Public documents

Article 24(1)(a) - languages accepted by the Member State for the public documents to be presented to its authorities pursuant to point (a) of Article 6(1)

The following languages may be used:

- Italian (official language of the State);

- German in the region of Trentino-Alto Adige, which has a special status (Presidential Decree No 670 of 31/8/1972 and Presidential Decree No 574 of 15/7/1988);

- French in the region of Valle d’Aosta, which has a special status (Article 38 of Constitutional Law No 4 of 26/2/1948);

- Slovenian in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, which has a special status (Article 8 of Law No 38 of 23/2/2001).

Article 24(1)(b) – an indicative list of public documents falling within the scope of this Regulation

The public documents referred to in Article 6(1)(b) of the Regulation include the following population services documents in particular:

Scope	Public documents
Birth	Birth certificate (certificato di nascita) Extract from the register of births (estratto dell’atto di nascita) Full copy of an entry in the register of births (copia integrale atto di nascita)
Life	Proof of life certificate (certificato di esistenza in vita)
Death	Death certificate (certificato di morte) Extract from the register of deaths (estratto atto di morte) Full copy of an entry in the register of deaths (copia integrale atto di morte)
Name	Birth certificate Extract from the register of births Full copy of an entry in the register of births
Marriage, including capacity to marry and marital status	Marriage certificate (certificato di matrimonio) Extract from the register of marriages (estratto dell’atto di matrimonio) Full copy of an entry in the register of marriages (copia integrale dell’atto di matrimonio) Certificate of capacity to marry (certificato di capacità di contrarre matrimonio) or certificate of freedom to marry (certificato di nulla osta alla celebrazione del matrimonio) Certificate of civil status (certificato di stato civile) Extract from the register of births
Divorce, legal separation or marriage annulment	Marriage certificate Summary extract from the register of marriages (estratto per riassunto dell’atto di matrimonio) Full copy of a separation/divorce agreement (copia integrale dell’accordo di separazione/divorzio) Extract from the register of births
Registered partnership, including capacity to enter into a registered partnership and registered partnership status	Civil partnership certificate (certificato di unione civile) Extract from the register of civil partnerships (estratto di costituzione di unione civile) Full copy of an entry in the register of civil partnerships (copia integrale di atto di costituzione di unione civile) Certificate of capacity to enter into a civil partnership (certificato di capacità di sottoscrivere un’unione civile) Extract from the register of births
Annulment of a registered partnership	Extract from the register of civil partnerships Extract from the register of births
Parenthood	Extract from the register of births with the names of the father and the mother (estratto dell’atto di nascita con paternità e maternità)
Domicile and/or residence	Certificate of residence (certificato di residenza)
Nationality	Certificate of nationality (certificato di cittadinanza) Extract from the register of births
Adoption	Extract from the register of births
Absence of criminal record	Criminal record certificate (certificato del casellario giudiziale)

Article 24(1)(c) – the list of public documents to which multilingual standard forms may be attached as a suitable translation aid

Public documents	Multilingual standard forms
Birth certificate	Annex I - Birth
Proof of life certificate	Annex II - Life
Death certificate	Annex III - Death
Marriage certificate	Annex IV - Marriage
Certificate of capacity to marry or certificate of freedom to marry	Annex V - Capacity to marry
Certificate of marital status	Annex VI - Marital status
Civil partnership certificate	Annex VII - Registered partnership
Certificate of capacity to enter into a civil partnership	Annex VIII - Capacity to enter into a registered partnership
Civil partnership certificate	Annex IX - Registered partnership status
Certificate of residence	Annex X - Domicile and/or residence
Criminal record certificate	Annex XI - Absence of a criminal record

Article 24(1)(d) – the lists of persons qualified, in accordance with national law, to carry out certified translations, where such lists exist

There is no public list of translators and interpreters. However, translators and interpreters can ask to be listed (as an adviser to the court) in directories held by the courts.

Article 24(1)(e) – an indicative list of types of authorities empowered by national law to make certified copies

In accordance with the first sentence of Article 18(2) of Presidential Decree No 445 of 28/12/2000, copies can be certified by:

- the public official (pubblico ufficiale) who issued the certificate or with whom the original has been deposited or to whom the document must be submitted;

- a notary (notaio);

- a court registrar (cancelliere);

- a municipal secretary (segretario comunale), or another official appointed by the mayor.

Tasks relating to the population register and civil status are a government responsibility, and are carried out by the mayors of municipalities, who are government officials, and by staff appointed by them.

Government officials issue population register certificates (Article 33 of Presidential Decree No 223/1989) and extracts from the civil status records held in the relevant registers (Article 106-108 of Presidential Decree No 396/2000).

Article 24(1)(f) – information relating to the means by which certified translations and certified copies can be identified

Where a document is accompanied by a certified translation into Italian, the translation is certified as a correct translation of the foreign text by the diplomatic or consular authorities, or by an official translator or an interpreter who certifies under oath that it is a correct translation of the foreign text. The diplomatic or consular authority or the translator or interpreter will insert their name and personal details, and will add their signature or use the stamp of the office to which they belong and put their signature next to the stamp; they will also insert a statement of liability with respect to the work they have carried out.

A copy is certified by entering a statement at the end of the copy, certifying that it is a true copy of the original; this is done by an authorised public official, who must also indicate the date and place of issue, the number of pages used, their own full name and their status, and who must add their full signature and the stamp of the office. If the copy of the certificate or document comprises several sheets, the public official must add their signature in the margin of each preceding sheet as well.

Article 24(1)(g) – information about the specific features of certified copies

As mentioned above in relation to Article 24(1)(e), copies of documents are certified by means of a statement, written by an authorised public official, certifying that the copy corresponds exactly to the original document.

A copy certified in this way is said to be ‘authentic’ (autentica) if the certification gives it the same legal effects as the original.