Birth & Marriage Certificates

Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
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JGHarmon
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Joined: 03 Aug 2014, 23:24

Birth & Marriage Certificates

Post by JGHarmon »

My grandfather and grandmother were married in Montella Italy Feb. 16, 1921. My father was born in Montella Oct. 25, 1921. My grandfather's name was Salvatore Giannone. His father's name was Michael Angelo Giannone and was born in Montella July 1863. My grandfather named my father after his father so my father's name was also Michael Angelo Giannone. Quite confusing. My grandmother's name was Raffaella Montagna Giannone. She was originally from the Verteglia region in the summer and her family drove the cattle to the Monteverde region for winter feeding. Although Salvatore was born in Haddonfield NJ my dad was born in Italy. They are all deceased now and I just discovered if I can gather the correct documents I can have dual Citizenship as his daughter to Italy.

Does anyone know or have experience to tell me how difficult or impossible it is to get birth and marriage certificates from Montella dating back to 1921?

I do have my birth certificate and my father's death certificate. I even have the address to the family house that was in the family from 1954 to 1,000 years prior. Kind of cool huh? It was purchased by a man named Carbonz in 1954. The address was Via St. Lucia #27 as of 1984. I just googled earthed it but it appears the address has changed or the house is gone. It was supposed to be across the street from St. Lucia Church?? Most of what my mother and father left was destroyed years ago. I just found this old notebook in my father's handwriting and am soaking up all this history!!

Hope it helps. If there are any Giannone's out there from Montella or Norristown PA and I can help you I have more notes. Thank you to anyone who knows about obtaining the certificates!
jennabet
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Location: Ancestral Homeland - Abruzzo Italy

Re: Birth & Marriage Certificates

Post by jennabet »

Hi JGHarmon. Write to the following address for birth and marriage certificates for your father born in Montella (AV) in the Region of Campania:

Comune di Montella (AV)
Piazza degli Irpini
Montella Avellino
0827-609206

Since you're from Norristown, you would use the Philadelphia consulate for your dual citizenship application. However, it looks like because your grand-father was born in the USA and depending on whether or not he was a naturalized US citizen before your father was born in Italy, you may also need to provide your grand-father's vital birth, marriage, death information and possibly even that of your great-grand-father born in Montella.

You should make sure that whatever source you use for information on how to proceed with a citizenship application that you receive accurate info due to the fact that there is now a 300 Euro application fee per applicant. I would advise for the immediate future to try to get an answer from the Philly consulate before you take the time and spend the money to gather the documents you need.
carubia
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Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: Birth & Marriage Certificates

Post by carubia »

It sounds like your father immigrated to the US. If that is so, did he ever naturalize? It is likely that he did not because he was the son of a US citizen father, so he should have been born with US citizenship (unless your GF lost his US citizenship). You may find that when you apply for citizenship recognition from your father, they'll ask for his naturalization papers or proof that he never became a US citizen, but you won't have either of these things. If the consulate then learns that he acquired US citizenship from his father, the next question would be, can you prove that your GF was an Italian citizen at the time of your father's birth? So it seems likely that you'll end up not just going back to your GF but in fact your GGF.
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