British birth certificate for Italian citizenship: Apostille and translation
England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are not the same office. What London asks for, Apostille and translation into Italian.
October 12, 2026 · 3 min
In the citizenship by marriage from the UK file, the birth certificate is, together with ACRO, one of the two foreign pieces that most often need an Apostille and a translation. This page covers only the British birth record.
What London asks for
The instructions of the Consulate General in London ask for an original birth extract or equivalent, preferably recent, complete with personal details (including father, mother and any annotations), legalised or apostilled and translated into Italian. For British certificates, London says to request a recent copy from the competent Registry Office, an Apostille from the Legalisation Office (FCDO) and a translation into Italian.
Three territories, three registers
We do not treat England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as a single system if the issuing office differs. The authority on the sheet must match the one the FCDO can apostille.
Who issues the record
| Territory | Official starting point | Note |
|---|---|---|
| England & Wales | GOV.UK — order a certificate | GRO / local office. Distinguish short and full if the recipient asks for it |
| Scotland | National Records of Scotland | A separate register; do not order “as in England” |
| Northern Ireland | nidirect | Its own office and form |
Many Italian authorities ask for a full (full / long) record, not the short version used in the UK for other purposes. We do not claim that a full certificate is “always” required: we say so when the post’s instructions or the recipient say so. If London asks for father, mother and annotations, a short certificate does not contain them.
Apostille: paper or electronic
The Legalisation Office apostilles certain British records. The list of what goes through e-Apostille and what stays paper belongs to GOV.UK and changes by document type. England & Wales ACRO certificates are excluded from e-Apostille; birth certificates do not inherit that exclusion automatically. Check the GOV.UK tool against your record before you send it.
Direct translation into Italian
As with the other foreign records on the London route, the translation is direct into Italian. Asseveration in Italy is one of the methods London accepts. Request a quote once you already have the original and, if required, the Apostille.
- UK file overview: UK citizenship by marriage
- British criminal record: ACRO
- Italian birth, not British: Italian birth certificate
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a Scottish digital certificate in an “English” file?
Use the office of the territory where the record is registered: English, Scottish and Northern Irish registers are distinct.
Do I need an Apostille if I was born in the UK and I apply at a Prefettura in Italy?
You may, if that Prefettura asks for a legalised or apostilled foreign record. The instructions of the Consulate in London and those of a Prefettura in Italy do not coincide automatically.
