Registering a Birth at the Italian Consulate in London: New Rules from 2025

14 May Registering a Birth at the Italian Consulate in London: New Rules from 2025

Have you recently become a parent and need to register your child’s birth at the Italian Consulate in London or Manchester? Important update: the rules have changed. Since 24 May 2025, following the entry into force of Law 74/2025 (the conversion of Decree-Law No. 36/2025), the process for registering births and transmitting Italian citizenship to children born abroad has undergone major changes that every Italian parent needs to know about.

In this article, we explain everything clearly and in up-to-date terms.

What Changed with Law 74/2025

Before the reform, Italian citizenship was transmitted automatically to any child born to at least one Italian parent, with no limits. Under the new rules, this is no longer automatic if the child has (or may have) another citizenship at birth.

In other words, if your child is born in the UK and one or both parents hold Settled Status, the child may automatically acquire British citizenship — and this changes the rules for obtaining Italian citizenship.

The 3 Cases Where Italian Citizenship Is Still Transmitted Automatically

The Italian Consulate General in London has published new guidelines identifying three scenarios (Case 1, 2 and 3) where citizenship is still transmitted:

• CASE 1 — The child holds only Italian citizenship: they do not have, nor can they have, any other citizenship. This does not apply, for example, to a child born in the UK to a parent with Settled Status.
• CASE 2 — The Italian parent was EXCLUSIVELY Italian at the time of the child’s birth: they held no other citizenship. In this case, citizenship is transmitted.
• CASE 3 — The Italian parent (even if holding dual citizenship) had legally and continuously resided in Italy for at least 2 years before the child’s birth.

Citizenship by Benefit of Law: the Alternative Option

If your child does not fall within the cases above, they may still be entitled to Italian citizenship ‘by benefit of law’, provided that at least one parent is an Italian citizen by birth.

In this case, the application must be submitted within one year of the child’s birth at the relevant Consulate, with a fee of €250.

IMPORTANT: for children who were already minors on 23 May 2025, there is an exceptional transitional window: applications can be submitted until 31 May 2026. Do not miss this deadline!

Documents Required for Registration (from May 2025 onwards)

Standard documents (as before):

• Form Mod.14 (and Mod.15, if applicable) signed by both parents
• Full British birth certificate, apostilled and translated into Italian
• Photocopies of both parents’ identity documents
• AIRE self-certification form (if requested by the Consulate)

Additional documents required under the new rules:

• Italian citizenship certificate of the transmitting parent (obtainable from the Italian Comune or through the Consulate)
• Residence history of the parent (issued by the Italian Comune), to demonstrate continuity of citizenship
• Proof of uninterrupted citizenship (e.g. birth and citizenship records of ancestors, including grandparents)

How to Submit Your Application

Documentation must be sent by Special Delivery to the Civil Status Office at the Italian Consulate General:

Harp House, 83-86 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4BL

There is no need to visit the Consulate in person. Include a pre-paid Special Delivery envelope with your address for any return correspondence.

Please note: do not send the birth registration request and a first passport application together — they will be returned to you. The passport can only be requested after the Consulate has forwarded the birth certificate to the Comune.

How We Can Help

Words at Hand specialises in supporting Italian families in the UK with all their consular documentation needs.

We offer:

• Certified translation of the apostilled British birth certificate
• Assistance in gathering the additional documentation required by the new regulations
• Pre-submission document checklist and review
• Translation of all documents required by the Consulate

Get in touch today: cristina@wordsathand.com | WhatsApp: +44 7824 347667 | wordsathand.com/contact