Newark Consulate Name Discrepancy Walk-In Report

[vertifly]

Greetings All Ye Who Are Beside Me on the Quest to Obtain a Dual-Citizenship to Italy:

I have been on my quest for about two years now. I've travelled half way across the country twice to obtain a Marriage Record, a Birth Record, and their Apostilles.

The line, for me is through my Great Grandfather, Grandfather (still alive at 94), and my Father.

I have it all. All of the paperwork to apply. After two years, many hundreds of research hours, and probably thousands of dollars. Many of you who are reading this know exactly what I am talking about.

The Newark consulate is a "Vice Consulate". It will soon become a full-fledged consulate...from what I have heard. Therefore, for the time being, they are taking walk-ins. That is right, you don't have to wait a year to get an appointment. If you were born in New Jersey or currently reside in New Jersey, you may walk in the door and apply.

That being said, please head the following warning: Your paperwork better be in order. Please let me say that again. Get your paperwork in order before you go. Get the names correct on all documentation.

I have the flu right now. And with the flu, this morning, I went to the consulate, with all of my paperwork and research, over the past two years. Paperwork that goes all the way back to the 1860. All of it, in my hand, priceless to me.

The lady behind the counter got to the third page when she started pointing out discrepancies:

Over the last 132 years, my family has not spelled their names consistently. Or some of the offices along the way did not write them down correctly.

1) My GGP's marriage record was not completely filled out in 1900.
2) Tommaso Martucci (My GGP) is written as Tomasso Martucci, Commaso Marttucci, and sometimes Tom Marttuci.
3) (My GGM) is written as Filomena Tridento, and sometimes Philomena Tridenti.
4) Louis (My GP) is written as Luiggi, Luigi, Louis, Martuci, and Marttuci
5) Antoinette (MY GM) is written as Antonette and sometimes Doris (it is tradition in my family for all women who are named Antoinette to be called Doris. It started because my grandmother had blonde hair...therefore Dora) Her birth record says Antoinette. Her marriage says Doris.
6) There are also date discrepancies. My GGP birth record (from Italy says that he was married on Nov 15, 1901 in Ohio). When, in fact, he was married on Nov 15, 1900 in Ohio. Even the town was listed, and the lady would not see past this.

She was actually very nice. And I think she was trying to help. But they will not oversee small discrepancies.

So, as it turns out. The only way to get this done is to visit multiple courts in various states (and perhaps even got to Italy) to get the paperwork corrected and made consistent.

Even with people in the courts who would agree to change names on birth and marriage records, it would take many more years to do this.

I hope this information was, somehow, useful. Good luck.

I am totally exhausted. But deserving of the citizenship to my family's old home. =( sigh

Best Regards,

Vertifly

[matta]

I'm with you on this one. I have 3 court orders to go, and 1 "document correction" is pending.

If it helps, there's a poster on Expattalk who just went through the process of getting a court order to correct a name in PA. It was apparently a pretty straight-forward process.

Good luck.

[mler]

The lady in Newark IS very nice, but, you're right, she is picky as well. Don't give up on this. It is clear that you qualify.

Best of luck.