Before uploading documentation to the CIVES portal, the interested party must verify that foreign documents are accompanied by a correct and complete Italian translation.
For documents issued in the United States, the translation’s conformity can be verified by this Consular Office, as part of the applicable consular procedure. The translation must be faithful, correct, and complete in all its elements. The apostille does NOT need to be translated.
For documents issued in other countries, the interested party must contact the Italian Consulate responsible for the country in which the document was issued to receive instructions regarding its translation, legalization or apostille, and certification of conformity. The procedure may vary depending on the country of issue and on the applicable bilateral agreements.
It is therefore recommended NOT to upload foreign documents to CIVES with translations that have NOT yet been legalized according to the relevant procedure, to avoid subsequent requests for additional information or delays in processing the application.
The page relative to the costs of acquiring Italian citizenship by marriage specifically refers to the legalization of the translator’s signature, where applicable, and the conformity of the translation of Vital Records’ documents and criminal records.
For initial guidance, you can consult the list of translators shared by this Embassy.
Last update: April 22, 2026