Italy: notarial and documentary services
How someone in Italy can get documents legalised, witnessed or certified, take an oath of British citizenship and obtain informative notes.
Informative notes
You can download the following notes in English and Italian to show the Italian authorities:
Shipping
Pleasure vessels going to sea: British rules on licences:
Seafarers on UK ships: UK rules for validating service:
UK marriage
How the UK authorities recognise marriage:
Birth registration
Recognition of a child and how a father’s name can be added to a birth registration document at a later stage in the UK:
Civil status or residency certificates
Why the British embassy does not issue civil status or residency certificates:
Name change: proving your identity
In Italy it is not common practice to change your name through marriage or by other means.
You should read our guidance on proving your identity after a name change.
You can show the following explanatory notes to the Italian authorities:
Contact us through our web form if you are experiencing difficulties with the local authorities regarding inconsistencies in your documentation.
Cremating a British national in Italy
Summary of the law on cremating a British national in Italy:
Transfering remains or ashes to the UK
Funeral directors should follow the process set out in our document and download and complete .
British citizenship oath
The Home Office will send your certificate of British citizenship to the British Embassy Rome. The embassy will contact you once the certificate arrives and arrange an appointment to administer the oath of citizenship.
You do not need to pay a fee for this service at the embassy.
Services from other providers
For any services not listed above, you must contact alternative providers, for example a UK-qualified solicitor practising in Italy or an Italian notary.
Documents required in the UK
You should contact a UK-qualified solicitor practising in Italy for documents required in the UK or another English-speaking country that recognises the status of a UK solicitor.
The Italian authorities will not normally accept documents witnessed by a UK solicitor – before you hire a solicitor, you should check whether the organisation you are sending the documents to will accept them.
A UK solicitor in Italy can issue or witness documents, including:
- certified copies of original documents, including passports
- powers of attorney
- statutory declarations
- affidavits
- affirmations and oaths
Documents required in Italy
You should contact an Italian notary to authenticate documents required by the Italian authorities.
Italian notaries are qualified lawyers and government-appointed officers who:
- witness and register property transfers and powers of attorney
- supervise payments such as stamp duty
- certify Italian documents as true copies of the originals
- authenticate signatures on Italian documents
Some English-speaking notaries may be prepared to certify copies or witness documents in English, for use abroad.
Before you hire a notary, you should check whether the organisation you are sending the documents to will accept them.
Legalise a document
The Italian authorities may ask you to get a UK document legalised or ‘apostilled’.
The UK authorities will not legalise a document certified by a UK solicitor working in Italy. If the UK Legalisation Office requires you to have a document certified before they will legalise it, you must use a UK solicitor or notary working in the UK.
UK education documents
If you need a certified copy of your education document, you should contact a UK solicitor working in the UK or Italy.
If you need to authenticate a translation of your education document, you should contact an Italian translator and ask them if they can provide a sworn translation (traduzione giurata).
If you need your qualification evaluated in Italy, contact ENIC-NARIC.
If you need a Dichiarazione di valore (DV), contact the Italian consulate in London. Once you have a DV, you may need an Equipollenza – you should check whether this is required with your employer or the Italian authorities.
Italian lawyers (avvocato)
A lawyer who qualified in Italy (avvocato) – unlike a UK solicitor or Italian notary – does not have the authority to certify legal documents for use in the UK or in Italy.
Data protection
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) holds and uses data in line with relevant UK legislation.
Disclaimer
This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the embassy and consulates by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. Accordingly the FCDO and the British Embassy will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain further information must contact the relevant local authority.
Last updated 20 October 2022 + show all updates
-
Nulla osta/transfer of remains certificate updated
-
Informative Note: Transfer of remains/Ashes Certificate updated
-
Updated notarial documents - January 2021
-
Changed Notarial services paragraph
-
Suspension of notarial and documentary services - 31 March 2020
-
Updated information for change of name: 17 January 2020
-
update to text on changing your name November 2018
-
Updated informative note on cremation 25 July 2018
-
Added information about proving your identity to the Italian authorities if you've changed your name.
-
Updated 29 May 2018
-
Complete revision of the content to make sure it is up to date and accurate.
-
Updated Feb 6 2018
-
Informative note and nulla osta form updated November 2017
-
New procedure for transfer of remains/ashes certificate - nuova procedura per nulla osta al trasferimento di ceneri, salma, resti e ossa nel Regno Unito.
-
More information on legalising documents in Italy.
-
The UK govt no longer applies a fee to the repatriation of remains certificate.
-
added informative notes
-
changed email address for British Embassy's consular section.
-
First published.