to inform the competent Italian judicial authority of the presumed accompanying crime when sending the aforementioned birth certificate to the Italian Comune (municipality) of reference.

Required documents and instructions

1. Original “long-form” U.S. birth certificate (including the city of birth), with apostille
2. Translation into Italian of the birth certificate (the apostille does not need to be translated)

The translation must be faithful, accurate, and complete, reflecting the original in every part, including stamps and signatures. Otherwise, the Office cannot declare its conformity therewith. It can be executed by the applicant or by a professional translator (see here a list of translators).

3. Birth certificate registration request form that has been carefully and legibly filled out and signed by both parents. Remember to include all names and surnames indicated on the birth certificate.

Include a valid email address to receive confirmation of registration from the municipality.

4. Copy of the “picture page” (with personal data and photograph) of the passports of both parents, one of whom must be Italian

Send all documentation by mail (we recommend using a service that offers tracking):

Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C.

ATTN: Consular Section (Stato Civile)

3000 Whitehaven Street NW

Washington, DC 20008

Municipalities usually confirm the registration of birth certificates within three months. If, after this period, the applicant does not receive any communication, he or she should contact this Civil Status Office for a status update.

How to obtain a LONG-FORM certificate in our jurisdiction

While the procedures for requesting long-form certificates depend on U.S. authorities and may therefore vary over time, the following indications are provided purely as a guide for requesting such certificates in our consular jurisdiction.

Attention: For the certificates to be usable for registration in Italy, they must accurately indicate the city of birth and not just the county.

Birth certificates issued in other countries

If a U.S. authority, for the translation and legalization thereof, did NOT issue the birth certificate, please consult the website of the Italian Consulate jurisdictionally responsible for the country where the document was issued. The procedure to follow may vary depending on the country where the document was issued, according to agreements in force with that country. Find your consulate of competence here.

Example: For a birth certificate issued in Buenos Aires (Argentina), check the website of the Italian Consulate General in Buenos Aires.

Once the consulate responsible for the jurisdiction has certified the birth certificate, you can proceed to request the registration thereof in Italy through this Consular Chancellery.