Italian Baptism Certificate and Italian Citizenship by Descent 

The Italian baptism certificate can play a primary role in the process of obtaining Italian citizenship by descent. In this article, we will explain how to request an Italian baptism certificate and what form it must have in order to be used to obtain recognition of Italian citizenship by descent.

What is the Italian baptism certificate?

The baptism certificate is a document issued by the Church that certifies a person’s baptism. The Italian baptism certificate is issued by the Church where the person received the sacrament. It contains vital information such as the baptized person’s name, the names of the parents, date of birth, date of baptism, name of the priest who officiated the ceremony, and the place of baptism.

What is the role of the Italian Baptism Certificate in the process of recognition of Italian citizenship by descent?

The Italian legal system, since the creation of the Kingdom of Italy, has used the principle of jus sanguinis for the acquisition of Italian citizenship. According to this principle, Italian citizenship is transmitted from Italian parents to their children. This article explains the requirements for obtaining recognition of Italian citizenship by descent.

To obtain citizenship, the applicant must prove the line of descent from the Italian ancestor. This is done through the production of a series of documents required by the Italian legislator. This article explains the necessary documents for the recognition of Italian citizenship. Another article explains where to submit the application for recognition of Italian citizenship.

The fundamental document in the process of recognizing Italian citizenship is the birth certificate of the Italian ancestor. This article explains what the birth certificate is and how it can be requested.

A common problem is the inability to find the birth certificate of the Italian ancestor. In these cases, the birth of the person in Italy can be proven through the production of the Italian ancestor’s baptism certificate.

As we explained, civil registry records in Italy start from 1871. Therefore, although some municipalities keep records prior to 1871, in most cases, the applicant must search for the Italian ancestor’s baptism certificate.

Where is the Italian baptism certificate requested?

The baptism certificate must be requested at the Church where the person was baptized.

What information is needed to request the Italian baptism certificate?

The full name of the person, the date of baptism, and the Church where the baptism took place are required. If only the year of baptism is known, it is essential to have the parents’ names; otherwise, it is possible to find multiple people with the same name.

What if I don’t know the Italian Church where the baptism took place?

Unfortunately, the search for the Italian baptism certificate is more complicated than the birth certificate. Besides the city of birth, it is necessary to know the church of baptism. If the church is unknown, the request must be extended to all the churches within the birth city. This is especially challenging in large cities with hundreds of churches.

However, many Archdiocesan Curiae in Italy collect baptismal records from all the churches belonging to the Curia. If the Church of baptism is unknown, it is advisable to send the request for the ancestor’s baptism certificate directly to the Archdiocesan Curia of the ancestor’s birth city. If the response is negative, the request can be extended to each church.

How is the Italian baptism certificate requested?

The request for the baptism certificate can be sent by mail to the Church of baptism or by email. It is always advisable to do a search on the Church’s website, where the physical address, email address, and phone contacts are often indicated.

What form must the Italian baptism certificate have?

The baptism certificate, issued by the Church where the baptism was celebrated, must be legalized by the Chancellery of the Archdiocesan Curia to be valid for legal purposes. This rule applies if the Italian baptism certificate is to be used in Italy.

If the Italian baptism certificate is to be used in a foreign country, reference must be made to the international conventions in force. If the certificate is to be used in one of the countries that have adhered to the Hague Convention of 1961, the document must be apostilled. This procedure applies for use in the United States of America, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, etc. At this link, you can see the complete list of nations that have adhered to the Hague Convention of 1961.

If the Italian baptism certificate is to be used in a foreign country that has not adhered to the Hague Convention, it must be legalized at the embassy of the foreign country where it is to be produced. This procedure is undoubtedly the most complicated.

In summary:

• The Italian baptism certificate must be requested at the Church where the person received the baptism.
• The baptism certificate must be authenticated by the Chancellery of the Archdiocesan Curia.
• In the case of use in a country that has adhered to the Hague Convention of 1961, the baptism certificate must also be apostilled by the Prefecture.
• In the case of use in a country that has not adhered to the Hague Convention of 1961, the baptism certificate of the Italian ancestor must be legalized at the embassy of the country where the document is to be used.

As can be seen, compared to the request for a birth certificate, the search for the Italian ancestor’s baptism certificate is more complex, as in addition to the birth city of the ancestor, the Church where the baptism was celebrated must also be located. Moreover, the certificate issued by the parish priest to be valid must be legalized by the Chancellery of the Archdiocesan Curia. Only after receiving the baptism certificate signed by the priest and legalized by the Curia can the apostilles or legalization at the embassy be requested.

Finally, it is important to remember that the document must be issued in paper format to be valid.

In conclusion, despite the difficulties outlined in this brief guide, in all cases where it is not possible to find the birth certificate of the ancestor, the Italian baptism certificate plays a crucial role in the process of recognizing Italian citizenship by descent.

If you have doubts or questions, contact one of our lawyers specializing in Italian citizenship to receive legal advice.