REGISTRATION IN ITALY OF A DEATH CERTIFICATE
The death of an Italian citizen occurring abroad must also be registered in Italy by having the death certificate transcribed into the Civil Status records of the competent Italian Municipality (Comune).
Registration of the death certificate is also required in the case of a person who was born in Italy and subsequently became a naturalized citizen of another country.
The Consulate General of Italy in Chicago may transmit death certificates to Italian Municipalities for deaths that occurred within its consular jurisdiction.
Before preparing the documentation, applicants are advised to verify that the death occurred in a State falling within the consular jurisdiction of this Consulate General.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
To request the registration of a death certificate, the following documentation must be submitted:
- Application form for the registration of a death certificate (download here), duly completed, dated, and signed by the applicant.
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Original or certified copy of the death certificate, issued by the competent authority of the State where the death occurred.
The certificate must be in the most complete version available (Long Form/Extended Form) and must include all available personal information concerning the deceased.
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Apostille issued by the competent authority of the State that issued the certificate.
The Apostille certifies the authenticity of the U.S. document so that it may be used in Italy.
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Complete Italian translation of the death certificate.
The translation must be complete and faithful to the original, and dates must be written using the Italian format day/month/year.
The Apostille does not need to be translated.
- Copy of a valid identification document of the applicant, limited to the page containing the photograph, personal information, and signature.
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Copy of the deceased’s Italian passport, even if expired, if available.
If available, applicants are also encouraged to include a copy of an Italian document showing the deceased’s personal information and the relevant Italian Municipality.
If no Italian documentation is available, please include a copy of the deceased’s foreign passport or other foreign identification document.
If the deceased was born in Italy and subsequently became a naturalized U.S. citizen, please also include, if available, a copy of the Certificate of Naturalization.
APOSTILLE AND TRANSLATION
The Apostille must be issued by the competent authority of the same State that issued the death certificate.
A complete, accurate, and typed translation into Italian is required. The translation must include all elements appearing on the document (text, stamps, headings, annotations, etc.), line by line.
The translation may be completed by anyone who is able to write correctly in Italian.
Applicants who prefer to use a professional translator may consult the following list of translators: List of Translators – PDF
HOW TO SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTATION
The complete documentation must be submitted exclusively by mail to the following address:
Consulate General of Italy – Chicago
Civil Status Office
150 North Michigan Ave., Suite 1500
Chicago, IL 60601
Document drop-off service is not available at the Consulate.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to use a mailing service that provides a Tracking Number, so that they may independently verify that the package has been delivered.
Due to the high volume of requests received, the Office is unable to provide individual confirmation of receipt of documentation. Should additional documents or clarifications be required during the review of the application, the applicant will be contacted by the Office.
AFTER TRANSMISSION TO THE ITALIAN MUNICIPALITY
Once the documentation has been reviewed and found to be complete, the Consulate will transmit the request to the competent Italian Municipality (Comune) for registration of the death certificate.
The transcription is carried out directly by the Municipality, and processing times depend exclusively on the Municipality itself.
Once the Consulate has transmitted the application, any subsequent requests for updates regarding the status of the transcription should therefore be addressed directly to the competent Municipality.