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.
Hi ItalGen community! I need 3 total documents from Italy for my JS application, one of which lies with the Cosenza state archives.
It's my Great-Great-Grandfather's birth extract (B: 1855). He was born in the commune of Lungro, however that commune informed me that due to fire, documents from before 1900 were destroyed and duplicates lie with the Archivio di Stato di Cosenza.
I e-mailed the Archivio with no response, and so mailed them a request recently. They sent me a reply via e-mail stating that they only provide documentation via e-mail, and paper-format documentation requires a personal visit.
Does anyone have experience with this organization?
Is there a way to get the estratto mailed to me in the USA?
I have some travel to Europe planned this year. If I schedule a visit to the Archivio, would they be able to provide the documentation in 1 or 2 days?
Is there a chance the NYC consulate would accept the e-mailed estratto if I provide the appropriate e-mail correspondence w/ the Archivio?
Much appreciated!
The Archivio's note: Oggetto: estratto atto di nascita.
In merito alla sua richiesta riguardante l'invio per posta ordinaria dell'atto da lei specificato, le comunichiamo che non può essere trasmesso, come riportato sul sito
per quanto riguarda la documentazione in forma cartacea bisogna recarsi personalmente al Nostro Istituto. Si precisa che la documentazione sarà inviata esclusivamente via e-mail, a seguito dell'acquisizione della ricevuta di versamento.
From what I've gleaned from the Facebook Group (Dual US-Italian Citizenship), it seems that the NYC consulate would take the printout because it will be sent back to Lungro to be inscribed there once your Italian citizenship is recognized. The officials in Lungro would know that their books were destroyed, and the copy from the region is the only way to prove your chain of citizenship. If you're already planning to be in the region for work, it might be worth the trip, but not exclusively necessary.
I have family with records in this archive too. Are they requesting a regular email address or a PEC email address?
Appreciate that insight. I currently have travel to Spain planned and could make an additional trip, but after having heard that e-mail documents should suffice, hoping to avoid travel to Cosenza if I can.
My issue now is I'm not sure of next steps from the Archive, as I have not received payment info from them (which is supposedly then next step after they've confirmed my request). I e-mailed them back with questions, but have gotten no response.
Unsure whether this is helpful, but any experience or advice you can share is appreciated
The only experience I have with the archives in Cosenza has been to snail mail them requests for vital records with a couple of euros tucked in. They have responded in about a month. I included all the information that I had (in an attempt to make my request as easy as possible to fulfill!) My gg-grandfather was a notary, and they have his legal books there in that archive. Someday I would like to go to actually see them, as the Antenati site is not going to film those records.
Maybe snail mail is the way to go with your request? There is a limit on how long they can take to respond to it. The actual number is escaping me at the moment.
i have succeeded only once. it was to get a copy of my grandfathers birth certificate. I called them first and explained (I live in italy, so it makes shipping and also communicating a tad easier)....they asked me to fax a signed request (typed and printed what i explained on the phone then signed and faxed it to them) and in about a week it arrived via normal mail to my apt. I then try to follow up with another request and have not heard back (this was 4 years ago lol)....really depends on the commune and who you arrive at when you call / write. best bet is to call first and explain what you're looking for then just go there in person. Calabria is wonderful, worth the trip! just don't expect to walk in and walk out with whatever you're looking for lol. also confirm the hours and days of operation before making any travel plans! goooooood luck
GLiguori77 wrote: ↑17 Feb 2020, 02:38
The only experience I have with the archives in Cosenza has been to snail mail them requests for vital records with a couple of euros tucked in. They have responded in about a month ... Maybe snail mail is the way to go with your request? There is a limit on how long they can take to respond to it. The actual number is escaping me at the moment.
Have they responded via snailmail, or e-mail? I initially e-mailed with no response, but received an e-mail response to my subsequent snailmail request (at the bottom of my 1st post). It seems I'm waiting on payment information from them, but have not received any news (even after responding via e-mail with a question). How many Euros have you sent in the past? Should I snailmail them a note referencing the existing request, with Euros tucked in?
omgilovescience wrote: ↑17 Feb 2020, 16:30
i have succeeded only once. it was to get a copy of my grandfathers birth certificate. I called them first and explained (I live in italy, so it makes shipping and also communicating a tad easier)....they asked me to fax a signed request (typed and printed what i explained on the phone then signed and faxed it to them) ...
I think I'm actually planning a trip to the region in the fall, just was hoping not to wait that long to get my documents Unfortunately I do not speak Italian, so unless I could give some written instruction and get my documents in a straightforward way, it would seem I'm in a bind! Perhaps I'll have to enlist some kind of help from Italy who can deal with the commune on my behalf.
You may want to go the assistance route, at least to speak to the archive on your behalf.
Regarding Cosenza: If I recall, it was just 5 euros, which was all that I wanted to gamble on the venture. That was 8 years ago now. I didn't email them, just put the request in the mail, written in Italian and English, requesting a specific record that my hometown didn't have due to the volume being damaged beyond readability. I think it helped that the comune sent me me a sad-looking copy of that damaged record so I could get Cosenza to comply. I also included a copy of my driver's license to prove my identity. They didn't ask for anything else and it arrived. Perhaps I was lucky in that regard!
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