Why did the Renaissance began in Italy: Photo of the interior of St.Peter's Basilica.
Before the flourishing of the Renaissance, Italy was a fragmented mosaic of city-states, each with its own government, economy, and cultural identity. The collapse of centralized imperial authority after the fall of the Western Roman Empire left the peninsula divided, paving the way for regional powers like Florence, Venice, Milan, and Naples to rise.
Buying property in Italy: photo of the fields and farm houses in the province of Pavia, near Milan
Italy has long captivated foreign buyers with its rich history, stunning landscapes, and enviable lifestyle. From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the sun-drenched coasts of Sicily, the country offers a wide range of properties that appeal to retirees, investors, and lifestyle seekers alike.
Photo of Ponte Vecchio, showing a lot of tourists visiting
The Ponte Vecchio, meaning “Old Bridge” in Italian, is one of Florence’s most iconic landmarks and a living testament to the city’s medieval heritage. Spanning the Arno River, it is the oldest bridge in Florence, originally constructed in 1218. The current structure was rebuilt in 1345 after a devastating flood destroyed its predecessor.
Italian culinary traditions: Photo of an Italian chef preparing a dish
In Italy, food is a way of life. From bustling city markets to quiet village kitchens, the act of preparing and sharing a meal is deeply woven into the fabric of Italian culture. It reflects not only regional identity and historical legacy but also the social values that bind families and communities together.
The Italian language: Photo of a woman in florence writing notes in a park
The Italian language has undergone a long and intricate evolution, beginning with the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century. During the height of Roman rule, Latin was the lingua franca—the common language imposed across the vast territories of the Empire while the spoken language of the general population evolved into various vernaculars
What is Jus Soli and how it works in different countries: Photo of the Italian flag in Rome
The concept of jus soli, Latin for “right of the soil,” refers to the legal principle that grants citizenship to individuals born within a country’s territory, regardless of their parents’ nationality. Jus soli reflects a nation’s commitment to inclusivity and territorial sovereignty. It ensures that individuals born on national soil are recognized as citizens from birth, often with full access to rights and protections.
Woman searching for Italian records online
Summary

If you are considering applying to Italian citizenship due to family descendents, you must know that it might be a really long road but we promise it is 100% worth it. 

How to begin it is one of the most stressful parts. Trying to rebuild your family tree in a legal way that shows enough evidence for Italian authorities sounds challenging. However, thanks to the internet, nowadays it has become easier. 

Several non-profit organizations, in conjunction with the Italian government, have worked in free access online platforms that provide information and documents, such as birth certificates, death certificates, among others. 

How to begin?

There are different ways of looking for documentos in italy. It will all depend on how much information you have about your Italian ancestors.

First step, and usually the most helpful one, will be to speak with your family. It may amaze you how much you can learn from a conversation over coffee with your grandparents, an aunt or uncle, even with your parents!. You will get to know a lot about your family while having a good time.

Once you have basic information such as name, last name, place of birth, maybe the year they left Italy, you can grab your computer and start your research online.

Begin your journey to Italian citizenship

Take advantage of specialized assistance to secure your passport for a borderless future.

The quote is quick, free, and without any commitment. We'll get back to you with more details within 24 hours.

Main online resources

As mentioned before, in order to make Italian history and information more accessible worldwide, different non-profit organizations, for the last few decades, started to work with the italian government creating different online search portals. The most used ones are the following:

Family Search

Operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest genealogy organization in the world.

By creating a free account on their website, you will have access to different records, images and family trees. Only by using name, year and country of birth. 

Portale Antenati 

Managed by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, this website allows users to research and find information from your relatives using different criterias like place of birth, region, or province. 

It is constantly being updated  and you can access it in several languages. There is also a Frequent Asked Questions section to assist you before you start.

Italian Parish Records

Before civil registration was established in Italy, most of the records were kept by the Catholic Church. In this case, Italian Parish Records can help you. 

Among the records on their website, you will usually find baptisms (battesimi), marriages (matrimoni), and burials (sepolture).

Different types of online records

Information might come in different formats.

  • It could be digital images for civil or church records, without transcriptions. 
  • Spreadsheets or lists without attachments to the actual images, just basic information.
  • Or maybe as directories of the records in images format. 

The important thing is to understand that no matter how we get the information, we are one step closer to achieve what we are looking for.

Once I found the documents, what’s next?

It is important to understand that the online research for Italian documents only provides us with information or images. However, this is not official. 

Once we have all the knowledge we need, it is time to request the actual document to the Italian authority (government, church or comune) who will proceed with the official copy to be used for our citizenship application.

Begin your journey to Italian citizenship

Take advantage of specialized assistance to secure your passport for a borderless future.

The quote is quick, free, and without any commitment. We'll get back to you with more details within 24 hours.

Begin your journey to Italian citizenship

Take advantage of specialized assistance to secure your passport for a borderless future.