How to Register a Birth at the Italian Consulate in London: A Complete Guide

23 Dec How to Register a Birth at the Italian Consulate in London: A Complete Guide

Registering the birth of a child at the Italian Consulate in London is a crucial step to ensure the recognition of the child’s Italian citizenship. Below, we provide a detailed guide on how to proceed, the required documents, and the steps to complete the registration.

Requirements for Registration

First, a series of requirements must be met to apply for the registration of a birth certificate at the Italian Consulate in London:

Consular Residence

Parents must reside within the jurisdiction of the Italian Consulate in London, which includes the South of England, Wales, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar, and the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. For those residing in the jurisdictions of Manchester or Edinburgh, you must contact the relevant consular offices.

Citizenship and A.I.R.E. Registration

At least one parent must be an Italian citizen and registered with the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad (A.I.R.E.) within this jurisdiction.

Marital Status

Any marriages or divorces occurring before the child’s birth must already be registered in Italy.

If you meet all the necessary requirements, you can proceed to gather and complete the required documentation for registration.

Required Documentation

Application Form

The birth certificate transcription form (Form No. 14) must be completed and signed by both parents. If you wish to include the mother’s surname, and the child has only Italian citizenship, you must also complete the personal data attribution form (Form No. 15).

Identification Documents

A copy of a valid passport or ID card for both parents and, if available, for the child whose birth registration is being requested.

Special Delivery Envelope

A pre-paid Special Delivery envelope for any additional document requests.

Original Birth Certificate

If your child was born in the United Kingdom, submit the original British Full Birth Certificate, not a copy.

If your child was born in another foreign country, submit the original and complete birth certificate issued by the competent authority in the country of birth.

Registration Procedure

Legalization and Translation

To be registered in Italy, the birth certificate must be legalized (Apostilled) by the Legalization Office of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It must then be translated into Italian to be sent to the relevant Municipality in Italy.

Submitting the Documentation

The documentation must be sent via Special Delivery to the Civil Status Office of the Consulate General of Italy in London at the following address:
“Harp House,” 83/86 Farringdon Street, EC4A 4BL, London.

If you are also applying for the issuance of the first passport (only if your child is aged 0-11), send both applications together in the same package.

Please note that the Consulate does not return original birth certificates or other original documents, as these must be archived.

Verification and Transmission of Documentation

The Civil Status Office will review the documentation, and if it is complete, it will be sent to the Municipality in Italy via certified email (PEC). You will receive an email confirmation in this case. If the documentation is incomplete, it will be returned with a letter specifying the missing documents.

Registration of the Act by the Italian Municipality

The Italian Municipality will receive your documentation and register the act in its records.

Contact the relevant AIRE Municipality directly to stay updated on the registration status.

Specific Cases

If the Child Was Born in a Foreign Country Other than the UK

The birth certificate must be legalized and translated according to the regulations of the country of birth and the 1961 Hague Convention, if applicable.

• If the country of birth is a signatory to the Hague Convention, the original and complete birth certificate must be sent to the competent foreign authority for the Apostille.
• If the country of birth is NOT a Hague Convention signatory, the original and complete birth certificate must be legalized by the Italian Embassy or Consulate competent for the place of issuance.

This also applies to the legalization of translations for all foreign (non-British) language birth certificates. However, if the original certificate is in English, the Italian translation does not need legalization as the Consulate will certify it.

If You Have a Multilingual Certificate

Check if the multilingual birth certificate was issued by one of the states party to the Vienna Convention of September 8, 1976.

Participating countries include:
Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-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.

If the multilingual certificate was issued by one of these countries, it is exempt from both legalization/Apostille and translation. You only need to submit the required documentation along with the certificate.

Conclusion

Registering your child’s birth at the Italian Consulate in London is a cost-free process, completely free of charge, but it requires careful attention to detail and the necessary documentation.

By following the provided instructions, you can efficiently complete the registration, ensuring all rights associated with Italian citizenship for your child.