r/juresanguinis

Hi everyone,

On 27 March 2026 I was recognized as an Italian citizen by descent under the new rules. I applied on 13 August 2025 in Toronto.

Line: F -> me

F born in Italy as an Italian citizen. Left as a minor with his parents who never naturalized. Father naturalized in 2013, well after I was born. Remains Italian to this day.

I was born in Canada while my father was exclusively an Italian citizen.

My documents:

1. Application form + affidavit that I understand the new rules and that the fee is non-refundable
2. Debit card to pay the application fee
3. Photocopy of my valid Canadian passport
4. Photocopy of my valid Ontario driver’s license (proof of residence)
5. Certified Copy of Birth Registration, apostilled and translated

Father’s documents:

1. Photocopy of expired Italian passport (deemed not necessary at the counter, but I had it with me)
2. Photocopy of valid Canadian passport (deemed not necessary at the counter, but I had it with me)
3. Estratto di nascita (pluringue format) issued by the comume within the past 6 months (deemed probably not necessary at the counter, but the officer took a scan of it just in case)
4. Notarized certified copy of Canadian citizenship certificate, apsotilled and translated (the translation was deemed unnecessary at the counter despite what the website says, as the consular officer didn't want to charge me the $38 legalization fee for what was essentially just a date, so seems like he was protesting his boss a bit lol)
5. Certified Copy of Marriage Registration, apostilled and translated

Mother’s documents:

1. Photocopy of valid Canadian passport
2. Photocopy of wallet-sized Ontario birth certificate

Documents submitted via email after the appointment:

1. Photocopy of my father's driver's license (to put him back into AIRE after he didn't update his address with the Consulate 😅)
2. Photocopy of my wallet-sized birth certificate (full birth certificate was handwritten so it was ambiguous what my name actually is lol)

Processing Time: Approximately 7.5 months.

Consular Fees Paid (Canadian dollars): $939 application fee, $76 for legalization of translations, and a $0.20 transaction fee. ($1015.20 total)

Earlier this week, I also got a scan of my very own estratto di nascita from my comune via email. It's very cool!

If anyone has any questions about applying in Toronto, please ask! I may be rusty, but maybe I can help out!

Baja de los precios de la ciudadanía italiana en argentina a partir del 1/7

Hi everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster. I have my appointment with the Toronto consulate coming up on Jul 16^(th) and am hoping the community might be able to give me some insight into how receptive they may be to a request to accept my documents and suspend the application until the Sezioni Unite’s ruling comes down. I’m a 1^(st) gen Canadian; both my parents were born in Italy however they naturalized when I was 11yrs old.

To support my request to suspend the application, I plan on raising the issue that I gained my Canadian citizenship by jus soli and not as a result of their naturalization.

This way, I’d have my application in queue and wouldn’t have to deal with the 6pm Prenot@mi lottery.

TIA for any insights you might be able to provide.

I know there are attorney lists and other resources pinned, and I’ve looked through them, but after what we’ve been through, I’m hoping for personal recommendations.

We’ve had an incredibly frustrating experience with ICA. We’ve already paid them $4,400, but communication has been consistently poor. They often disappear for weeks at a time, emails go unanswered, and every time we obtain the documents they’ve requested, another layer of additional documentation or minutiae seems to be required.

I fully understand that the jure sanguinis process is bureaucratic and document-intensive, that’s not my complaint. My issue is the lack of responsiveness and confidence that our case is actually moving forward.

My case itself is relatively straightforward. My mother was born in Italy and had not naturalized before I was born, so I have a direct line. At this point, I’m not happy about it, but willing to write off the $4,400 we’ve already spent if it means working with someone who is competent, responsive, and can actually get our case filed.

Can anyone recommend an attorney in Italy who you’ve personally had a good experience with? I’ll also need assistance with translations.
Thank you very much; I really appreciate any recommendations.

as of this morning (July 4), there are still appointments available on Prenotami from June 2028 to September 2028.

Apostille vs. Authentication: What’s the Difference? (Complete Beginner’s Guide)

If you’re trying to use a U.S. document in another country, you’ve probably been told you need an apostille or authentication.

Most people have no idea what either means until they’re suddenly dealing with immigration, marriage, school, work, or business overseas.

Here’s a simple explanation.

What is an Apostille?

An apostille is an official certificate that verifies the signature on a public document so it can be accepted in another country.

It does not verify that the contents of your document are true.

It only certifies that the signature, seal, or official who signed the document is legitimate.

Countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention accept apostilles.

Common documents include:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Diplomas
• School transcripts
• FBI background checks
• Powers of Attorney
• Affidavits
• Corporate documents
• Court records
• Adoption paperwork

What is Authentication?

If the country is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you’ll usually need authentication instead.

Authentication often requires multiple government agencies to certify the document before it can be legalized by the destination country’s embassy or consulate.

This process usually takes longer than getting an apostille.

How do I know which one I need?

Ask yourself one question:

Which country will use the document?

If that country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, you usually need an apostille.

If it isn’t, you’ll likely need authentication and embassy legalization.

Can every document be apostilled?

No.

Some common requirements include:

• Vital records often need to be certified originals.
• Private documents usually need proper notarization first.
• School documents may require certification from the registrar.
• Federal documents often follow a different process than state-issued documents.

Requirements vary by state and by document type.

Common mistakes people make

These are some of the biggest reasons documents get rejected:

• Sending a photocopy instead of a certified original.
• Getting the wrong type of notarization.
• Signing before meeting the notary.
• Using an expired document when the destination country requires a recent copy.
• Applying through the wrong state.
• Assuming every country accepts apostilles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an apostille take?

It depends on the state or federal agency handling the request.

Can I get an apostille for a notarized document?

Yes, if it meets your state’s requirements.

Can I apostille a scanned copy?

Usually no. Most documents require an original or certified copy.

Does an apostille translate my document?

No. Translation and apostille are separate services.

Does an apostille expire?

The apostille itself generally does not expire, but the receiving country or organization may require recently issued documents.

Final Tip

The hardest part isn’t usually getting the apostille.

It’s making sure the document is prepared correctly before you submit it.

One missing notarization, an incorrect certificate, or using the wrong version of a document can cause delays or rejection.

If you’re not sure what your document needs, post your question below.

Include:

• What document you have
• Which U.S. state it came from
• Which country will receive it

Someone here will point you in the right direction.

I just received an email from the SF Consulate that states they have rescheduled my appointment from August 2026 to February 2027. From the email: "Law 11/2026 establishes an annual maximum limit on the number of citizenship applications that each consular office may process. Once this limit has been reached, the law requires us to reschedule all remaining appointments for that year to the next year, in the order in which they were booked and in compliance with the criteria established by the administration in Rome."

Since I was prepped for my original appointment next month, all of my documents will be older than the required 6 months. Obviously I'm frustrated, but that's just the way it goes.

I was already preparing for a court case based on a likely rejection from them since I can't produce *all* of the required docs that prove my Italian-born GF never naturalized (I have a clean CONE, NARA no records letter, letter of no record from one county, but one of the counties refuses to write a letter even though they say they don't have any naturalization records at all; also I can't get census data from 1960s or later). Now I'm seriously considering just moving to Italy and applying there.

Has anyone dealt with a rescheduling like this? In this scenario, do I really have to get all new documents? Has anyone attempted a court case when they already had a pending appointment? Has anyone gone to Italy and applied there? Or can anyone point me to some info on doing that?

I do plan on talking to an attorney, but wanted to see if anyone else had thoughts/ideas on this, or just wants to commiserate.

I have been waiting for almost a year for a document from the comune indicating that I became a jure sanguinis citizen 20+ years ago, since this is required by the LA Consulate in order to declare that I would like to register my minor children (even though this is the consulate that processed my file, so they have this info already!). I understand that an extension has been granted until 2029, as long as the child was still a minor before the 2025 law went into effect. At this rate, I’m worried that my eldest will turn 18 before I ever receive this document from the comune. Does anyone know what happens then? I saw on the longer thread that adult children in this situation can make the declaration themselves, but does anyone know what this would entail? I assume we’ll still need this documento storico di cittadinanza? TIA!

I am preparing for *hopefully* the minor issue being overturned. My line is GM > F> Me. GF is also Italian but I’m using GM as the line (I have minor issue from both sides).

1. is a pdf of the birth extracts and marriage extract emailed to me direct from commune sufficient? Or does it have to be a hard copy? They are all signed , stamped from the commune from 18 months ago when I first received them.

2. both grandparents died in Canada. On the death certificate of my GM, her mother’s first name is slightly different and the last name says N/A. Is this an issue? Even if everything else on the document is correct?

I'm Brazilian and will soon be moving to Europe. However, the name on my Italian passport doesn't match the one on my Brazilian passport, which could lead to some headaches. How difficult is the process of changing it? Unfortunately, the local Italian consulate isn't helpful and it is extremely difficult to book an appointment, plus they rarely respond to emails. What can I do?

My Brazilian name (and the one I go by) is First name - Mother's last name - Father's last name
In Italy, however, it is First Name - Father's Mother's Surname - Father's Father's Surname (Father's last name)

So (for example) it is John Hans Bismark instead of John Rossi Bismark

I’m trying to figure out whether I qualify for Italian citizenship by descent under the 2025 law and would appreciate any insight.

My situation:

• I was born outside Italy.
• My father was born in Italy.
• My grandmother was born in Italy and, to my knowledge, only ever held Italian citizenship.
• My father claims he was not an Italian citizen when I was born because he didn’t apply for Italian citizenship until later. However, I’m not sure if he means he wasn’t legally an Italian citizen, or if he simply hadn’t obtained recognition or an Italian passport yet.
• My father also claims he lived in Italy for more than two years as a child before moving abroad.

My questions are:

1. If someone is born in Italy to an Italian mother but doesn’t apply for recognition until later in life, are they generally considered to have been an Italian citizen from birth, or only from the date of recognition?
2. If my grandmother was exclusively an Italian citizen, does that satisfy the new “parent or grandparent” requirement, assuming the line of transmission is intact?
3. If my father did live in Italy for more than two years as a child, what documents are typically accepted to prove that (historical residency certificate, Anagrafe records, etc.)?

I’d appreciate hearing from anyone with a similar situation or who has experience with the 2025 law.

edit: My Grandfather was not Italian, only my grandmother was Italian. My Father was born around 1960. 

JS SF GGF-GM-F-me.

Was just notified via email my appointment was moved because they would have exceeded their quota under the new law. Pushed from September 2026 to March 2027. I guess at least they preserved my grandfathered appointment. I had been really looking forward to getting to the next phase of this process. I also recently got updated records from Italy to meet their within 6 months requirement. Starting to wonder about pursuing a lawsuit in Italy.

Hi all! After 6 years of trying to get an SF citizenship appointment, I was finally able to get one today. Hooray! It’s in May 2028 though, and I was hoping to keep an eye out for earlier appointments/cancellations. However, it looks like Prenotami won’t let me even look at the calendar anymore now that I have an appointment. It says “Reservation already made” where the “Book” button used to be. Has anyone found a work around for this? I’m tempted to make a second account, but I don’t want that to jeopardize my appointment.

I understand they don’t want us double-booking, but not letting us even look at available appointments seems kinda whacky?

So, my case was rejected as expected. The judge declined to consider prior intent in my case and gave an outright rejection.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on the appeal process? Are we confident? Is there hope left? I’m feeling very defeated.

Our family's judicial case (GGGF line) was filed in Palermo in late 2024 through an agency and their Italian attorney, so we fall under the pre-decreto rules. We just got the sentenza, and it's a rejection, but a purely procedural one.

It turns out the ricorso was filed with only the powers of attorney attached. The vital records and other documents were only deposited in the case file months later (however, months before the written hearing date), and the judge applied the strict post-Cartabia preclusion rules for the rito semplificato and declared them inadmissible. So the case failed "for lack of proof" without the merits ever being examined, even though the Ministry never showed up and the prosecutor had no objection.

The case was knowingly filed "empty," apparently to lock in a 2024 filing date. Ironically, that early date is what saved us from the decreto.

Now, I assume an appeal keeps the original pre-cutoff case alive, while a brand-new case would fall under the 2025 law, which nobody in our family qualifies under.

Has anyone else had a case dismissed over late documents under the rito semplificato? If you appealed, how did it go at the Corte d'Appello? And if your agency caused the problem, did they cover the appeal costs?

Today I received news I thought I would never receive:

An email from the consulate that I have been recognised and that my AIRE registration has been sent to my comune.

This whole process has been one of the most stressful things I have been through (even though it pales in comparison to others' experiences).

2019 - Initial research.

2022 - Booked appointment for 2023.

2023 July - First appointment and payment at consulate. I was told I didn't have all documents, but that I do qualify and was sent away with a huge amount of "homework".

2024 May - Engaged a firm in Italy to search records and find and collect the missing documents.

Spent 9 months and $25k on document collection many many corrections, apostilles, translations and a sworn affidavit. It was a huge learning curve.

I was initially rejected due to a single letter spelling discrepancy that was virtually impossible to ammend. However with a sworn "one and the same individual" affidavit and the Consul General seeking approval from Rome, I was advised they would proceed. That was Feb 2025. I was incredibly lucky that my application and payment were before the March 28 2025 decree.

2025 July - I received bad news: a phone call and email rejection based on a new single letter spelling discrepancy of middle name of great grandmother who was not even in the line. I was also told that I would not be able to correct it, nor add it to my file without a new appointment (which was completely impossible). This was a low point.

I engaged a lawyer to request I be able attend to return the corrected document. I was lucky, and permitted to do so.

Then I waited. Silence. 11 months.

Last week I emailed the anagrafe of my Comune and the Consulate asking for a progress update. The Comune says they have received nothing. The Consulate replied generically saying they have 3 years total time to progress and to continue waiting.

Then today, the most astonishing and completely unexpected news. I receive an email from the consulate that I have been recognised since March and that I must have missed the email..

Thank you everyone on here. For those going through the process, dont give up.

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to understand my own path after my mother's case is resolved.

Family background:
My mother's grandparents were both exclusively Italian citizens their entire lives — no naturalization, no dual nationality ever, from Bronte, Catania, Sicily.

My mother's situation:
Her mother (my grandmother) lost her Italian citizenship automatically through marriage to a non-Italian in 1961. She then recovered it in the 1993. Her case is currently being handled judicially through her grandparents as second-degree exclusively Italian ancestors

My personal question:
Even if my mother wins her case and is recognized as Italian, she has always held Tunisian citizenship simultaneously — meaning she (nor my grandmother for that manner) would never qualify as "exclusively Italian" at the time of my birth.

My maternal uncles are Italian citizens. The entire family is from Bronte. Am I missing any angle here?

Does this completely close the door for me?

Thanks

Apologies for asking a question that you all must get over and over. To be honest, I was fairly confident my paths were closed, and stopped paying attention. My attorney wants to keep moving forward, but I do not believe my case is strong and would like advice.

We were pursuing a 1948 case through my GGM. No hiccups wrt the line, other than I'm a generation too far removed. Previously, in 2022 I was attempting to go the consulate route via other Italian relatives. I was able to secure a waiting-list spot in 2023. I have evidence of this. That's the extent of my efforts/evidence.

I'm out of luck, right? While there may be cases here and there where that was "enough", the vast majority of rulings would indicate that I do not have a path to citizenship? Broadly speaking, do I have that correct?

My attorney wants to move forward, and expresses confidence. I have my doubts.

Sorry for not doing my own deep dive in this sub. I know you all do tremendous work and put in a lot of effort. I've got some life things going on that prevents giving this my full attention. I apologize.