US state criminal records for Italian citizenship: when they may be asked besides the FBI
State criminal records and the FBI Check are not the same act. When an Italian instruction may ask for both, state Apostille and sworn translation.
October 20, 2026 · 4 min
In the United States, criminal documentation is not a single item. Beside the federal Identity History Summary sit state criminal records: certificates issued by a state authority (often State Police, a Department of Justice, or a local equivalent). This page explains when they may appear in an Italian citizenship file — and what is translated — without saying that every applicant must produce both.
The service
If you already hold the state record, we can prepare the sworn translation into Italian. The request to State Police or a DMV and the state Apostille remain official channels.
Federal and state are not synonyms
The FBI Check queries federal systems. A state certificate queries that state’s registers. Time spent in California, New York or Texas does not produce the same form. The issuer, the certificate’s name and the request channel change from state to state: there is no single “US certificate”.
Some Italian consular instructions in the United States, for people filing at that post, distinguish the FBI product from certificates of the state of residence (or previous states). Those rules are district-specific. They are not copied onto a Prefettura in Italy, nor from one Consulate to another.
When the state piece may be needed
It may enter the file if the competent authority expressly asks for criminal records of the states where you have lived, in addition to or instead of the FBI, or if a local notice lists them. It may not enter if the post accepts only the federal product, or if your path does not treat the US as a relevant country of origin or stay.
- Art. 5 picture in Italy: application, documents and residences.
- Federal piece: FBI Background Check.
- Origin + third countries: foreign criminal records.
- Other US documents: US documents.
Apostille: competence of the issuing state
The United States and Italy apply the Hague Convention. For a state document, the Apostille is as a rule affixed by the Secretary of State (or designated authority) of that state, not by the federal Office of Authentications. USA.gov and the Department of State explain the federal / state split: a federal Apostille does not replace the one issued by the State that produced the record.
| Level | Example issuer | Who apostilles (schema) |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | FBI Identity History Summary | U.S. Department of State (Office of Authentications) |
| State | State criminal history / State Police certificate | Secretary of State of the issuing state |
| Local / county | Only if the instruction asks | Depends on the issuer; check in that state |
Translation
For use in Italy you usually need an Italian translation of the complete specimen (certificate + Apostille, if already attached). ItaloDocs steps in with sworn translation. We do not obtain the certificate. If you also hold the FBI product and acts from other countries, send the file together for a single quote.
Already have the state criminal record and, where it applies, the Apostille? Send it in full for a sworn-translation quote.
Frequently asked questions
Must I always produce FBI and a state certificate?
No. Some posts distinguish them; others do not. Read the instruction of your authority, not a list copied from another Consulate.
Does one state’s certificate cover the whole United States?
No. It covers that state’s registers. Another stay may need another issuer.
Who apostilles a state criminal record?
As a rule the Secretary of State of the issuing state, not the federal Office of Authentications.
Does ItaloDocs obtain state records?
The service starts once you already hold the document: we can prepare the sworn translation into Italian.
Can I combine the US and other countries in one quote?
Yes. Formalities remain those of each country.
