Minor children born abroad to an Italian parent who does not transmit Italian citizenship automatically (please see this link if you think your child qualifies for automatic transmission of citizenship instead), can still acquire Italian citizenship by “beneficio di legge” (acquired by law) as long as they fall into one of the categories below:
- At least one of the parents is an Italian citizen by birth (even though they hold another citizenship). In this case both parents must submit a legally binding statement where they express their intention for their children to acquire Italian citizenship. The statement of intent must be submitted within a year of the child’s birth, or within a year of the date that legally established the ties of filiation with the Italian parent(s) or adoptive parent(s) (4 paragraph 1 bis Law n. 91/1992);
The declarations of intent to acquire Italian citizenship must be made at the Consulate.
To book an appointment to submit the declaration of intent to acquire Italian citizenship and to request the registration of the minor’s birth certificate under the above-mentioned circumstances, this must be done exclusively by appointment through the Prenot@mi portal starting from January 15, 2026. At the time of the appointment, the following documents must be submitted:
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- Request Registration Form (to be downloaded from this website). The Italian parent must fill in all sections in the form, date and sign it.
- Birth certificate legalized by Apostille (or other form of legalization for certificates issued in countries that are not signatory countries of The Hague Convention of 1961).US documents must always be issued in LONG FORM (or extended form) and must also contain the exact place of birth of the child as well as date/age and place of births of both parents, according to the prescribed procedure in each US State.
- Italian translation of the original birth certificate (the Apostille does not need to be translated). The translation must be typed, accurate, and must correctly reflect the original text. Dates MUST be entered in the European format (date/month/year). Please check this link for a list of translators (this list is purely for reference and the Consulate is in no way responsible for the quality of their work or the fees they charge).
- Copies of both parents’ valid passports. Please only include the pages with the photo, personal details and signature. If the child already has a US passport (or another foreign passport) please include it in your application.
- Documentation in support of the fact that at least one of the parents is an Italian citizen jure sanguinis (e.g., documentation received at the time of recognition by the Consular/Embassy or Italian Comune where the recognition processed occurred.
On the day of the appointment, the applicant must submit the original documentation.
Starting from January 1, 2026 payment will be not required.
The acquisition of Italian citizenship, where the legal requirements are met, shall take effect from the day following the declaration.