Birth Certificate - Sicily Palermo, Maybe?

[ty79978]

Hello All,

I am local in NY. I am considering applying (eventually) for my Italian Citizenship. But, there just seem to be one too many hurdles currently. (obtaining records, adjusting certs due to name changes/variations, and having to file a 1948 case) -- all of which, at this time are just extensively too costly. That it's just not something I could swing right now.

However, from a genealogy/family tree perspective. I do not actually have a birth certificate for my great-grandmother, born in Palermo Italy. I wouldn't even know how much obtaining something like this would even cost, i.e. to have it certified, and or mailed, or emailed (emailed would be easier)-- but, if there's anyone that here that could assist with this - I would greatly appreciate it!

Her name was Orsolina (name variation- "Orsola") Palazzolo. She was born on July 3, 1906/1907 (sources differ on the year).
Her father was Girolamo Palazzolo (B: 1875 D: 1942)
Her mother was Lucrezia Giacona (B: 1878 D: 1946)

Orsolina's sister, was, Giuseppa Palazzolo, she was baptized at the church, Santa Fara Vergine, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. (In case, this narrows a specific location, and/or commune to reach out to). So, I imagine that Orsolina was baptized in the same church in 1906/1907. However, again, any insight to navigating the process to obtaining a copy of her birth certificate would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you kindly,

Ty

[Tessa78]

Hello Ty!

Here is a link to your grandmother's actual birth act in 1906.
She was born in the town of Cinisi, in the Province of Palermo.
Her father was Girolamo Palazzolo, age 36, laborer residing in Cinisi.
Her mother was Lucrezia Giacona, his wife, residing with him.
Orsola was born in their home at Via Onorata #92, at 3:30 AM.

Bottom record in image (#84)
https://www.antenati.san.beniculturali. ... 45/La3dE7k

T.

[ty79978]

Grazie!! Tessa! Thank you! Funny, I've explored the Antenati site, and have never found this! Thank you!

Ah, good to know that she was from Cinsi.

Would you have any idea then, if I wanted to obtain a copy of her birth certificate, how to go about this? I can't imagine that if I was going to use the image from Antenati for Italian Citizenship, that, this would be sufficient... that just seems too easy--

Thank you for all your help!

-Ty

[Tessa78]

You will need a certified copy of her birth act. To get that you will need to write directly to the Comune of Cinisi to request one.
Write your request in Italian (helpful links below) and send YOUR photo ID as well as an email address at which you can be reached. Do not send $$$ until you get a possible request from them to pay for copying and mailing. The records are free.

Address:
Ufficio dello Stato Civile
P.zza Vittorio Emanuele, 1
90045 Cinisi (PA)
Italy

Help with letters in Italian:
https://geocities.ws/paulanigro/italian ... tter3.html
https://geocities.ws/paulanigro/italian ... talrecords

If you do not hear from the comune after a couple of months, you can send a followup letter to this email address:
sindaco@comune.cinisi.pa.it

EDIT TO ADD:
Here is the link to the birth act of her sister Giuseppa on 18 January 1903
#9
https://www.antenati.san.beniculturali. ... 42/5K2Prp6

T.

[ty79978]

Thank you so much Tessa! You've been of a tremendous help! I will plan to email them first. It just seems as a more reliable approach to contacting them in regards to having them send a birth certificate, even if I have to send them a paid postage. But, I appreciate the address nonetheless-- it'll make it easier for me to come back to this if they request a paid postal envelope!

Grazie!

[cedrone]

If you need the document to apply for Italian citizen it is better to verify on the website of your Italian consulate (or asking directly to the consulate) what kind of certificate they prefer; in general they don't ask a certified photo of the register (as that you found on Antenati),
but a certificate with all the useful data copied from the original register by the Official of the Comune.
This is called 'estratto di nascita con indicazione di paternità e maternità',
and have signature of the official and seal of the comune.
There is also a version on a plurilingual form , that includes translation in many languages, useful if the cerificate should be presented also to a foreign aurthority (of the Countries that that signed that convention, there are not the USA), but I think it is OK also for the Italian consulates in the US.

In the case you need to ask something to the US authoritiez, such as a rectification of an act, as the US didn't sign that convention, it seems it is necessary also an 'apostille' made in Italy on the certificate of the comune and then a translation into English.
___

[cedrone]

As to the shipping of the certificate, in general they send by the Poste Italiane
as ordinary letter (not registered) without asking payment of the postage (even if some comune ask it)..
In some contries there was seen that simple letters not always arrive, and it should be better to ask a registered letter, that can be traced on internet.
In this case usually you shoud pay the shipping (8.40 Euro for 20 g).
But I don't think it is the case of the US postal service.

[ty79978]

Hello, Cerdrone,

Thank you for your insight into this application process for Italian Citizenship. Yes, I am aware that documents need to be apostilled. I will certainly be sure to include that in my email, to inquire about whether or not that is something that they can do directly-- I wouldn't mind paying a fee. It's certainly something they charge for here in NY, so I wouldn't imagine not paying a fee for the apostille, and the postage.

As for now though, I'm ways away from applying for Italian Citizenship, unfortunately, while I'm going to try to minimize costs-- i.e. one lawyer service, quoted me 8k, for the entire process. I am simply trying to alleviate some of the costs by obtaining documents myself. But, unfortunately, also, I think, I also need to complete part of this entire process for the citizenship through the courts, as I would need to complete a 1948 case.

As my grandmother, Orsola, married in 1924, to my great-grandfather, Antonino Galioto, who was born in 1891. However, he naturalized as a US. Citizen before 1920, which, was also before my grandmother, and her sister were born in 1926, and 1929.

As such, the "pathway" to Citizenship for me, is only through Orsola, so I figure obtaining her birth cert. would be a great first place to even start this process.

Thank you for your insight and support!

All the best,

-Ty

[Tessa78]

I have located the marriage of Girolamo Palazzolo and Lucrezia Giacona.
It provides the names of Orsola's grandparents.
You may want to request this record as well when you contact the Comune of Cinisi. It helps to establish the line.

#23
Dated 11 JUne 1899 in Cinisi
Groom: Girolamo Palazzolo, age 29, born in Cinisi, stonecutter (tagliapietra), son of deceased Natale who resided in Cinisi in his lifetime; and of Maria Batalamenti who resides in Cinisi
Bride: Lucrezia Giacona, age 26, born in Cinisi, housewife, daughter of Mario and of Giuseppa Maria Galati, both residing in Cinisi.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=2051639

ALSO...
Giving another generation back...
Birth act of Girolamo Palazzolo on 5 December 1869 (#23)
Parents: Natale Palazzolo, son of Natale; and Maria Batalamenti, daughter of Agostino.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=485315

Birth act of Lucrezia Giacona on 1 January 1873 (#1)
Parents: Mario Giacona, son of Domenico; and Giuseppa Maria Galati, daughter of Pietro.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=485315

T.

[cedrone]

The apostille is requested by the US offices if you need certain processes, not by the Italian, but it's made by the Prefettura, a superior office to the comune.
I don't think the comune will ask also the apostille, probably you need someone on the place who can follow the process.
I think on this forum there will be someone who can do this.

[PippoM]

Just to try to make it clearer:
as Cedrone said, an apostille is only requested if some Italian document must be shown to (for instance) USA offices.
As the request of Italian citizenship only involves Italian offices, it is not needed.
If needed for any other reason, however, the Comune doesn't apostille documents; it must be done by the local Prefettura, i.e. in your case, the Prefettura of Palermo.
However, I wouldn't worry about that, now.
The Comune usually does not apply fees for this kind of certificates. The one issue can be arranging how to manage to shipping (the Comune usually does not accept "money", and want a pre-stamped envelope).
But, if you write, they will be able to tell you.

[gemmalyly]

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[adamusa]

good