e n g l i s h    i n f o r m a t i o n

Italy’s consular offices abroad exercise given functions of Italian public agencies for Italians who are resident within their jurisdictions and in some cases also for Italians who are in transit or temporary residents.

Services are performed in compliance with standards of equality, impartiality, efficiency, and transparency.

The Consular office affords protection to Italian nationals whose basic rights have been violated or who have been arrested or otherwise detained. It also provides emergency assistance in locating family members, in estate and property proceedings taking place outside Italy, and in returning the remains of deceased Italians.

  1. To residents within their jurisdictions, who by law must be registered with the "Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero (AIRE)", the Consular office is primarily responsible for administering, inter alia:

    • the formulation and registration of civil records;

    • the publication of marriage bans and performance of marriages;

    • passports, new issues and renewals;

    • citizenship documentation;

    • military draft documentation;

    • notarial documents and wills, signature authentication, translations and certifications, customs declarations for the return of remains;

    • voter-related documents;

    • health services and pension benefits forms;

    • financial and other assistance for medical treatment to destitute Italians.

     

  1. To Italian nationals who are visiting or in transit, the Consular office provides:

    • assistance to individuals and groups in specific emergency situations when there are threats to personal welfare and safety;

    • information on reputable doctors, hospitals and clinics, attorneys, and translators whose services may be engaged;

    • required travel documentation free of charge solely for the purpose of returning to Italy in cases where passport or other identification documents have been lost or stolen.

    Identification cards or other personal documents cannot be issued or renewed.

    The Consular office may, under special circumstances, issue or renew passports to nonresident nationals; there is a fee for this service and authorization must be received from the competent Italian security agency before the document can be released.

    Consular funds are public monies and, as such, are subject to rigorous controls. In no case are they to be used for private purposes.

    Consular offices can neither be used nor charged for personal telephone calls, hotel/travel reservations, currency exchange for non-government employees, or interpretation services.

    In exceptionally urgent or critical situations when time constraints make it impossible to transfer private funds from Italy the Consular office may provide Italian nationals with a limited amount in the form of a loan that they must repay to the Treasury, basically for the purpose of returning to Italy.

    This Consular office is committed to providing full and complete information on its services and the corresponding turnaround times and fees. The public may request a fee and processing time schedule from this office.

    Turnaround times for processing documents are calculated from the moment all of the required documentation has been submitted. The time frames may be longer in cases where it is necessary to retrieve records or receive advisories from other offices either locally or in Italy. The Consular office will in all instances make every effort to complete the processing as expeditiously as possible.

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VISA APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED NOT LATER THAN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE

VISA OFFICE IS OPEN MONDAY AND THURSDAY 1.00-3.30 PM

Consular Services

 

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Copyright 2004, Consolato Generale d'Italia a San Francisco. All rights reserved.