Question about certificate records for Italian citizenship

[garyf]

Hello,

I am apply for Italian citizenship through my great grandfather. I have access to all the documents, but a few I can only get copies of. For example, my great grandfathers son has his Naturalization and death certificate, but will only allow me to make a copy, he will not allow me to take the original or order a copy for me (its in NY, so records are very hard to get). My question is, does the Italian embassy accept scanned copies of some documents, or do ALL records need to be original. If not, what are my options, if any? Thanks for your help.

[JJ313]

They will only accept original documents. Scanned copies are not permitted. The consulate will allow a photocopy of the certificate of naturalization providing you bring the originally issued certificate for them to examine. They will return it to you. i understand your grand uncle not wanting to part with it. You can easily get a certified copy of the naturalization certificate by taking the file number from the original document and requesting a copy from USCIS or other agency depending on where and when the document was issued. I would need more details to give you a more specific answer.

As for the death certificate if it is NY state you may have a more difficult time, NYC you have a right to receive a copy. For NYS, send in an application with copies of the documents proving your lineage, if they reject it you can get a court order. That seems like a difficult road, it would be so much easier if your uncle would order a copy.

Some consulates do not require a death certificate even for the direct line. It depends on the age of the individual.

[garyf]

Thank you for the information