The aim of this article is to provide a practical and precise guide with the various steps to follow for those interested in starting the procedure for the recognition of Italian citizenship. The first step on this long road that leads to obtaining Italian citizenship is that of interest, patience, perseverance and the will to obtain it.
RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FAMILY TREE
The first step is the construction of the family tree that will allow us to know who was the Italian ancestor who emigrated from Italy. It is necessary to have a clear idea of the direct line of descent up to the person interested in applying for Italian citizenship. It must be clear how many generations there are between the Italian ancestor and the applicant. We advise you to collect all the available data, names, surnames, dates and place of birth, of each of the ancestors until you reach the Italian emigrant by drawing a family tree of the family.
The second step is to obtain the original and multilingual birth certificate of the Italian ancestor. The latter must be requested from the commune of origin and our office can take care of this procedure.
How to find Italian ancestors' birth certificates
In order to know where to look for our ancestors, first of all it is necessary to understand how Italy is geographically divided and how the Italian public administrations work.
El objetivo de este artículo es el de proporcionar una guía práctica y precisa con los distintos pasos a seguir, a los interesados en iniciar el trámite de reconocimiento de la ciudadanía italiana. Lo primero de este largo camino que conduce a la obtención de la ciudadanía italiana es el del interés, la paciencia, perseverancia y voluntad por obtenerla.
Political Geography of Italy : Italian Regions, Provinces, Communes to know where to ask for Italian ancestors' documents.
From an administrative/political point of view, the Italian territory is divided into Regions, which in turn are subdivided into Provinces and these are subdivided into communes. The capoluogo (capital) city of a Region is always also capoluogo (capital) of the same province and at the same time it is a commune.
For example: Bologna, capoluogo of the Regione Emilia Romagna, capoluogo of the Provincia di Bologna, and at the same time it is a Comune (Comune di Bologna). A city that is not a capoluogo of Regione, but is a capoluogo of Provincia, always has a homonymous Comune.
How to know to which Italian Province or region a Commune belongs
At www.comuni-italiani.it they have a database of Italian regions with provinces and communes. There is a window where you can enter the commune you are looking for, and then search. If you study a map of Italy like the ones in this article, you can find out in which region and province the cities are located.
How can I find out in which Italian communes a surname is found within a province?
To search for Italian surnames and to be able to investigate from which towns, communes, provinces and regions we come from, I advise you to read our blog article on how to trace your Italian ancestors or ask for advice from specialised firms such as Tramite Italia who can carry out the search on your behalf.
ITALIAN BIRTH CERTIFICATE
If you know the date and place of birth of your ancestor, applying for a birth certificate, although it may seem simple, can be complicated, especially if you do not live in Italy. It is necessary to have access to a certified mail in order to be attended by the Italian public administrations.
This is why I always advise you to ask for help from an office such as ours to be accompanied step by step in the application process. Often, in order to save money, a lot of time is wasted waiting, which ends up being more expensive for the whole procedure.
ITALIAN MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE
In order to obtain the original Italian marriage certificate, it is essential to know the date, place of marriage and the name and surname of the spouses. We always recommend requesting the multilingual certificate from the commune of birth of the ancestor. If the marriage certificate cannot be issued in the multilingual format, the document must be legalised.
ITALIAN DEATH CERTIFICATE
If the ancestor died in Italy, the Certificato di morte plurilingue must be requested from the commune of origin. To do so, send the following information: Name and Surname, date and place of birth, Name and Surname of parents, Date and place of death.
RIGHTFUL CLAIMANTS
They have the right to apply for Italian citizenship by birth (jure sanguinis).
The child of Italian parents is an Italian citizen. Since the Italian woman transmits citizenship to children born after 01.01.1948, those born before this date can only receive citizenship through the father's side, while those born after this date can receive it from either the father or the mother.
The transmission of citizenship "jure sanguinis" does not foresee generation limits, but does not allow for generational leaps.
CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE ( JURE MATRIMONII)
Italian citizenship can be obtained by anyone who has married an Italian citizen.
However, there are two different situations depending on the date of celebration of the marriage:
- Marriage celebrated before 27.04.1983: the foreign woman married to an Italian citizen automatically acquires citizenship.
- Marriage celebrated after 27.04.1983: after this date there is no longer automatic acquisition of citizenship by marriage to an Italian citizen. Anyone who marries an Italian citizen can apply for Italian citizenship by naturalisation after three years from the date of marriage if residing abroad and six months if residing in Italy. In addition, as of December 2018, you must pass an Italian language test and have a B1 certificate.
REQUIREMENTS AND DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE RECOGNITION OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP "JURE MATRIMONII",
(naturalisation by marriage, as provided for by articles 5 and 7 of Law 5 February 1992 n. 91).
It can only be requested after 3 years from the date of marriage if residing outside Italy and after 6 months if residing in Italy.
LIST OF DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED:
"ESTRATTO DELL'ATTO DI MATRIMONIO":
is requested from the Italian Commune where the marriage certificate has been registered outside the country.
If the certificate has not yet been sent to Italy, it must be presented to this Consulate General and translated into Italian by a public translator. The Consulate will then send the certificate to the appropriate Italian Commune.
ONLY IF IN POSSESSION OF THIS DOCUMENT CAN IT BE PREPARED:
- BIRTH CERTIFICATE:
Only upon receipt of the "estratto dell'atto di matrimonio" (not before), request the birth certificate of the spouse who wishes to naturalise from the Civil Registry. Have the birth certificate translated by a public translator.
certificate of domicile / census registration
certificate of criminal record from all the countries where you have lived since you were 14 years old.
APPLICATION TO THE ITALIAN MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR;
A DECLARATION IN LIEU OF A NOTARIAL DEED,
signed by both spouses, stating that there was no judgment of separation, dissolution or annulment or suspension of the civil effects of the marriage between the spouses;
CERTIFICATE OF CITIZENSHIP of the Italian spouse.
certificate of the composition of the family nucleus.
PREPARACIÓN DEL DOSSIER DE CIUDADANÍA
It is composed of the birth, marriage and death certificates of the Italian ancestor and of all the descendants in direct line up to the person concerned.
1. Original birth certificate of the Italian citizen. It must be requested from the commune of origin. It must be multilingual.
2. With the birth certificate of the Italian citizen you must go to the National Electoral Chamber and request a certificate stating that the Italian citizen has not been naturalized from the citizenship of another country or stating the date of naturalization, for which you must submit:
- A photocopy of the Italian citizen's birth certificate and a photocopy of the death certificate, if applicable.
- A judicial stamp (tax stamp).
3. Marriage certificate of the Italian relative, if married abroad; if the relative married in Italy, it is necessary to present a marriage certificate issued by the Italian Commune.
4. Death certificate of the Italian relative (if deceased).
For each of the descendants in a straight line:
1. birth certificate
2. marriage certificate (if the person has married).
NOTE: women married before 20.09.1975 may have lost their Italian citizenship depending on the citizenship of the spouse. In this case they must present a negative certificate of citizenship to the consulate of the husband's country of origin.
3. death certificate (if deceased).
- In case of divorce, it is necessary to present the original and complete sentence with the specification "Cosa Juzgada" or "Sentencia firme" legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (apostille) and translated into Italian.
- In case of adoptions, it is necessary to present the original and complete sentence with the specification "Cosa Juzgada", legalised at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (apostille) and translated into Italian.
- The orignal certificates must be translated into Italian by a public translator.
- If the date of issue is prior to 01.07.1990, they must be legalised and then translated.
- Persons who must request birth, marriage and death certificates registered may request them in multilingue or plurilingue forms at the Civil Registry. These certificates do not need to be translated.
- It is necessary to submit the origin<als of each certificate (they cannot be certificates) with their respective translation and a simple photocopy of each one. The originals are sent to the respective commune in Italy and are not returned to the interested party.
- All certificates must be issued in copies authenticated by the respective Civil Registries. Particular attention must be paid to checking the correlation and correspondence between the data in the records and the certificates of the Italian ancestor: names, surnames, dates, ages, place of birth, etc. In case of error, the necessary corrections must be made after having sought guidance from the Stato Civile office.
APPLICATION FOR AN APPOINTMENT FOR CITIZENSHIP AT THE ITALIAN CONSULATE
Most Italian consulates grant appointments for citizenship.
The consulate will communicate by mail to the address indicated on the form, the date of the appointment on which the documentation can be submitted. Since in most Consulates there is a long waiting list, it is advisable to prepare the dossier for the whole family: parents, siblings, children, etc.
PRESENTATION OF THE DOSSIER AT THE ITALIAN CONSULATE
For the presentation of the documentation, it is sufficient for only one person representing the family (father, mother, children, spouse, etc.) to be present, with the original identity documents and photocopies of all the members of the family. Go to the Consulate on the day and at the time of the meeting and go to the Civil Status Office where you will be attended by a specialised official. It is advisable to check that all the documentation is complete, and to bring an extra set of photocopies with you.
The originals and a photocopy of the entire dossier must be left at the Consulate.
EVALUATION AND VERIFICATION OF THE DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED
This is carried out by the staff specialised in Italian citizenship at the consulate, who will have to verify
- if the applicant is entitled to Italian citizenship.
- that the dossier is complete with all the items and translations required by the consulate.
- the authenticity of the documents and check the names, surnames, dates of birth, marriage and death of all the certificates in Spanish and Italian.
- Check that there are no errors in names or surnames. It is common that many Italian surnames have been modified (errors of transcription), e.g. change of c for ch, gn for ñ, ll or pp, for l or p, etc.
RESULT OF THE CONSULAR EVALUATION
Approved: i.e. all the documentation submitted is correct and the applicant is therefore entitled to Italian citizenship Incomplete: when an item is missing, a translation does not match the original, etc. Rejected: when it is established that the applicant does not have the right to Italian citizenship, for example, due to maternal lineage before 1948, or because he/she was born after his/her father renounced Italian citizenship.
SENDING THE DOSSIER TO THE ITALIAN COMMUNE.
Once the documentation has been evaluated and accepted, it is entered into the Consulate's database. This will allow an online and updated follow up of the applicant's and his/her family's data for citizenship, passport, marriage, etc. Each family group will have a dossier number (tessera consolare), which must be presented every time they go to the Consulate.
The originals of the entire citizenship dossier will be sent to the Italian commune of the Italian citizen. The said commune will register all records (birth, marriage and death) in the corresponding registers and will send back to the consulate the transcription of the applicant's records in multilingual form.
X- ITALIAN CITIZEN
Once the procedure has been completed, the applicant is considered an Italian citizen for all purposes. He/she can write to the consulate at info@consitalia-bsas.org.ar quoting the dossier number to see when he/she will be able to obtain the Italian passport, which at the moment is the only document that can be obtained abroad.
XI-APPLICATION FOR AN ITALIAN PASSPORT (ISSUE OR RENEWAL)
The Italian passport is valid for five years and can be renewed once for another five years. You must go in person to the consular office and make the application for issue or renewal by signing it in front of the consular officer.
- Necessary documents (always in original and photocopy)
1. Expired passport (only for those who have a previous Italian passport).
2. 2 Photographs in 4×4 format, front view, identical, in black and white or colour. Digital photos are not accepted.
3. An identity document: Italian (identity card), or Argentinean (ID card, Passport, driving license) not older than 10 years from the date of issue. It is necessary to present an identity document showing the current address.
The passport application is strictly personal.
The Italian passport can be applied for by
1. anyone who was born in Italy and who, having been naturalised, has resumed Italian citizenship.
2. a person born abroad, the child of Italian citizens, who has completed the procedure for the recognition of Italian citizenship
3. a woman married to an Italian citizen before 27.04.1983 who has presented her marriage certificate for registration in Italy.
If she already has an Italian passport, she must present it.
If you were not born in Argentina, you must present a DNI for foreigners issued after 16.08.1992 or a certificate issued by the National Electoral Chamber stating that you have not been naturalised as an Argentinean citizen. To obtain this certificate, go to 25 de Mayo 245, Capital Federal, with a photocopy of the birth certificate and a tax stamp, worth $ 10, which can be purchased at Banco Ciudad.
The renewal of the Italian passport can be requested within six months before the expiry date and up to six months after that date. After the last six months or ten years from the date of issue, a new passport is issued.
Passport fee: $30 for renewals and $35 for new passports.
Specific cases
1. When the person requesting the passport has minor children
a. If the passport applicant has children under the age of 18, he/she must have the consent of the other parent (also if he/she is separated or divorced or an acknowledged natural child) for both the issuance and the renewal of the passport itself. The applicants must present a valid identity document that is no more than 10 years old and, if possible, they must be present together on the same day for the signature.
b. In case of divorce, separation, if the other parent cannot be contacted or refuses to sign the consent, the Consular Authority may intervene in particularly serious cases and at the request of the person concerned, as a guardianship judge and authorise the issuance or renewal of the passport. This procedure cannot be replaced by any Argentine judicial or notarial document (e.g. document signed in front of a notary public, judicial sentence on custody of the children, etc.).
c. Registration of children under 16 years of age in the parents' passport. Minor children can be registered in the passport of one or both parents (if they are Italian citizens) as long as they are under sixteen years of age. If the minor has fulfilled the age of 10 years, he/she must present two current photos. Also for registration in the passport of the parents.
2. When the passport applicant is under 18 years of age:
The presence of the minor and the consent of both parents is required.
3. Male citizens must have their military status regularised with the Italian authorities at the LEVA-Military Office of the Italian Consulate from the age of 18 until the age of 45.
4. When the passport has been issued by another Office (Police Headquarters in Italy or Italian Consulates in the world). The consulate must request the authorisation for the renewal or the issuance of a new passport from the office that issued or renewed the expired passport (nulla osta). This procedure can take up to 3 weeks.
5. Loss or theft of the passport. In case of loss or theft of the passport, the person may obtain a new passport by submitting the application accompanied by the original report made to the Argentine Federal Police.
Italian citizenship by birth will be granted through the paternal line (without limit on the number of generations) or through the maternal line (for persons born after 1 January 1948). If you were born in another country where citizenship is acquired by birth, and any of the situations listed below apply to you, you may be considered an Italian citizen. For each category all conditions must be fulfilled.
1) Your father was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth and you never renounced your right to Italian nationality.
2) Your mother was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, who were born after 1 January 1948 and who never renounced her right to Italian nationality.
3) Your father was born in your country, your paternal grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of your father's birth, neither you nor your father ever renounced your right to Italian nationality.
4) Your mother was born in your country, your maternal grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, you were born after 1 January 1948, and neither you nor your mother ever renounced your right to Italian nationality.
5) Your paternal or maternal grandfather was born in your native country, your paternal great-grandfather was an Italian citizen at the time of your birth, neither you nor your father nor your grandfather ever renounced your right to Italian nationality.
NOTE: a woman born before 01/01/1948 can apply for Italian citizenship only from her father and it can be transferred to descendants after 01/01/1948).
NOTE: "Italian citizen at the moment of birth" means that he/she has not acquired any other nationality by naturalization, before the descendant's birth.
NOTE: Ancestors naturalizing before 1 July 1912 cannot transmit citizenship (Law No. 555 of 13 June 1912).
Circular K 28 of 1991
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Determines the need to present the attestation of non-renunciation of Italian citizenship for those who wish to transcribe their certificates in the Italian communes. This certificate, issued by the competent Italian Consular authority, is required to prove that neither the lineal ascendants nor the person claiming possession of Italian citizenship have never renounced it under the terms of Art. 7 of Law 555 of 13 June 1912.
Citizenship is transmitted without limit of generations, provided that no one has renounced Italian citizenship. If the Italian ascendant acquires Argentine citizenship, such naturalisation must be subsequent to the date of birth of the child.
It is necessary to add that neither in Argentina, nor in other South American countries, the fact of acquiring the citizenship of those countries did not imply the renunciation of the foreigner's original citizenship. Therefore, no naturalised Italian citizen of Argentina has ever had to renounce Italian citizenship. In order to prove the non-adoption of Argentine citizenship, then, it is sufficient to present the certificate issued by the Electoral Chamber that proves it. The Italian woman who married an Argentinean citizen did not acquire the citizenship of the spouse, as it was forbidden by Argentinean law. She could only acquire it by naturalisation.
In order to have been able to renounce Italian citizenship, the descendants of the Italian emigrant would have had to previously present to the corresponding Italian consulate the documentation to prove that they were ius sanguinis Italian citizens (birth, marriage and death certificate of the emigrant ancestor), certificate of the electoral chamber, birth, marriage and death certificates of all their descendants in the straight line, accompanied by a translation in Italian.
Law 91 of 5.02.1992, art. 11, foresees the possibility for those who have another citizenship to renounce their Italian citizenship, by making a declaration of will before the Civil Status Officer of the commune of residence.
In case of renunciation, the interested party should have presented it to the Italian Consulate corresponding to his/her place of residence.
A copy of the renunciation should be kept in the consular archives and another at the Italian Ministry of the Interior and in the commune of origin.
Anyone who has never presented the documentation for the recognition of Italian citizenship at the citizenship-civil status office of an Italian consulate has never been able to renounce this citizenship.
If the Italian citizen by birth is not registered in the consular registers, he/she has never been able to make the declaration of renunciation of Italian citizenship.
The Italian Consulate in Argentina does not register in its files any case of renunciation of Italian citizenship.
This is different from the procedure applied in other countries such as the United States, Canada, etc. where in order to acquire the citizenship of these countries it was necessary to previously renounce Italian citizenship by presenting a certificate of renunciation of citizenship issued by the Italian Consulate.
CONSULATE GENERAL OF ITALY
BUENOS AIRES
NEW CITIZENSHIP LAW
Law n. 91 of 05.02.1992 containing "New rules on citizenship" (in force since 16/08/1992) completely reorganises our legislation on the subject and introduces some significant innovations that, among other things, take into account the evolution of the reality of Italians abroad.
The purpose of this brochure is to provide the user with an accessible reference tool that can guide him/her on the main rules to be known and on the administrative procedures related to the procedure for the recognition of Italian citizenship.
Who is an Italian citizen?
Art. 1 of law n. 91 of 05/02/1992 establishes:
1. A citizen by birth is
a) the child of a citizen father or mother;
b) the child born in the territory of the Republic if both parents are unknown or stateless, or if the child does not follow the citizenship of the parents according to the law of the State to which they belong.
2. The child of unknown persons found in the territory of the Republic is considered a citizen by birth, if the possession of another citizenship is not proven.
ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP IS THEREFORE ACQUIRED PREDOMINANTLY BY BIRTH FROM AT LEAST ONE ITALIAN PARENT.
In this respect, however, it is necessary to distinguish:
(a) CHILDREN BORN BEFORE 01/01/1948 are Italian citizens only if, at the time of their birth, the father holds Italian citizenship.
b) CHILDREN BORN AFTER 01/01/1948 are Italian citizens if, at the time of their birth, the father or mother holds Italian citizenship
Paternal: citizenship is transmitted without generation limits.
Through the maternal line: it is transmitted only from 01.01.1948 (Constitution of the Republic). Example: if the Italian grandfather had a daughter in 1924 and the latter had a son in 1945 and another in 1949, the first son will not be an Italian citizen, while the second will be (having been born after the entry into force of the Republican Constitution of 1948).
ACQUISITION OF CITIZENSHIP IN RELATION TO MARRIAGE
The new law consolidates the principle of full parity of rights between men and women:
There is no longer any form of automatic acquisition of citizenship in relation to marriage to an Italian citizen.
The spouse of an Italian citizen may instead have a facilitated naturalisation when he/she has been legally residing for at least six months on Italian territory or after three years of marriage (also residing abroad) as long as there is no dissolution, annulment or cessation of the civil effects of the marriage or legal separation.
In order to submit an application for naturalisation, it is indispensable that the Italian spouse has the documentation in order regarding his/her Italian citizenship and that the marriage has been registered at the competent Italian Commune. Therefore, applications for naturalisation cannot be accepted by the foreign spouse at the same time as the application for recognition of citizenship (by descent from an Italian parent, grandparent or great-grandparent), since the extract of the marriage certificate issued by the Italian Commune could not yet be attached to the application.
THE FOREIGN CITIZEN WHOSE FATHER OR MOTHER OR ONE OF THE ASCENDANTS IN THE SECOND DEGREE IN THE DIRECT LINE (GRANDFATHER - GRANDMOTHER) WAS A CITIZEN OF ITALY.
(GRANDFATHER - GRANDMOTHER) WERE CITIZENS BY BIRTH.
(Example: the Argentinean born of parents of Italian origin who became naturalised Argentineans before their birth).
ACQUIRES ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP:
a. If he/she performs effective military service for the Italian State, also abroad, and declares the will to acquire Italian citizenship,
b. If he/she accepts public employment as a dependent of the Italian State, also abroad, and declares his/her will to acquire Italian citizenship.
c. If, on reaching the age of majority, he/she has been legally resident in the territory of the Republic for at least two years and declares, before the year in which he/she reaches the age of majority, that he/she wishes to acquire Italian citizenship.
DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE RECOGNITION OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP "JURE SANGUINIS", from an Italian relative in the direct line (grandparents, parents, children):
A. WITHOUT LEGALISATION OR TRANSLATION (in original and photocopy)
1. Birth certificate of the Italian relative, issued by the Italian Municipality (Comune) where the relative was born. If married in Italy, also the Italian marriage certificate.
2. Certificate issued by the National Electoral Chamber (Calle 25 de mayo 245, Capital) stating that the aforementioned relative is not naturalized Argentinean or, otherwise, date of naturalization. To bring:
(a) Original and copy Italian birth certificate.
b) Stamp of $10 from Banco Ciudad.
c) Original death certificate and copy.
B. argentine documents of civil status to be presented in original.
- Of the Italian immigrant relative:
(a) Marriage certificate (if married in Argentina).
b) Death certificate (if deceased).
- Of all their descendants in straight line (which according to the cases will be grandparents, parents and children)
a) Birth certificate
b) Marriage certificate (if married)
c) Death certificate
- Applicants married before 27/04/1983 must add their wives' birth certificates.
- Men under 45 years of age must apply to the appropriate Military District for a certificate stating: place, date of birth (not only class) and the phrase: REGULAR MILITARY SITUATION REGULARISED.
- Civil Status Certificates (not certificates) must be currently issued.
- DNI of the interested parties (1 complete photocopy) and a receipt for electricity, gas, telephone or video cable.
- All documentation must be submitted in original and copy
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Loss due to naturalisation
With Law 555/1912, in force until 16/8/1992, foreign naturalisation determined the loss of Italian citizenship.
Moreover, the foreign naturalisation of the father while the son was a minor (21 or 18 years old, at the time) determined the loss of citizenship also for the latter, (Art. 12 L. 555/1912), provided that the son acquired the new citizenship of the father (or of the parent, after 1/1/1948).
It could not be acquired by the minor child, when the citizenship acquired by the parent (or, guardian) was already possessed by another criterion of determination of citizenship.
If the Italian ascendant had Argentine citizenship, such naturalisation, since it could not influence the determination of the child's citizenship, had to be subsequent to his or her birth. Cases covered by the Italian-Argentine Agreement on dual citizenship are excluded. Certificate of non-naturalisation (electoral chamber).
This certificate is issued by the Argentinean Electoral Chamber and certifies that the Italian emigrant in Argentina did not acquire Argentinean citizenship.
The necessary documentation to obtain this certificate is: original birth certificate of the Italian in multilingual form, death certificate of the Italian.
In case the Italian is alive, a certificate of survival of the Italian is required.
The text of the certificate is as follows:
"Poder Judicial de la Nación
National Electoral Chamber Number. I certify that in the National Register of Voters, in which all Argentinean citizens over eighteen years of age are registered, there is no record of Mr. / Mrs. (name and surname), date and place of birth. Deceased. At the request of the interested party and to be presented to the appropriate person, I hereby issue this document which I seal and sign in the city of Buenos Aires".
In the case of naturalisation, the certificate specifies name and surname, date and place of birth, of the emigrant, date of registration, as of which he/she is considered an Argentine citizen, with the following text:
"Poder Judicial de la Nación. Certificate Number
I certify that the photocopy on the back is a true copy of the citizen's form that is on file at the National Registry of Voters dependent on this National Electoral Chamber, from which it appears that the holder obtained Argentine citizenship, his personal and domiciliary data, National Electoral Code, Art. 17 of Law 19.945. To Decree 2135/83 and the relative legal modifications 23.247/23.476 and Law 19.109, Article 4, paragraph "a". At the request of the interested party to be presented to the appropriate authority, I hereby issue this certificate, which I seal and sign in the city of Buenos Aires.
Citizen's electoral record.
Name, Surname, date and place of birth. Date of registration of naturalisation, profession, address, town, province".
_____________________________________________________________
1. ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH ("IURE SANGUINIS"): REQUIREMENTS
Regardless of the place of birth, the following are native Italian citizens (by birth or "Iure sanguinis"):
-persons born until 31 December 1947: if the father was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant's birth (Italian citizenship may be obtained from the mother before that date in the exceptional cases indicated in section 1.6);
persons born on or after 1 January 1948: if the father or mother was an Italian citizen at the time of the applicant's birth.
Cautions
1. For the transmission of Italian citizenship there are no limits on the number of generations, nor is it important whether the ascendants are still alive or deceased. The legal limits concern: date of death of the ascendant born in Italy, date of emigration of the ascendant born in Italy, transmission in the female line, possible loss of Italian citizenship by the ascendants (see following paragraphs).
2. The ascendant born in Italy must have died (in Italy or abroad) after the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy (17 March 1861). However, if the Commune of origin was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy after that date, the ascendant born in Italy must have died after the annexation of the Commune of origin to the Kingdom of Italy:
the current provinces of Mantova (eastern area), Verona, Vicenza, Rovigo, Padova, Venezia, Treviso, Belluno (except some Communes), Udine (except some Communes) and Pordenone were annexed to the Kingdom of Italy on 19 October 1866;
the present provinces of Rome, Latina (except the southern part), Frosinone (except the southern part) and Viterbo were annexed on 20 September 1870;
for the former Austro-Hungarian territories annexed on 16 July 1920 (present-day provinces of Trento, Bolzano, Trieste and Gorizia, some Communes of the provinces of Belluno and Udine, and the former Italian territories of the provinces of Trieste, Gorizia, Pola, Fiume and Zara) special rules apply (see points 3. and 4.).
3. For citizens coming from the current provinces of Trento, Bolzano, Trieste and Gorizia, from some Communes of the provinces of Belluno and Udine, as well as from the former Italian territories of the provinces of Trieste, Gorizia, Pola, Fiume and Zara emigrated before 16 July 1920, there is a special law (see next paragraph). The general rules apply to citizens from these provinces who emigrated after 16 July 1920. Part of the provinces of Trieste and Gorizia, the former provinces of Pola, Fiume and Zara passed to Yugoslavia, as well as some Communes of the Province of Cuneo passed to France after the Peace Treaty of 10 February 1947. Special rules apply to citizens from these territories: in case of doubt, please contact the Consulate directly.
4. Descendants of Italian-speaking Austro-Hungarian citizens who emigrated between 25 December 1867 and 15 July 1920 from the current provinces of Trento, Bolzano, Trieste and Gorizia, from some Communes of Belluno and Udine or from the former Italian territories of the provinces of Trieste, Gorizia, Pola, Fiume and Zara can also apply for the recognition of Italian citizenship. They must, however, submit the relevant application until 19 December 2010 (the 5-year period has been extended for a further 5 years). The list of the necessary documentation can be found in the circular of the Ministry of the Interior n. K 78 of 24 December 2001. The text of the law of 14 December 2000, n. 379 "Regulations for the recognition of Italian citizenship to persons born and formerly resident in the territories belonging to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and their descendants", published in the Official Gazette n. 295 of 19 December 2000, in force as of 20 December 2000, is transcribed.
_______________________________________________________________________
Art. 1.
1. This Act applies to the persons specified in paragraph 2, coming from the territories which belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire before 16 July 1920, and to the respective descendants. Such territories shall comprise:
(a) the territories now belonging to the Italian State;
b) the territories which were Italian territories ceded to Yugoslavia on the basis of:
1) to the peace treaty between Italy and the Allied and Associated Powers, signed in Paris on 10 February 1947 and put into effect in Italy by legislative decree of the Provisional Head of State 28 November 1947, n. 1430;
2) of the Treaty between the Italian Republic and the Federative Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia signed at Osimo on 10 November 1975, ratified and put into effect in Italy by law of 14 March 1977, n. 73.
2. Persons born and formerly resident in the territories indicated in paragraph 1 and emigrated abroad, with the exception of the present Austrian Republic, before 16 July 1920, as well as their descendants, shall be granted Italian citizenship if they make a declaration in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 23 of Law No 91 of 5 February 1992, within five years from the date on which the present law comes into force.
3. Repeal article 18 of law 5 February 1992, n. 91.
Art. 2.
1. This Act shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette.
The present law, bearing the State seal, shall be entered in the official Register of legislative acts of the Italian Republic. It is hereby ordered to be complied with and enforced as a law of the State.
_______________________________________________________________________
5. For the purposes of the transmission of Italian citizenship, the place of birth is not important. Whoever is born in Argentina is automatically an Argentinean citizen. On the other hand, a person born in Italy is not necessarily an Italian citizen. Even if born outside the territory of the Italian Republic, a person is a native Italian citizen if, at birth, at least one of his/her parents had Italian citizenship. There are exceptions to this principle (see previous and following paragraphs). An Italian citizen is an Italian citizen "iure soli":
whoever is born in Italian territory, if both parents are unknown or stateless;
who is born in Italian territory, if he/she does not acquire by birth the citizenship of the parents according to the law of the State to which the parents themselves belong (this does not apply to the children of a native Argentinean father or mother, because the Argentinean law in force allows the parents to apply for the "citizenship by option" for the child);
the child of unknown persons found on Italian territory, if it is not proved that he/she has another citizenship.
6. To acquire citizenship derived from the mother, it is not necessary that the mother was born in Italy. It is sufficient for the mother to be an Italian citizen "iure sanguinis" or "iure matrimonii" on the date the child was born. The only limit to the transmission of citizenship through the maternal line is the date of birth of the child, which must not be prior to 1 January 1948. There are other cases of transmission of citizenship through the maternal line, which apply even to those born before 1 January 1948:
if the father is unknown (or if he has not recognised the child during the child's minority);
if the father was stateless;
if, according to the national law of the father, the child does not acquire the father's citizenship.
7. An Italian woman who married a foreign citizen before 1 January 1948 lost her Italian citizenship, if she automatically acquired the husband's citizenship by effect of the marriage. Argentine citizenship is not automatically transmitted from the Argentine husband to the foreign wife. Therefore the Italian citizen who married an Argentinean citizen (even before 1 January 1948) never lost her Italian citizenship, unless she did not acquire Argentinean citizenship by naturalisation. Such automatic acquisition was foreseen, for example, by Polish, Austrian and Spanish law. Women who lost Italian citizenship by marriage to a foreigner can reacquire Italian citizenship by making a declaration to the Italian Consulate or Commune where they reside. Italian women married to a foreign citizen as of 1 January 1948 retained their Italian citizenship, even if they had automatically (and not voluntarily) acquired the citizenship of their husband, as long as they did not expressly renounce their Italian citizenship (see also section 'Marriage of an Italian woman to a foreign citizen').
8. For the purposes of the transmission of citizenship, the right of legitimate or natural children is equal. The recognition by an Italian citizen, the judicial declaration of the filiation of an Italian citizen or, in the case of non-recognisable children (incestuous children), the judicial recognition of the right to the payment of maintenance entails the acquisition of Italian citizenship from birth, if they occur during the minority of the child. These circumstances must be proven with the original act of recognition or with the sentence (for the requirements of the sentence see 'ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH ("IURE SANGUINIS"): DOCUMENTATION'). Children recognised at the age of majority must declare the will to obtain Italian citizenship within one year of recognition.
9. The foreigner adopted by an Italian citizen acquires Italian citizenship, if the adoption was declared during the minority of the child (full adoption). The circumstance must be proven by the sentence that declared the adoption (for the requirements of the sentence see 'ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH ("IURE SANGUINIS"): DOCUMENTATION'). The recognition of citizenship is completed when the adoption decree is registered at the competent Italian Commune. After the registration of the sentence, the Consulate sends the birth certificate to the Commune. Only at this point can, for example, the passport be processed.
10. The citizen (born in Italy or abroad) who, before 16 August 1992, voluntarily acquired (by naturalisation) a foreign citizenship, automatically loses the Italian citizenship. From 16 August 1992 until 31 December 1997, those who lost their Italian citizenship by naturalisation could declare their wish to reacquire it at the Italian Consulate or the Italian Commune competent for their residence. From the date of naturalisation until the day following the declaration of reacquisition, the individual concerned is considered a foreigner. This rule also applies to Italian citizens born abroad and who are citizens "iure soli" of the State in which they were born. For example, a descendant of an Italian citizen born in Argentina, if he became a naturalised US citizen before 16 August 1992, lost his Italian citizenship (even if he had not yet applied for Italian citizenship when he became a naturalised US citizen).
11. An Italian citizen who became a naturalised foreign citizen as a minor (even before 16 August 1992) never lost Italian citizenship, if his father retained Italian citizenship and if, on reaching the age of majority, the person concerned did not expressly renounce Italian citizenship. Until 9 March 1975, Italian citizens reached the age of majority on reaching the age of 21; as from 10 March 1975, the age of majority is reached on reaching the age of 18.
12. Italian citizenship is transmitted to the child of a citizen who lost Italian citizenship only in one of the following cases:
the child was born before the parent lost the Italian citizenship by naturalisation, if the naturalisation of the ascendant who transmits the citizenship occurred after 1 July 1912 (if the naturalisation occurred until 30 June 1912, the minor child lost the Italian citizenship, if he/she was residing abroad and had another citizenship);
the child was still a minor when the parent reacquired citizenship, if the reacquisition occurred after 16 August 1992 and if the minor child was cohabiting with the parent at the time he/she regained Italian citizenship; if the parent reacquired Italian citizenship after 27 April 1983 and before 16 August 1992 (by residing in Italy for the period provided for by law or also by application of the Dual Citizenship Agreement, see section 1. 13), the minor child acquired Italian citizenship. If the father (or mother) has reacquired Italian citizenship before 27 April 1983, the minor child did not acquire Italian citizenship if he/she resided abroad and did not lose the foreign citizenship of origin.
13. As of 12 September 1974, a dual citizenship agreement has been in force between Italy and Argentina. Native Italian citizens who became Argentine naturalised after 12 September 1974 and before 16 August 1992 did not lose their Italian citizenship, if the Federal Judge, in the act of granting Argentine naturalisation (not successively), expressly applied the Dual Citizenship Agreement. Native Italian citizens who were naturalised Argentinean before 12 September 1974 may apply at any time to the competent Federal Judge for the application of the Agreement on dual citizenship. Those who acquired Argentine citizenship with the application of the Dual Citizenship Agreement did not lose their Italian citizenship. Those who, naturalised before 12 September 1974, then obtained the application of the Agreement on dual citizenship regain Italian citizenship from the date on which the benefit of the application of the Agreement itself was granted. However, Italian citizenship is retained (or regained) in a "latent" form, i.e. without the enjoyment of civil, political and social rights; however, it is possible to transfer citizenship to the spouse and children (according to the rules indicated above). This "dormant" status ends when the individual concerned transfers his or her residence in Italy or makes a declaration at the Consulate. The declaration can be made at any time, but only by the individual concerned.
2. CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH ("IURE SANGUINIS"): EXAMPLES
In order to clarify the rules presented above, some examples are given. However, each case must be examined with all the necessary documentation. In matters of citizenship, only the law and the interpretation of the law by judges are authoritative. The indications and examples cannot be used to claim rights.
Example 1
- Giovanni Rossi, born in Milan on 20 January 1822, died in Buenos Aires on 13 September 1897, naturalised Argentinean on 20 September 1880 (father of the great-great-grandfather);
- Juan Rossi, born in Buenos Aires on 14 May 1854, died in Cañuelas on 24 May 1937 (great-great-grandfather);
- Domingo Rossi, born in Cañuelas on 30 June 1882, died in Saladillo on 14 September 1965 (great-grandfather);
- María Rossi, born in Saladillo on 22 September 1920, living (grandmother);
- Juan Domínguez, born in Roque Pérez on 14 May 1948, living, naturalised American on 14 April 1969 (father);
- Esteban Domínguez, born in Roque Pérez on 25 October 1972, living, naturalised Venezuelan on 22 August 1992 (applicant).
Esteban Dominguez is an Italian citizen and can pass on his citizenship to his children. He would not be an Italian citizen if one of the following were true:
- the father of the great-great-grandfather Giovanni Rossi was naturalised Argentinian before 14 May 1875, the date on which the great-great-grandfather reached the age of majority;
- the father of the great-great-grandfather Giovanni Rossi died before 17 March 1861;
- the father Juan Dominguez was born before 1 January 1948;
- Juan Dominguez was born, for example, on 30 December 1947: the line of transmission would have been cut and only Maria Rossi could apply for recognition of Italian citizenship;
- Juan Dominguez became a naturalised American citizen between 14 May 1969 (when he came of age under Italian law at the time) and 25 October 1972 (when son Esteban Dominguez was born);
- Esteban Dominguez became a naturalised Venezuelan citizen after 25 October 1990 (when he came of age under the Italian law in force since 1975) and before 16 August 1992.
Example 2
- Anna Bianchi, born in Rome on 14 July 1920, married Pavel Jablonski, a Polish citizen, in Rome on 20 September 1946 (grandmother);
- Maria Jablonski, born in Rome on 22 December 1947 (mother);
- Gustavo González, born in Buenos Aires on 15 October 1975 (applicant).
Gustavo Gonzalez is not an Italian citizen. Maria Jablonski is not an Italian citizen either, although she was born in Italy. Anna Bianchi lost her Italian citizenship because she married a Polish citizen (Polish law in force in 1946 provided that the wife automatically acquired her husband's citizenship and Italian law at the time provided for the loss of Italian citizenship if the Italian woman acquired another citizenship by marriage).
Anna Bianchi can reacquire Italian citizenship if she makes a declaration at the Consulate. If the reacquisition of citizenship occurred, for example, on 10 January 2004, it has no effect on the daughter, because she was already of age when the mother reacquired Italian citizenship. The reacquisition of Italian citizenship by the grandmother has no effect on the grandson Gustavo Gonzalez.
Gustavo Gonzalez and Maria Jablonski can acquire Italian citizenship by residing legally in Italy for at least three years.
Gustavo Gonzalez and Maria Jablonski would be Italian citizens "iure sanguinis" if one of the following events were to occur:
- the grandmother Anna Bianchi married after 1 January 1948 (in this case the grandmother would never have lost her Italian citizenship) and the mother Maria Jablonski was born on or after 1 January 1948;
- the grandmother did not marry (Polish law did not provide for the transmission of citizenship through the paternal line in the case of natural children, so the grandmother would have transmitted Italian citizenship to the daughter, even if she was born before 1 January 1948, because the daughter had not acquired the father's citizenship by birth).
Example 3
- Mario Neri, born in Genoa on 14 July 1920, married Giovanna Verdi in Rome on 10 June 1940, never naturalised Argentinean (grandparents);
- Giovanni Neri, born in Rome on 3 January 1948, naturalised Argentinean on 10 February 1975, married in Buenos Aires on 12 February 1975 to Juana Pérez González (born in La Plata on 31 December 1947), made a declaration of reacquisition of Italian citizenship at the Consulate on 30 December 1995 (father);
- Ezequiel Neri, born in La Plata on 15 June 1976 (applicant).
Ezequiel Neri is not an Italian citizen, as neither his father nor his mother were Italian citizens at the time of his birth. The father reacquired Italian citizenship when the son was already 18 years old. It is irrelevant that Ezekiel Neri's paternal grandparents retained Italian citizenship, because the father's loss of citizenship interrupted the line of transmission of Italian citizenship.
Ezequiel Neri can apply for Italian citizenship by naturalisation if he resides legally in Italy for at least 3 years.
Ezequiel Neri would be an Italian citizen if one of the following scenarios applies:
- the father reacquired Italian citizenship before 14 June 1994 (before the son Ezequiel turned 18 years old);
- the parents were married before 10 February 1975 (date of Giovanni Neri's naturalisation); in this case, according to the Italian law in force until 27 April 1983, the mother would have acquired Italian citizenship automatically from the date of marriage; the mother would have then transmitted the citizenship to the son.
Example 4
- Mario Gialli, born in Genoa on 14 July 1920, married Giovanna Azzurri in Rome on 10 June 1940, never naturalised Argentinean (grandparents);
- Giovanni Gialli, born in Rome on January 3, 1948, naturalised Argentinean on February 10, 1975, married in Buenos Aires on February 6, 1975 to Juana Hernández Domínguez (born in La Plata on December 31, 1947);
- Ezequiel Gialli, born in La Plata on 15 June 1976 (applicant).
Ezequiel Gialli is an Italian citizen because his mother was an Italian citizen at the date of his birth. The father lost his Italian citizenship because he became a naturalised Argentinean citizen before the birth of his son, but after the marriage. The Italian law in force until 27 April 1983 provided that wives of Italian citizens automatically acquired Italian citizenship from the date of marriage. Juana Hernández Domínguez acquired Italian citizenship because her husband was still Italian when they married. When Ezequiel Gialli was born, his father was a foreigner, but his mother was Italian. Ezekiel Gialli is therefore an Italian citizen iure sanguinis on his mother's side.
3. ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH ("IURE SANGUINIS"): DOCUMENTATION
According to a recent regulation, the Administration recognises Italian citizenship only to those who have expressly requested it. After recognition of citizenship, the Consulate sends to the competent Italian Commune the civil status certificates of the applicant and his/her minor children. The records of the ascendants are sent to the competent Italian Commune only if the ascendants themselves have requested the recognition of Italian citizenship.
a. Documents relating to the applicant
- birth certificate
- legalised adoption decree (if the adoption was declared during the minority of the adoptee); the decree must have the character of res judicata; if this quality is not stated in the decree itself, it is necessary to add an amplifying certificate issued by the same court;
- certificate of acknowledgement of paternity/maternity if the acknowledgement is recorded in a different certificate from the birth certificate;
- marriage certificate (if married);
- legalised divorce decree (if divorced), the decree must be res judicata; if this is not stated in the decree itself, it is necessary to add a certificate issued by the same court (see Chapter 8);
- birth certificates of children under 18 years of age and any paternity/maternity recognition or adoption judgments concerning them;
- application for recognition of citizenship (to be signed at the Consulate when submitting the relevant documents).
b. Documents relating to ascendants born abroad:
If these ascendants do not apply for themselves for the recognition of Italian citizenship documents proving the filial links between the applicant and the ascendant born in Italy are sufficient. These documents are normally
- birth certificate of each direct ancestor born abroad;
- marriage certificate of the applicant's parents (if they were married); this document serves to prove whether the applicant is a legitimate or natural child;
- if one of the ascendants born abroad was adopted or recognised by the parents with a separate certificate from the birth certificate, it is necessary to present the adoption decree or the recognition certificate (provided that these documents are necessary to prove the descent of the ascendant born in Italy);
- if the ancestor born abroad applies for recognition of Italian citizenship for himself/herself, reference must be made to the list of documents indicated in paragraph a. above.
c. Documents relating to the ancestor born in Italy:
- Birth certificate issued by the Italian Commune with complete filiatory data (name and surname of father and mother); certificates or certificates issued by the Church before the establishment of the civil registry (R.D. 15 November 1865, n. 2602) must be legalised by the ecclesiastical (Bishop's Curia) or civil Authority;
- certificate of the "Cámara Nacional Electoral" that verifies if the ascendant, identified with the names and surnames that were recorded in the Argentinean civil status certificates (of his marriage, of his death, of the birth of a child), appears or does not appear in the register of electors;
- marriage certificate (if he/she married abroad);
- death certificate (if deceased);
- documentation proving the date of emigration (Italian passport used for expatriation or any other useful document), only if the citizen comes from the current provinces of Trento, Bolzano, Trieste, Gorizia, from some Communes of the provinces of Belluno and Udine or from the ex-Italian territories of the provinces of Trieste, Gorizia, Pola, Fiume and Zara.
Warnings
1. Applications for recognition of Italian citizenship "iure sanguinis" can only be submitted by appointment (consult the "appointments" section of the Consulate's website to find out the steps to follow and the list of appointments granted).
You do not have to apply for an appointment:
For applications for the granting of citizenship (e.g. by marriage).
For those who have been subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and apply for citizenship in accordance with the provisions of Law 379/2000. Please note that the deadline for submitting such applications is 20.12.2005.
Minor children of Italian parents - according to Italian law, the age of majority is 18 years;
Children of legal age whose parent (father or mother), even if deceased, was an Italian citizen registered at the Consulate General of Italy in Las Plata. The conditions are as follows: The data of the register of residents ("Anagrafe") must be up to date; the applicant must reside in the consular district of La Plata; the birth certificate, translated into Italian, as well as any other; documentation required to update the data of the aforementioned register, whether their own or of their parents, must be submitted.
2. Applications for recognition of Italian citizenship must be submitted to the competent Italian Consulate for the place of residence abroad. The declared residence must coincide with the place where the applicant has his/her real and stable domicile. The Consulate may verify the declarations made and report to the Judicial Authority those who make false declarations about their residence.
3. The application (and the above-mentioned documentation) can be submitted to an Italian Commune, only if the applicant is legally resident in Italy (with a "permesso di soggiorno" granted by the competent "Questura" for the territory). In this case, the Commune itself requests from the Consulates competent for the previous residence a certificate stating that neither the applicant nor the ascendants have renounced Italian citizenship. Whoever has obtained recognition of Italian citizenship through an Italian Commune, if he/she then moves abroad, must as soon as possible make a declaration of change of residence to the Italian Consulate competent for the new domicile.
4. Applications for Italian citizenship "iure sanguinis" are exempt from consular fees.
5. In order to register in Italy a civil status event that occurred abroad, the citizen must present a true copy of the original act issued by the foreign authority. In Argentina, these are the "partidas", i.e. the complete copies of the page of the act where the act in question is registered, certified by the civil registry itself. Certificates and other documents ("libreta de familia", transcripts of deeds, etc.) are not accepted. Bilingual certificates issued by the civil registry of the Federal Capital and the provinces of Santa Fe and Cordoba must be presented with a true copy of the original certificate (which only in this case must not be translated into Italian).
6. The applicant is not obliged to present certificates already in the possession of an Italian Consulate. Such certificates will be exchanged directly between the Consulates concerned. However, the applicant may, if he/she deems it convenient, re-submit documents that are already in the possession of another Consulate. In any case, the applicant must indicate as precisely as possible where the documents submitted in due course are to be found. The Consulate may request necessary documents that were not submitted in a timely manner (or that were submitted in a timely manner without the above requirements).
7. The presentation of the required documents does not imply the right to recognition of Italian citizenship; only after a careful analysis, on a case by case basis, can it be confirmed that there are no obstacles; the Consulate communicates in writing the completion of the procedure with a "registered letter" sent to the address declared by the applicant. The Consulate is not responsible for any address errors made by the applicant. The declaration of an address that does not coincide with the real address is an offence under Italian law and may be reported to the Judicial Authority.
8. Any document written in a foreign language, except for the certificate of the National Electoral Chamber, must be translated into Italian. It is not necessary to present translations of the civil status certificates, if they are accompanied by the corresponding bilingual certificates issued by the civil registry itself in accordance with a specific bilateral Italian-Argentine Agreement (only the Federal Capital and the Provinces of Cordoba and Santa Fe currently issue such bilingual certificates).
9. The translation can be done by anyone, as long as it is accurate and correct; the intervention of a sworn translator is not required. The Consulate certifies the conformity of the Italian translations with the original in Spanish.
10. Argentinean civil status certificates issued after 12 July 1990 do not need to be legalised. The copy of the act certified by the Argentinean civil registry officer is sufficient.
11. Acts issued in Argentina by the Church must be legalised by the Argentinean "Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto" (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship).
12. Argentine civil status certificates issued by the Argentine civil authority before 12 July 1990 must be legalised (usually with "Apostille").
13. The civil status certificates issued by Authorities of Countries other than Italy or Argentina must be legalised according to the procedure indicated by the Italian Consulate competent for the place where such certificates were issued.
14. Civil status certificates containing errors (in names, dates, etc.), omissions or incomplete data do not need to be corrected. The Consulate may request rectifications only if it is not possible to verify the identity of the persons correctly.
15. Italian law foresees that the child receives the paternal surname. It is not possible to add the maternal surname (except exceptionally in cases of natural children, recognised by the father after the maternal recognition). Italian citizens who use both surnames (paternal and maternal) in Argentina can appear in Italian registers and documents only with the paternal surname. Descendants are entitled to the surname that appears in the original birth certificate of the ancestor born in Italy, even if the original surname was later registered in Argentina with errors. Those who wish to keep both surnames or the surname that appears in the Argentinean documents can, after the registration of the civil status certificates in Italy, initiate a procedure for the change of surname (which culminates, depending on the case, in a decree of the Minister of the Interior or of the Prefect of the province where the birth certificate was registered). For further details, it is advisable to contact the Consulate.
16. Foreign judgments (adoption, declaration of filiation, separation, divorce, disqualification...) must be legalised by the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship" and then translated into Italian.
17. Marginal notes on the certificates are not sufficient to prove, for example, divorce, adoption, recognition or other circumstances; such circumstances must be verified with the original document (judgment or civil registry record, as the case may be).
4. ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE ("IURE MATRIMONII"): REQUIREMENTS
There are two cases:
a.
Foreign women married to an Italian citizen (born in Italy or abroad) before 27 April 1983: they automatically acquired Italian citizenship, if the husband was an Italian citizen at the time of the marriage or if the cohabiting husband has acquired or reacquired Italian citizenship before 27 April 1983; the respective procedure for the recognition of such acquisition by marriage of citizenship may be carried out at any time, even after the eventual dissolution of the conjugal bond (by divorce, death of the spouse), unless such dissolution did not occur before 27 April 1983;
b.
foreign women married on or after 27 April 1983 to an Italian citizen (born in Italy or abroad) and men married on any date to an Italian citizen (born in Italy or abroad): the spouse of the Italian citizen may obtain expedited naturalisation (granted by decree of the Minister of the Interior) after three years of marriage, if there has been no dissolution of the marital relationship, annulment, divorce and the spouses are not legally separated. The three-year period is reduced to six months in the case of residence in Italy.
As of 27 April 1983, the dissolution of marriage (divorce or widowhood) does not entail the loss of citizenship acquired by marriage. If the dissolution of the marriage took place before 27 April 1983, the woman lost the Italian citizenship acquired by marriage, if she resided abroad and reacquired or maintained her original foreign citizenship.
5. ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE ("IURE MATRIMONII"): DOCUMENTATION
1. Case A (foreign woman married before 27 April 1983 to an Italian citizen, born in Italy or abroad):
- documentation proving that the husband was an Italian citizen at the time of the marriage (proof may be provided by documentation already in the possession of the Consulate; in this case the Consulate may require other documentation if necessary);
- marriage certificate translated into Italian (if it is not already in the possession of the Consulate or if it is not registered in an Italian Commune); the respective certificate is required (photocopy of the book of acts certified by the registry office), the marriage certificate or the family record book is not sufficient;
- birth certificate of the applicant translated into Italian; the relevant certificate is required (photocopy of the register of births certified by the registry office), a birth certificate is not sufficient;
- death certificate of the husband and/or divorce decree, if applicable (for the requirements of the decree see chapter 8).
In this case the documents do not expire and the application is exempt from consular fees. No prior appointment is necessary if the husband has already been recognised as an Italian citizen or was born in Italy.
2. Case B (foreign women married on or after 27 April 1983 to an Italian citizen, born in Italy or abroad, and foreign men married on any date to an Italian citizen, born in Italy or abroad).
- estratto per riassunto dell'atto di matrimonio" issued by the Commune that recorded the marriage;
- birth certificate of the applicant, translated into Italian; it is not necessary the intervention of a public translator; it is necessary that it is the "certificate" of birth (photocopy of the book of acts certified by the registry office), a birth certificate is not sufficient;
- a certificate of criminal record, to be issued by the "Policia Federal" or the "Ministerio de Justicia, Seguridad y Derechos Humanos de la Nación", legalised by the "Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto" and translated into Italian; if the applicant is not an Argentinean citizen, a certificate of criminal record issued by the country of which the applicant is a citizen is also required;
- certificate of domicile, issued by the competent police station, without legalisation or translation;
- "stato di famiglia": this is a certificate issued by the Consulate, after acquiring a formal declaration from the Italian citizen spouse; alternatively, the applicant can present a sworn declaration made by the applicant himself/herself before the "Poder Judicial de la Provincia de Buenos Aires", indicating the members of the cohabiting family group; this declaration must be legalised by the "Ministerio del Interior" and by the "Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto" and then translated into Italian;
- photocopy of the applicant's Argentine passport: the passport must not be expired; photocopies must be made of the pages containing the personal data and the possible entry and exit stamps of the country.
In this case the documents expire after six months from the date of issue. The application for citizenship, as well as the certifications of the document or translations are subject to the payment of the respective consular fees. The approximate cost of consular fees varies between 80 and 100 euros according to the number of pages of the different documents. The fee is paid in pesos, according to the exchange rate established by the Italian Embassy in Argentina on a quarterly basis. Both spouses must present themselves. No prior appointment is necessary, but the application can only be submitted if one of the spouses has already obtained the recognition of Italian citizenship or was born in Italy.
6. OTHER CASES OF ACQUISITION OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALISATION
1. The foreigner and the stateless person, if the father or the mother or one of the four grandparents was an Italian citizen by birth, can apply for Italian citizenship by naturalisation:
if he/she performs effective military service in the Italian Armed Forces; however, after the recent reform of the military service, it is no longer possible to enrol foreign citizens of Italian origin; therefore this expedited naturalisation is not applicable; likewise, this possibility would not apply to those who can apply for citizenship "iure sanguinis";
if he/she is an employee of the Italian State;
if, on reaching the age of majority, he/she has been legally resident in Italy for at least two years and expresses the will to acquire Italian citizenship.
2. A foreigner born in Italy who has resided legally in Italy without interruption until reaching the age of majority acquires Italian citizenship if he/she so requests within one year from the date on which he/she reaches the age of majority.
3. Italian citizenship may be granted by decree of the President of the Republic also in the following cases:
to the foreigner, whose father or mother or one of the four grandparents was an Italian citizen by birth, after three years of legal residence in Italy;
to a foreigner born in Italy, after three years of legal residence in Italy;
to a foreigner adopted by an Italian citizen at the age of majority, after five years of legal residence in Italy following the adoption;
a citizen of a Member State of the European Union, after four years of legal residence in Italy;
to a stateless person, after five years of legal residence in Italy;
to a foreigner, after ten years of legal residence in Italy;
to a foreigner who has rendered exceptional services to the Italian Republic or if there is an exceptional interest on the part of the Italian State.
7. LOSS OF CITIZENSHIP AND RE-ACQUISITION PROCEDURE
1. Naturalisation. Italian citizens who became naturalised foreigners before 16 August 1992 lost their Italian citizenship if they were naturalised when they had already reached the age of majority (21 years of age until 9 March 1975, 18 years of age from 10 March 1975). Italian women who naturalised before 27 April 1983 did not lose their Italian citizenship if they were married to an Italian citizen who had retained Italian citizenship. To reacquire Italian citizenship lost by naturalisation, the individual concerned had to make a declaration to the Consulate from 16 August 1992 until 31 December 1997. At present, it is only possible to reacquire citizenship by making a formal declaration before the Italian Consulate or commune of residence and establishing one's residence in Italy within one year from the date of the aforementioned declaration. Anyone who voluntarily acquired a foreign citizenship after 16 August 1992 does not lose their Italian citizenship.
2. An Italian citizen who became a naturalised foreigner as a minor (even before 16 August 1992) never lost Italian citizenship, if the father kept his Italian citizenship and if, after reaching the age of majority, he did not explicitly renounce Italian citizenship. Until 9 March 1975, Italian citizens reached the age of majority on reaching the age of 21; as of 10 March 1975, the age of majority is reached on reaching the age of 18.
3. Naturalisation of parents. If the father was naturalised as a foreigner until 30 June 1912 and the child was still a minor at the date of naturalisation, the child also lost Italian citizenship, if he/she resided abroad and had another citizenship (either by naturalisation or by another legal title, such as "ius soli" for being born in Argentina). If the Italian citizen father was naturalised between 1 July 1912 and 15 August 1992, the minor child retained Italian citizenship, unless he himself had acquired a foreign citizenship by naturalisation; the minor child would not have lost Italian citizenship if he had foreign citizenship by another legal title (e.g. "iure soli" by birth in Argentina). If the child was still a minor on 27 April 1983, in order to determine whether he lost, retained or acquired Italian citizenship, it is necessary to consider also the situation of the mother. In practice, in limited cases, those who find themselves in this condition may address a consultation to the Consulate about their particular case.
In any case, children born after the loss of citizenship of the father (or both parents, as of 1 January 1948) are not Italian citizens by birth, being children of foreigners by Italian law (see 'Italian citizenship by birth ("iure sanguinis"): requirements').
4. As of 12 September 1974, a dual citizenship agreement has been in force between Italy and Argentina. Native Italian citizens who became Argentine naturalised after 12 September 1974 and before 16 August 1992 did not lose their Italian citizenship, if the Federal Judge, in the act of granting Argentine naturalisation (not successively), expressly applied the Dual Citizenship Agreement. Native Italian citizens who became Argentinean naturalised before 12 September 1974 may apply at any time to the competent Federal Judge for the application of the Agreement on dual citizenship. Those who acquired Argentine citizenship with the application of the Dual Citizenship Agreement did not lose their Italian citizenship. Those who, naturalised before 12 September 1974, then obtained the application of the Agreement on dual citizenship regain Italian citizenship from the date on which the benefit of the application of the Agreement itself was granted. However, Italian citizenship is retained (or regained) in a "latent" form, i.e. without the enjoyment of civil, political and social rights; however, it is possible to transfer citizenship to the spouse and children (according to the rules indicated above). This "dormant" status ends when the individual concerned transfers his or her residence in Italy or makes a declaration at the Consulate. The declaration can be made at any time, but only by the individual concerned.
5. Renunciation. If the Italian citizen has another citizenship and resides abroad, he/she can renounce the Italian citizenship by making a formal declaration before the consular authority.
6. Marriage of an Italian woman to a foreign citizen. Italian women married to foreign citizens before 1 January 1948 lost their Italian citizenship, if they acquired the citizenship of the spouse. For example, the marriage of an Italian woman to a Polish, Spanish or Austrian citizen entailed the automatic loss of Italian citizenship; marriage to an Argentinean citizen, however, did not entail such a loss. In order to reacquire Italian citizenship, the individual concerned may at any time make a declaration at the Consulate. This declaration can be made even if, after the marriage to a foreigner and the automatic (not voluntary) acquisition of the husband's citizenship, the interested party has acquired another foreign citizenship by naturalisation (for example, an Italian married in 1947 to a Pole and naturalised Argentinean in 1965 can apply at any time for the reacquisition of Italian citizenship, because, when she was naturalised Argentinean, she had already lost her Italian citizenship because she had married a Pole). The declaration of reacquisition does not lead to the acquisition of Italian citizenship for adult children (see also 'Italian citizenship by birth ("iure sanguinis"): requirements').
8. JUDGEMENTS (ADOPTION, DECLARATION OF PATERNITY, DIVORCE, DISQUALIFICATION...)
1. When a judgment changes the civil status or capacity of a person, the citizen must present the judgment to the Consulate. Even with exceptions (especially in the case of adoption of minors), Italian law automatically recognises foreign judgments, without the need for prior judicial proceedings.
2. In order to recognise Argentinean judgments in Italy, the following requirements are necessary:
2.1 Of form: the judgment (or the integral testimony) must be legalised by the Court, the "Ministerio del Interior" and the "Ministerio del Relaciones Exteriores y Culto" (with "Apostille" stamp of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961). After legalisation, the judgment must be translated into Italian.
2.2 On the merits: the judgment must meet the requirements of Article 65 of Law 31 May 1995, n. 218 "Reform of the Italian system of private international law", namely:
(a) the judge who issued the judgment could hear the case in accordance with the principles of jurisdiction provided for by Italian law;
(b) the act initiating the proceedings was served on the defendant in accordance with the law of the place where the proceedings took place and the essential rights of defence were not violated;
(c) the parties were constituted at the trial according to the law of the place where the proceedings took place or the default was declared according to the same law;
(d) the judgment became res judicata according to the law of the place where it was rendered;
(e) the judgment does not contradict another judgment given by an Italian judge which has become res judicata;
(f) no proceedings are pending before an Italian court with the same subject matter and between the same parties, initiated before the foreign proceedings;
(g) the decisions of the foreign judgment do not produce effects contrary to Italian public policy.
3. If the judgment does not contain all the elements mentioned in paragraph 2.2. above, the individual concerned must submit to the Consulate an additional certificate issued by the same court containing all the missing elements of the judgment. The certificate must be legalised by the Court, the "Ministerio del Interior" and the "Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto". After legalisation, the certificate must be translated into Italian. It is not necessary to certify the condition mentioned in paragraphs a) and g), in the case of an evaluation sent to the Italian Administration and Judges. The conditions mentioned in paragraphs e) and f) are certified by an affidavit that the interested party provides to the Consulate.
4. For the recognition of Argentinian divorce decrees, the individuals concerned must submit:
4.1 Legalised photocopy or integral testimony of the divorce decree; the legalisations must be issued by the Court, the "Ministerio del Interior" and the "Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto" (with "Apostille" stamp of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961).
4.2 Certificate issued by the Court itself according to the following model. This certificate must:
a. contain the essential elements of a divorce decree issued by an Italian court (it must mention possible appeals, property settlements and/or agreements concerning minor children, notifications of the commencement of proceedings, default, final decision),
b. contain the full identification of both spouses (date and place of birth, residence at the date of the divorce),
c. indicate the date from which the judgment became res judicata.
d. be legalised by the court, the "Ministry of the Interior" and the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship" (with the "Apostille" stamp of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961).
The documents mentioned in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 must be translated into Italian; in addition to the original, a non-certified photocopy must be submitted. The Consulate may require other documents, if the competent Commune for the registration of the judgment deems it appropriate.
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9. TRANSLATIONS
1. All documents submitted to the Consulate must be translated into Italian. Otherwise, it cannot be recorded in the Italian public records.
2. It is not necessary that these translations be done by a public translator or that they bear stamps or signatures; translations may be done by anyone, as long as they are faithful to the original text in Spanish. The Consulate itself certifies translations made by private individuals or public translators in the same way.
3. The user, if he/she prefers, may submit translations done by a public translator of his/her choice. The Consulate does not have a list of authorised translators, because the only requirement for translations is that they are faithful to the original in Spanish.
4. In procedures for recognition of citizenship ("iure sanguinis" or "iure matrimonii" only for wives of Italians married before 27 April 1983), the certification of translations is exempt from consular fees. However, it is necessary to pay the corresponding fee for the certification of translations in the case of naturalisation by marriage.
Frequently asked questions Italian citizenship
What is the generational leap in Italian citizenship?
This usually happens when the Italian naturalised Argentinean, and the descendant was born later, who naturalised. In other words, you cannot go to the father of the Italian (who never renounced) as you must go chronologically. Descending from the first Italian.
When one presents the recognition of citizenship before the Italian consulates in Argentina or in Italy itself, one must present all the descendants [for example great-grandfather NAC.- MAT.- DEF.-, GRANDFATHER/GRANDMOTHER: NAC.- MAT.- DEF.-, GRANDFATHER/GRANDMOTHER: NAC.- MAT.- DEF.-, GRANDFATHER/GRANDMOTHER: NAC. MAT.- DEF.-, FATHER OR MOTHER: NAC.- MAT. (FATHER OR MOTHER IF TAKEN FROM THE "GRANDMOTHER" MUST HAVE BEEN BORN AFTER 1948 TO BE ENTITLED)-INETRESADO], they all have to be present even if the one who takes it is the interested party.
All documentation is handed in on the day of recognition of Italian citizenship.
SOME CONSULATES HAVE THE PARTICULARITY OF GIVING IT TO THE PERSON WHO ONLY ASKED FOR IT, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR THE ASCENDANTS TO PRESENT THEMSELVES, BUT NOT ALL PROCEED IN THE SAME WAY.
Does a woman always transmit citizenship?
It is clear that women only transmit citizenship to children born after 1948. To be clearer, when a woman appears in the descendants for the recognition of Italian citizenship, we must stop and look at the date of birth of her children, not hers (e.g. the mother appears in the descendants born in 1934, well, now if you look at the date of birth of her children, whether male or female, as long as they were born after 1948 they can take it, before that date they do not have the right.
If the descendants are deceased, can they take Italian citizenship?
It is not an impediment to the recognition of citizenship that some of the descendants are deceased, just by conforming the generation and putting the death certificate of the deceased, it is no problem. For this purpose, the birth of the deceased, the marriage (if there was one) and the death of the deceased are entered.
Which documents are translated?
Everything that is outside Italy is translated, that is to say, all the documents that are in a language OTHER than Italian. In order to present to the Italian consulates in Argentina, the Certificate of the Electoral Chamber is not translated, but for Italy, all the documents to be presented are translated, except those that correspond to Italy.
What is the certificate of the electoral chamber?
Well if the Italian citizen born in Italy (what we call of origin), for different reasons was "naturalized Argentinean", the descendants were not entitled to take the citizenship, according to the year of birth and the date of naturalization, for that reason it is required that the judicial power delivers a proof that the Italian was naturalized or not, as the judicial power has a registry where all the foreigners appear in their condition of "resident foreigner" or naturalized Argentinean.
What happens if a person is divorced or has a full adoption?
In our web page all this is contemplated, but it is very important to know that the Argentinean divorce, which appears on the left margin of the marriage certificate, must be considered as "res judicata" or "final judgement" in order for Italy to contemplate this divorce. The same applies to full adoptions, which are the only ones entitled to the transmission of citizenship.
What right does the spouse have to take Italian citizenship?
In the case that the MAN transmits the citizenship, there is the possibility to transmit it to the spouse, as long as they were married before April 27th 1983.
In all other cases it must be obtained by naturalisation.
Is there any benefit in having the dossier at a consulate?
Italian citizenship is characterised by the long delay in the time it takes to be granted, that is to say, the famous turns to be granted.
Having everything about the ancestor in a consulate makes things easier for us since, to say that it is there. But then we have to put together the part of our descendants. As long as the file is in the consulate where we live, everything is fine, but if I belong to Buenos Aires and my relative is in Rosario, we have to go through a whole procedure to ask for the file to be transferred to the consulate where we live.
Do documents from other countries require special treatment?
Yes, what they require is that any document, outside of Argentina or Italy, must be brought with the apostille of the Hague to give it the value that it serves.
For those who do not have this convention must go through different places.
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Loss of Italian nationality
What are the requirements for...
... to register a birth and simultaneously acquire Spanish nationality?
The documentation required to register a birth and, simultaneously, the acquisition of Spanish nationality is..:
... to promote the registration in this consular Civil Registry of a marriage celebrated before the competent Argentinean authority?
... promote the registration of a death?
... regain nationality (Spaniards born in Spain)?
The documentation required for those who were born in Spain, later lost their Spanish nationality and now wish to regain it is as follows:
1.- If you lost your Spanish nationality when you married a foreigner
Certificate of birth of the applicant
Marriage certificate or marriage certificate of the applicant
Identity Card
Applicant's last Spanish passport or consular identity card.
Until the entry into force of Law 14/1975, on 5 May 1975, Spanish women who married a foreigner lost, in most cases, their Spanish nationality.
2.- If you lost your nationality because you became a naturalised Argentinean citizen
Literal birth certificate of the applicant.
Certificate that the applicant acquired Argentinean nationality. It is issued by the Judicial Power of the Nation (25 de mayo 245, Buenos Aires).
Identity Card
Your last Spanish passport or consular identity card.
Spaniards who became naturalised Argentinians after the Spanish Constitution came into force on 29 December 1978 did not lose their Spanish nationality.
... retain nationality in accordance with art. 24.3 of the Civil Code?
The documentation required to retain the nationality is:
Original of your Spanish literal birth certificate, if you have one.
Argentine DNI (National Identity Card)
Spanish passport
... to promote the registration in this consular Civil Registry of an adoption constituted in accordance with Argentine law?
The documents required to register an adoption are:
In addition to the documentation required for the registration of a birth, you must provide the original and photocopy of:
- the complete testimony or sentence constituting the adoption.
- a verbatim birth certificate with the biological data.
... registering children in the Spanish family register?
The documentation required to register the children in the Spanish family book is:
original of the family book
Spanish birth certificate of your child/children, in original and copy.
You will be given a voucher with which, approximately within two months, you will be able to collect your family book with the registration of your child/children on the 2nd floor of the Civil Registry (window no. 5).
... request a certificate from the National Electoral Chamber?
To find out what documentation you need to present to request a certificate stating whether your parent is a naturalised citizen, you should contact the National Electoral Chamber (Cámara Nacional Electoral).
211- Can I have photocopies of original documents certified at the Consulate General? Yes, you can request the certification of photocopies at this Consulate General. You must present the original of the document to be certified and the photocopy of the same. The procedure is carried out at window no. 5 on the ground floor of this Consulate General (from 8.15 am to 2.30 pm from Monday to Friday). This procedure is not free of charge.212- If I am Spanish and I am travelling in Argentina, what can I do if I need the assistance of this Consulate General in an emergency? If you are Spanish and are in an emergency situation, you can contact this Consulate General by calling 4814-9100. The cases considered urgent for which a Spanish citizen can contact this Consulate General are, in general: - hospitalisation or death - detention by the Argentinean authorities - loss of the Spanish passport on the same day that he/she travels to Spain 213- I need the birth certificate to obtain the DNI in Spain, how do I request it? If you need to request a birth certificate to obtain the DNI in Spain, we inform you that, for security reasons, neither https://www.cgeonline.com.ar nor https://www.mjusticia.es are authorised to request such certificates. The certification for the DNI must always be requested personally by the interested party. It is issued only once and is valid for a period of only three months. Therefore, you must apply for your DNI from the National Police in Spain within three months of the issuance of the certificate. The certification for the DNI of a minor under 18 years of age must be requested by his or her father or mother. Therefore, if you live in this consular demarcation, you must go in person to our offices, to the Reports window of the Civil Registry, to apply for it. You will be required to prove your identity by means of your Spanish passport and your Argentine ID card. If you live in the interior of the Province of Buenos Aires, you can go to the Honorary Consular Office nearest to your home. If you live outside this consular demarcation, consult the Spanish Civil Registry corresponding to your place of residence. If you live in Spain, you can go to the Central Civil Registry (C/ Montera 18, CP 28013 Madrid. Tel. 91 389 55 00, Fax. 91 522 29 68).216- Are there any costs for nationality procedures (acquisition, recovery, preservation) or the registration of a marriage or death? No. Law 7/1987, of 29 May, on consular fees, establishes that all procedures related to the Civil Registry are FREE of charge. 219- Which is the nearest Honorary Consular Office to my address? If you wish to know the nearest Spanish Honorary Vice-Consulate to your address, please click on the corresponding Spanish Consulate General demarcation:
Demarcation of the Spanish Consulate General in Bahia Blanca
General Consulate of Spain in Buenos Aires
Demarcation of the General Consulate of Spain in Cordoba
Demarcation of the General Consulate of Spain in Mendoza
General Consulate of Spain in Rosario
220- What procedures can I carry out in a Vice Consulate or Honorary Consular Agency? The Honorary Consular Offices of Spain are specially empowered to provide consular assistance and protection to Spanish nationals.
They can be considered as privileged intermediaries between, on the one hand, the Consulate General and, on the other hand, Spaniards and their descendants residing in the district of each of the honorary consular offices that depend on it.
Among others, the most common procedures that can be carried out at a Spanish honorary consular office are:
Receive information about the sections that make up this Consulate General.
Request certificate of civil status and certificate of civil status.
Request a certificate of consular registration, cancellation or residence.
Application for a passport (only for children under 12 years of age).
Certificate of criminal record
Certificate for DNI, NIE or NIF (Spanish National Identity Card or NIF)
221- Can I apply for a pension at the Consulate? No, you cannot apply for an assistance pension at this Consulate General. All matters related to pensions in Argentina are the responsibility of the Department of Labour and Social Affairs of the Spanish Embassy in Buenos Aires, located at Viamonte, 166 1º C1053ABC - City of Buenos Aires, Tel: 4311-1748/0909 / 4312-2390 / 4313-9053 Fax: 4315-4405/0403.225- What are the opening hours of the Consulate? The opening hours of the Consulate General of Spain in Buenos Aires are from Monday to Friday from 8.15 am to 2.30 pm. On the main screen of https://www.cgeonline.com.ar, on the right-hand margin, you will find information on the opening hours, address and telephone numbers of this Consulate.226- Where is the Consulate? The Consulate General of Spain in Buenos Aires is located at 1770 Guido Street in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (Recoleta neighbourhood). On the main screen of https://www.cgeonline.com.ar, on the right-hand margin, you will find information on the opening hours, address and telephone numbers of this Consulate.