A birth certificate is useful to support immigration-related activities. This includes activities like Town Hall registration or dependents visa application.
With this guide, you will find out how to obtain an Italian birth certificate, or even legalize a foreign one to be valid in Italy.
Different types of birth certificate in Italy
Based on the purpose and information included, there are 3 different types of Italian Birth Certificates:
- Birth Certificate (certificato di nascita) – it certifies the applicant’s first and last name, date and place of birth. The Town Hall will issue the document free of stamp duties and it will have an unlimited validity. Although Italian birth certificates may not expire for the underlying civil status fact, the receiving authority may require a recently issued certificate. Requirements should be checked case by case.
- Act of Birth (atto di nascita) – this is a true copy of the original document present in the Registry of Civil Status in Italy. It contains all the data related to a person’s birth. It may include potential annotations, like marriage, change of name/surname etc. This information can be useful during immigration processes, when an applicant needs to justify a change of name and therefore a mismatch between the name reported on their passport and the name on their marriage certificate.
- Birth Extract (birth extract) – further divided into 2 types:
- Abstract of the Act of Birth (estratto per riassunto dell’atto di nascita) – a summary of the Act of Birth.
- Birth extract indicating paternity and maternity (estratto di nascita con l’indicazione della paternità e maternità) – it is identical to the previous “estratto di nascita” but also specifies first and last names of the parents. This is useful when applying for certain Visas abroad.
Unless specified otherwise, this article refers to Birth Certificate when writing about its legalization process.
Online civil status certificates through ANPR
Since 31 March 2026, the Italian National Resident Population Register (ANPR) has allowed users to download civil status certificates and request extracts relating to birth, marriage and civil union records online, free of charge.
The service is available exclusively for civil status records created digitally by Italian municipalities after joining the National Digital Civil Status Archive (ANSC). Therefore, the availability of documents depends on when the relevant municipality started recording civil status events digitally.
Users can access the service through SPID, the Electronic Identity Card (CIE) or the National Services Card (CNS). Certificates and extracts can only be requested for the applicants themselves or their minor children belonging to the same registered household.
Civil status certificates can be downloaded directly, while extracts are issued following verification by the competent Civil Status Officer.
Digital certificates and extracts bear a qualified electronic seal and a QR code to verify their authenticity. Extracts also bear the qualified electronic signature of the Civil Status Officer. These electronic documents have the same legal validity as those issued at the municipal office.
For use abroad, it is still necessary to verify whether the receiving authority requires a paper original, legalization, Apostille, translation or any other additional formality.
Validity of foreign birth certificates in Italy
For legal validity in Italy, applicants must first legalize their foreign birth certificate. The legalization must be done in the country that issued the certificate. The legalization process might involve an attestation from the Italian diplomatic-consular representation abroad. This, however, does not apply if international conventions on the exemptions of legalization apply. Legalization and translation requirements may vary depending on the issuing country, Apostille Convention status, multilingual standard forms and applicable international or EU rules.
If you want to know how to legalize your birth certificate in Italy, take a look at our guide.
Italian translation of birth certificates
To be valid in Italy, a birth certificate also needs a translation into Italian. This does not apply if the institution issuing the certificate uses a multilingual format complying with international conventions.
If translated, the birth certificate in Italy must include a stamp for “traduzione conforme“, certifying the validity of the translation. Where local law provides for official translators, the translation may need to be certified by the translator and, where required, legalized by the Italian consular office. In other cases, the consular office may certify conformity.
However, in countries where translating is not an official profession, the consular office must also add a certification of conformity.
Validity of Italian birth certificates abroad
Similarly, Italian birth certificates to be used in foreign countries must be legalized by the relevant authorities. Where no international convention applies, the certificate must undergo a full legalization process.
This includes 2 steps:
- Attestation by the local “Prefettura” – civil status certificates issued digitally through ANPR have the same legal validity as paper certificates and bear a qualified electronic seal and a QR code. However, their acceptance for Apostille or legalization purposes must be verified with the competent Prefettura, as a paper document bearing the original handwritten signature of the Civil Status Officer may be required.
- Attestation by the diplomatic-consular representation of the country where the certificate must be used. Usually, the legalization process requires a fee to pay. Note that many consulates have their own list of official translators.
If you want to know how to legalize your Italian birth certificate for use abroad, read our guide.
Apostille of birth certificates
If the birth certificate is intended for countries that have signed the Hague Convention – for the Abolition of the Legalization of Foreign Public Documents – the legalization process is no longer necessary. Instead, applicants will only need to apply for and affix the Apostille Stamp.
In this case, the applicant can avail of a simplified process that does not involve the consular attestation.
Consult the HCCH status table for the States parties to the Apostille Convention and the dates of entry into force. Consult the HCCH list of competent authorities to identify the office responsible for issuing an apostille.
If you want to know how to get an apostille for your birth certificate in Italy, have a look at our legalization and apostille services.
For more information on apostille, take a look at our guide.
Transcription of Italian citizens birth acts
Birth certificates of Italian citizens born abroad may need to be transcribed in the Italian civil status records. However, the transcription of the birth certificate and the recognition or transmission of Italian citizenship must be assessed on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with the rules in force and with the requirements of the competent Italian consulate or municipality.
Following the 2025 legislative updates, including Decree-Law No. 36 of 28 March 2025, converted with amendments into Law No. 74 of 23 May 2025, the transmission of Italian citizenship to persons born abroad may be subject to specific conditions and limitations. Therefore, check the applicable requirements with the competent consular or municipal authority before starting the transcription procedure.
Furthermore, Law No. 11 of 19 January 2026 amended the legislation governing the Register of Italians Residing Abroad (AIRE), confirming its integration into the National Resident Population Register (ANPR). The law also updated the provisions concerning AIRE registration following the recording of birth certificates received from Italian consular offices.
Applicants residing abroad who wish to apply for the transcription of their or their children birth acts must do so through the competent diplomatic or consular Representation.
The application must include the following documents:
- Birth Act (Atto di Nascita) in original or true copy, issued by the Civil Status Office of the foreign country. It also needs to be legalized and translated.
- Declaration proving the Italian citizenship of at least one of the parents (if not registered in the consular register).
Alternatively, the Italian citizen may present the birth certificate in Italy, duly legalized and translated. They can do so by directly presenting it to the relevant Italian municipality.
Birth extracts issued in the multilingual format established by the Vienna Convention of 8 September 1976 (CIEC Convention No. 16) are exempt from legalization and translation when used between Contracting States. This exemption applies specifically to multilingual extracts issued in accordance with the Convention, rather than to all birth certificates issued by those countries. The Convention currently has 24 Contracting States.