Italian citizenship by marriage from the UK: documents and translations

You are married or in a civil partnership with an Italian citizen, you live in the UK, and you are already assembling the file. This guide is not “how to get Italian citizenship”. It is about the foreign documents that, under the current instructions of the Consulate General of Italy in London, often need legalisation or an Apostille and a translation straight into Italian.

Which foreign documents may need translating

In the London route, the two groups that most often need an Apostille (or legalisation) and an Italian translation are the birth certificate and criminal record certificates. Other records can come in for specific situations — especially name, surname or date mismatches.

The Italian marriage record (full copy or extract from the Comune where it is registered) is a different category: it is an Italian document. Do not treat it as a foreign certificate that needs an Apostille and a translation.

Birth certificate

London’s instructions ask for an original full birth certificate or equivalent, issued where possible no more than six months earlier by the country of birth, complete with personal details (including parents and any annotations), duly legalised or apostilled and translated into Italian.

For British birth certificates, London says to request a recent copy from the competent Registry Office, have it apostilled by the Legalisation Office and translated into Italian. Territorial detail and Apostille: British birth certificate.

British criminal records: ACRO

Under the current London Consulate instructions, the British criminal record is the “Police certificate for immigration purposes”, requested from ACRO. If it is issued unsigned, London says to ask for the signature of an ACRO public official, so that signature can then be legalised.

The certificate must be apostilled by the Legalisation Office (FCDO) and translated into Italian. GOV.UK currently excludes ACRO police certificates for England and Wales from the e-Apostille service: those documents follow the paper route.

This is an operational summary. Certificate type, signature, paper Apostille and translation: ACRO Police Certificate.

If you have also lived in other countries

Living in the UK now does not mean ACRO is enough. Under the current instructions of the Consulate General of Italy in London, a criminal record certificate is required for the country of origin, for any third countries of residence — from the age of 14 and for presence in that territory of more than six months — except Italy, and for countries of which the applicant is a citizen. Certificates must be originals, issued no more than six months before the application, legalised or apostilled and translated into Italian. London states that you are exempt from the country-of-origin certificate only if you left before the age of 14 and did not retain that citizenship.

The two thresholds — age 14 and stays of more than six months — are those stated by London. Another Italian consular post may draw a different perimeter. Broader picture: foreign criminal records for citizenship by marriage.

Someone living in London may previously have lived in Argentina, Venezuela, the United States, Spain or elsewhere. That history may mean more than one criminal record certificate belongs in the file. Not every concrete example always requires a certificate: what matters is what the competent authority asks for against origin, citizenships and residences.

Each country has its own formality

The pattern is the same; the offices are not: foreign certificate → Apostille or legalisation in the issuing country → direct translation into Italian. This is not a country-by-country Apostille guide. For the order of the pieces, see document, apostille and sworn translation and, for the Hague framework, Apostille.

Direct translation into Italian

London’s instructions say the translation must always be direct from the language of the certificate into Italian, never via a third language. Translating a Spanish or Portuguese record into English, then English into Italian, is not the path that Consulate describes.

London allows, in the alternative: a translation declared conforming by the Italian mission competent for the country of issue; a translation by a local sworn translator whose signature is legalised or apostilled where applicable; or asseveration in Italy by the courts, a Giudice di Pace or a notary. ItaloDocs offers sworn translation into Italian only, once you already have the original and, if required, the Apostille or legalisation. We do not certify documents and we do not guarantee that the Consulate will accept the file. The general picture is in when you need a sworn translation.

Frequent mistakes

• Assuming ACRO is enough even with residences or citizenships elsewhere, if London asks for further certificates
• Ordering the wrong British certificate (it is the Police certificate for immigration purposes)
• Submitting an ACRO without a signature suitable for legalisation
• Translating a certificate that may no longer meet London’s six-month validity by the time you file
• Translating via a bridge language instead of the original
• Confusing Apostille with translation, or thinking translation replaces legalisation
• Ignoring name, surname or date discrepancies across records

Name or data discrepancies

London asks you to register your particulars as they appear on the birth certificate and on foreign records. If they do not match, supporting documents are required. For British citizens, London’s instructions mention a DEED POLL made before a Notary Public, apostilled and translated into Italian. For other citizenships the path described is different (annotations on the record, or a declaration from the consular authorities of the country of citizenship). The general approach is in name and date discrepancies.

How ItaloDocs can help

1. You already have the foreign document
2. You complete Apostille or legalisation in the country of origin, when they apply
3. ItaloDocs can handle the sworn translation into Italian
4. If you have several certificates, list which ones need translating and request a single quote

Request a quote for a sworn translation into Italian.

Frequently asked questions

Is ACRO enough if I have lived in other countries?

Not necessarily. Under London’s instructions you may also need certificates from the country of origin, countries of citizenship and third countries of residence within the age-14 and more-than-six-months perimeter (with the Italy exception and the exemption for leaving the country of origin before 14 without retaining that citizenship).

Does the ACRO need an Apostille?

Yes, according to London, after a suitable signature if needed. GOV.UK excludes England & Wales ACRO certificates from e-Apostille: use the paper Apostille.

Can I have my documents translated into Italian in Italy?

Yes: London lists asseveration in Italy by the courts, a Giudice di Pace or a notary among the accepted methods. That is the service ItaloDocs provides.

Does the Apostille replace the translation?

No. The Apostille attests the signature on the record; the translation makes the content readable in Italian. You need both when the instruction asks for both.

Can I translate into Italian from English a record originally issued in another language?

London’s instructions require a direct translation from the language of the original into Italian, with no third language.