PLEASE NOTE:As of January 11, 2024, the Hague Convention on the Apostille comes into effect in Canada. Canadian Authorities have changed the procedures for authenticating Canadian certificates and documents to be used abroad. In many cases, the double step (Global Affairs Canada or Provincial Service authentication and Consulate legalization) will no longer be necessary; instead, the Apostille issued by the relevant Canadian offices will suffice. Click here to know more about the Apostille.
NEW BOOKING CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR 2024
As of February 1, 2024, a new booking calendar for Citizenship by Descent service will be available on the Prenot@mi web portal.
Please note that you can book only an individual appointment.
It is recommended to book only after collecting all the necessary documentation, indicated below. The appointment is for the purpose of submitting the application for recognition of Italian citizenship by descent; we do not provide counseling/consultancy services.
It is recommended to cancel an appointment from the Prenot@mi system if, due to an unforeseen event, the user is no longer able to show up.
Appointments are made available automatically by the system on a daily basis, around 6 p.m. local time in Toronto.
If no appointments are available, it is possible to enroll in Waiting List. The user enrolled in Waiting List receives the first available appointment from the system, based on a chronological priority.
One can remain enrolled in Waiting List for a maximum of 90 days. After the 90 days are over, if the Waiting List has failed to assign an appointment, the user must try again to book an appointment or re-enroll in Waiting List.
The Prenot@mi system sends an email communication requesting confirmation of the assigned appointment (either directly or via Waiting List).
If the user does not confirm the reservation by clicking on the link in the email, the appointment is automatically cancelled. It is recommended to monitor the email address provided during registration to Prenot@mi, including the SPAM (or Junk Mail) folder.
Similarly, if you do not confirm an appointment assigned via Waiting List, you will lose your priority and you will be cancelled from the Waiting List. In this case, you will need to start the booking process again.
For more information, click here.
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS WHO HAVE ALREADY BOOKED AN APPOINTMENT
The Consulate General of Italy in Toronto has engaged in a vast effort to improve the “Italian citizenship applications by descent” procedure, with the aim of freeing slots and make a new calendar available.
Against this background, applicants for citizenship by descent who have already booked an appointment before February 1, 2024 through Prenot@mi, with appointment assigned between September 2023 and December 2024 will have received an email from the Consulate, with a suggested date for a new (earlier) appointment.
If you have booked an appointment via Prenot@mi for citizenship by descent services before February 1, 2024, kindly check your registered email on a regular basis.
Failing to respond to an email from the Consulate may result in an appointment cancellation.
If you have booked your appointment through Prenot@mi for citizenship by descent services but you are no longer interested, please cancel it directly from Prenot@mi.
This will help us free slots and provide a better service to our users.
RECOGNITION OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP FOR DESCENDANTS OF ITALIAN CITIZENS BORN IN CANADA OR OTHER FOREIGN COUNTRY
Note: This procedure is not intended for persons wishing to REACQUIRE THEIR ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP. Currently, if you lost your Italian citizenship as a result of becoming a Canadian citizen by naturalization, and now you would like to reacquire it, you must reside in Italy. For further information, please refer to thededicated pageon our website.
HOW TO APPLY
The Citizenship Office receives exclusively by appointments booked through the online portalPrenot@mi.
Please note that if more than one member of the same family wishes to apply, each adult member should book their own appointment and submit the application individually.
Kindly note that the minor child/infant born of a parent (one or both) currently in possession of Italian citizenship is an Italian citizen.Therefore, the parent must not submit an application for recognition of Italian citizenship in favor of the minor/infant but will only have to send therequest for registration of vital records (birth) to this Consulate General, as indicatedhere.
FEES
Pursuant to law No. 89 of 06/23/2014, as of July 8, 2014, a fee of 300 Euros was introduced for the evaluation and processing of all applications for recognition of Italian citizenship. For the current amount in Canadian dollars, click hereclick here (refer to art. 7bis, link will open in a new tab).
Please note that the above amount can be paid exclusively in Canadian dollars with a Money Order/Bank Draft made to the “Consulate General of Italy in Toronto.” Starting July 20th, payments of consular fees can be done at the counters, for services provided “in person” also by Canadian debit card (credit card cannot be accepted).
PLEASE NOTE:The amount in Canadian dollars (equal to 300 Euros)may change quarterlybased on currency exchange conversion rates. Please check the link above for the current and updated amount.
This fee is to be paid regardless of the outcome of the assessment and it is non-refundable.
In most cases, in addition to the above amount, legalizations of vital records certificates (Art. 7), and legalizations for translations (Art. 69) must be paid.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Descendants of Italian citizens born in Canada or other foreign country and residing in thisconsular jurisdiction(Ontario, Manitoba and NW Territories) may apply for recognition of Italian Citizenship at the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto.
Individuals born before January 1, 1948 can be recognized as Italian citizensexclusively through their father, if he was still an Italian citizen (i.e., he had not become yet a Canadian citizen by naturalization), at the time of their birth.
Individuals born after January 1, 1948 can be recognized as Italian citizenseven through their mother, if she was still an Italian citizen (i.e. she had not become yet a Canadian citizen by naturalization), at the time of their birth.
Please read carefully and follow these instructions precisely:
IF THE DOCUMENTATION IS NOT COMPLETE, YOUR APPLICATION FOR RECOGNITION OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU.
CAREFULLY READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS ANDFOLLOW THE CHECKLIST.
- Application form. See the bottom of the page under “FORMS”
- Extract of the birth certificate(“Estratto dell’atto di Nascita”) of the Italian ancestors who emigrated abroad, issued by the Italian municipality of birth. You may fill and send thistemplate to request the certificate directly from the Italian municipality (Town-hall) of birth.
Please note: make sure you ask for an “Estratto dell’atto di nascita” and not a “Certificato di nascita”.
Any photocopies of old passports or other certifications issued in Italy are optional, but if they are in your possession, please include them with your application. - Permanent Resident Card, or other document showing that the Italian ancestornever acquired Canadian citizenship. Such document can be obtained from Citizenship and Immigration Canada through a “Search of Citizenship Records” and does not have to be translated into Italian.
When requesting information for married women, you will need to request a record that includes both last names that is to say both the maiden name (before marriage) and the married name (after marriage). - Theoriginal Canadian citizenship certificatewill need to be submitted if the ancestor became a Canadian citizen. This certificate must show at least these essential information:first name, last name, date of birth, and date of acquisition of Canadian citizenship(date of the oath), and it does not need to be translated into Italian.
Important: The Canadian citizenship card (wallet size)is not accepted, as it does not indicate the exact date of the acquisition of Canadian citizenship.
If both parents were born in Italy, documentation of both parents’ Canadian citizenship must be submitted in order for the information to be updated with the municipality of origin.
If the aforementioned certificate of naturalization is not available, the applicant may request a copy of the ancestor’s citizenship records maintained by Citizenship and Immigration Canada by means of the procedure set forth in theAccess to Information.
If the Italian ancestor, prior to the birth of the direct descendant, or later, while he/she was still a minor, lived or emigrated to a country other than Canada, the naturalization certificate must be requested, legalized and translated from the authorities of that country. - Vital records certificates of the Italian ancestor and all direct descendants (birth, marriage, death).
Documents for the applicant:
–Birth Certificate.
– If the applicant ismarried: marriage certificate and photocopy of spouse’s birth certificate.
– If the applicant isdivorced: divorce order and divorce certificate, as well as marriage certificate to which the divorce refers. For more information, please see the dedicated section.
– If the applicant hasminor children: their birth certificates and photocopy of the birth certificate of the other parent.
– Copy ofCanadian passportanddriver’s license, or if not in possession of a driver’s license, a copy of anyutility billwith the current address.
PLEASE NOTE: The following section applies to (4) and (5):
Canadian vital records certificates must be submitted in “CERTIFIED COPY OF REGISTRATION” format. “Wallet size” type certificates and marriage certificates issued by religious authorities are not accepted.
Vital records certificates can be obtained from the Registrar General or Vital Statistics office of the Province or Territory where the birth/marriage/death occurred.
To learn more about Ontario, Manitoba or Northwest Territories certificates, click on the relevant links:Ontario,Manitoba,Northwest Territories.
Vital records documents issued in other Provinces other than those listed above or in foreign countries, must be apostillized or legalized, and then translated into Italian by an authorized translator. To know more about translations and apostille, click here.
In order to find out what are the requirements regarding translations in the other Canadian Provinces or foreign countries, it will be necessary to contact the Italian consular offices within those jurisdictions.
IMPORTANT:All vital records certificates (birth, marriage and death), as well as all other foreign language documents relating to Italian ancestors and descendants,must be apostillized or legalized, and then translated into Italian by an authorized translator. To know more about translations and apostille, click here.
This Consulate can legalize
- official translationsproduced by one of the authorized translators of this Consulate General (art. 69).
Click herefor the list of translators and the current list for the applicable legalization fees.
PLEASE NOTE:Certificates and documents must be thoroughly checked for errors or discrepancies in names, last names, dates and places of birth. In the event of significant discrepancies and errors in any of these fields, the certificates/documents will be returned to the applicant who must request the appropriate amendments and submit a new translation.
PLEASE, NOTE – DOCUMENTS ALREADY ISSUED BY CANADIAN AUTHORITIES: If you obtained Canadian civil registry documents prior to January 11, 2024 and they have already been authenticated (not apostillized) either by GAC or Provincial Authentication Service, and if you have already booked a citizenship-by-descent appointment with this Consulate, in this transitional the Consulate will keep legalizing them. The Consulate will have to legalize the signature of the Public Official who signed your certificate. Please note that a consular fee is due for the legalization service (art. 7 of the Consular Fee).
FORMS
- APPLICATION FOR THE RECOGNITION OF CITIZENSHIP THROUGH ITALIAN PARENTS
- APPLICATION FOR THE RECOGNITION OF CITIZENSHIP THROUGH ITALIAN GRANDPARENTS
- APPLICATION FOR THE RECOGNITION OF CITIZENSHIP THROUGH ITALIANA GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
- APPLICATION FOR THE RECOGNITION OF CITIZENSHIP THROUGH ITALIANA GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
For any clarification on matters not found on these pages, you can contact the citizenship office at the following email:toronto.cittadinanza@esteri.it.The office will not respond to inquiries if the information has already been provided on this website.
