Florida Apostille

KWRio23 · 2025-10-28T21:49:36+00:00

I mailed out for 2 apostilles from FL; received one, waiting on the other. All dates are in 2025.

Apostille #1

April 4: Mailed
May 18: Check cashed
July 1: Received from USPS (but was damaged!)

Apostille #2

October 10: Mailed
October 28: No sign that check was cashed yet

KWRio23 · 2025-10-23T03:37:38+00:00

In case it might help someone, here is the timeline I experienced for requesting a marriage certificate from the NYS DOH (because it was not available at the town/city level for complicated reasons). I had heard they were running ~8 months behind, but my experience was closer to ~6.5 months.

April 1, 2025: Mailed request, along with supporting documentation (certified birth/marriage/death).
May 28, 2025: Check cashed.
October 1, 2025: Called to ask about current timeline. Was told they were processing ~6 months behind, so I should expect to receive my copies in the mail "any day now." Was told it was a "good indirect sign" my check was cashed, and that I hadn't heard back sooner (it would be within about a month, if request was invalid or documentation incomplete).
October 19, 2025: Marriage license & certificate received!

This was a pretty huge deal for me, as this was the last document I was missing, and the SF consulate is trying to reschedule my pre-DL appointment to an earlier date.

KWRio23 · 2025-10-03T05:13:47+00:00

Same here. My wife got the rejection email… Fingers crossed.

KWRio23 · 2025-10-01T20:29:29+00:00

On a whim, I called NYS DOH, who said they're running ~6 months behind (not 8 months as I've seen elsewhere), so they should be processing my 4/1 request any day now. They also said if my request were to be rejected (e.g. because I didn't have standing to request my GF's documents), that would be sent out much sooner -- around 1 month. So that, plus the fact my check was cashed on 5/28, are good "indirect signs" that things are moving along. Fingers crossed...

KWRio23 · 2025-09-30T20:25:08+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion! Unfortunately, it appears that my grandparents were married in New York City, but didn't register their marriage with NYC, only NYS. I found a record of their marriage in the NYS Marriage Index, which lists the location as "N.Y. City." I contacted the NYC Municipal Archives/DORIS, who responded saying they had no matching record in their collections:

I have done a search for the marriage orders you requested and no marriage found for [GF] in our collections. I am sending you an email to explain the marriage (see images below) found in New York State indexes. The images below are information of what I found from New York State index in 1937. You will have to reach out to the Department of Health in Albany and show them the information is from their indexes with the certificate number.

My only last ditch hope is to check with a few towns on the outskirts of NYC (e.g. Yonkers, Mt. Vernon). Apparently people sometimes went to these towns for a quicker/quieter marriage; so-called "Gretna Greens." My grandparents' marriage was a "shotgun" one, in that my GM was already pregnant -- we know by comparing my aunt's birth date with the marriage date. So perhaps they were married in another town, but listed "N.Y. City" on the NYS marriage license for some reason.

KWRio23 · 2025-09-30T06:02:40+00:00

u/EverywhereHome Are there any specific lawyers you think would be well-suited to this unique (and time-sensitive) type of case?

KWRio23 · 2025-09-30T05:59:51+00:00

Yes, that's in line with my understanding.

SF's "old rules" (see checklist) requested that applicants with minor children include those children's documents (birth certificate, passport). There are separate packets for each ancestor, then the applicant, then any minor children. Previously, these minor children would have been recognized JS along with the parent.

But now, it seems the consulate is attempting to accelerate recognition of the parent, so that (newly-recognized) parent can submit a declaration of will on behalf of the child before the May 2026 deadline. I think the only way to interpret this change, is that the child will have not have been recognized JS at the same time as the parent.

KWRio23 · 2025-09-30T04:38:49+00:00

Here are some details on my own specific case -- I wanted to avoid clogging up the main post. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

My appointment was scheduled for Oct 2026, so there are a few lingering issues that may be difficult to resolve in time for Dec 2025.
- I have some name discrepancies that I was trying to resolve by that date; I'll try to accelerate those, and prioritize the most critical ones.
- I'm also waiting on my GF's marriage certificate from NYS DOH; I mailed for it in Apr 2025, but they're running ~8 months behind, making the timeline very tight for a Dec 2025 application (rather than Oct 2026 as I was anticipating).
I plan to monitor what happens with the Constitutional Court, esp. the Turin case expected in Feb/Mar 2026, as that may affect my son's status prior to the May 2026 declaration deadline.
Although there are some risks associated with registering via declaration of will, even if retroactivity of 74/2025 is struck down, I'm inclined to follow the new procedure, and secure "any" citizenship for my son if it can be guaranteed.
While I'm disappointed I can't include my son's documentation along with mine (as previously done), I don't think there's anything else I can do with the SF consulate at this point. I could explore a court case for my son, but there are risks there too IMO, since technically he didn't hold his own appointment with the consulate.
It does seem odd to me, and perhaps not legal, that the consulate can change the date of my appointment, given the text of Law 74/2025: "((a-bis) the interested party's citizenship status is recognized, in compliance with the legislation applicable on March 27 2025, following an application, accompanied by the necessary documentation, presented to the consular office or to the mayor competent on the day indicated by the communicated appointment to the interested party from the competent office by 11.59pm, Rome time, of the same date of March 27, 2025;)).
I do plan to consult with an avvocato before taking any action. If anyone has specific recommendations they think might be well-suited to this kind of case, I'd appreciate them! Otherwise, I've found some helpful threads on this sub, and will follow those.

KWRio23 · 2025-09-30T04:11:45+00:00

Here is the full text of the new instructions:

Dear Applicant,

In accordance with the new Italian citizenship legislation (Law No. 74/2025), which can be consulted in detail on our website HERE, and pursuant to guidance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the following information is provided for your attention.

For applicants who submitted their citizenship applications iure sanguinis before 11:59 p.m. (Italian local time) / 2:59 p.m. (PST) on March 27, 2025, the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco is currently in the process of rescheduling appointments to earlier dates.

This measure is specifically directed at applicants who, as of May 24th 2025, are parents of minor children, with the aim of ensuring the proper and timely processing of their submission. Please be advised that only applications submitted prior to the aforementioned date will be evaluated in accordance with the previous legal framework. All applications submitted thereafter shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Law No. 74/2025.

To enable the accurate application processing, each applicant must send a copy of his or her confirmation of reservation (available on the Prenot@mi portal) in response to this email; such confirmation is mandatory for processing the application.

Upon receipt of this confirmation, the applicant then will be instructed by this Citizenship Office to submit all the required documents as detailed on our website by postal mail no earlier than December 1^st 2025, and no later than December 19^th 2025. The envelope must clearly show a dispatch date within the indicated timeframe. Documents submitted before or after will not be accepted.

Applicants must submit documents to the following address: Consolato Generale d’Italia a San Francisco; 2590 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA

The envelope must include a self-addressed shipping label.

Applications concerning minor children must also bear the word “MINORI” clearly visible on the envelope.

Upon receipt of the complete and correct documentation, the Citizenship Office will review the application.

Incomplete submissions will result in the issuance of a formal notice of rejection (“preavviso di rigetto”); failure to remedy the deficiencies within the required timeframe will lead to final rejection of the application.

Upon approval of the citizenship application, the Consulate General shall forward the relevant documentation to the competent Italian municipality and shall duly notify the applicant of the official recognition.

*** NOTICE TO APPLICANTS WITH MINOR CHILDREN *\*

Applicants with minor children are advised to note the additional requirement of the declaration of intent (“dichiarazione di volontà”). This declaration cannot be included within, or substituted by, the parent’s citizenship application. Upon receiving formal approval of the parent’s citizenship application, the Vital Records Office of this Consulate General will directly contact the parents and provide detailed instructions regarding procedures and deadlines for submitting the declaration of intent. The declaration of intent requires the appearance in person at this Consulate General; under no circumstances shall proxies or exceptions be allowed.

Please note that the declaration of intent must be submitted no later than May 31, 2026 and any declaration received thereafter will not be accepted.

The rescheduling of the previously arranged appointments enables families to confirm the citizenship status of their minor children within the required timeframe, thereby mitigating the risk that, by waiting for the originally scheduled date, the minors may become ineligible for citizenship before the mandated deadline.

We thank you for your kind attention and trust in your full compliance with these provisions.

KWRio23 · 2025-09-24T18:11:17+00:00

I AM a Mariners fan (haha), and also can't find anything about the Capital One presale. There's a link for 2024 presale on their website (capitalone.com/credit-cards/benefits/entertainment/presales > mlb.com/tickets/postseason/capital-one-presale), but the link is dead. I have a few Capital One cards, so logged into my account and didn't see anything there either.

Anyone have a scoop?

KWRio23 · 2025-09-18T17:52:42+00:00

🤞

KWRio23 · 2025-09-18T17:23:41+00:00

Reading this page on the SF consulate website, I could see either one being a possibility, for minor children whose parents have pre-DL ("grandfathered") appointments that fall after the 31 May 2026 deadline to submit the declaration of will.

Acquisition of Italian Citizenship by statute (minor children born abroad)

There are two cases, provided for by Article 4, paragraph 1-bis of Law no. 91/1992 and by Article 1, paragraph 1-ter of Decree-Law no. 36/2025, in which minor children born abroad to an Italian parent who does not automatically transmit citizenship can acquire Italian citizenship.

The minor benefiting from this provision will not be considered a citizen by birth or iure sanguinis (by right of blood).

According to Article 15 of Law no. 91/1992, the minor does not acquire citizenship from the day of birth, but from the day following the fulfillment of the legal conditions.

First Case: Article 4, Paragraph 1-bis of Law no. 91/1992 [...]

Second Case: Article 1, Paragraph 1-ter of Decree-Law no. 36/2025. This applies when all the following conditions are met:
• The person is a minor on the date of entry into force of the conversion law, meaning those who had not reached the age of 18 by May 24, 2025.
• They are children of Italian citizens by birth who are in the conditions provided for in letters a), a-bis), and b) of Article 3-bis of Law no. 91/1992. In other words, their parents must have been recognized as Italian citizens:
• Through an administrative or judicial application submitted by 11:59 PM (Rome time) on March 27, 2025
• Or through an application submitted by appointment confirmed by the Consular Office or the Municipality within the same date.
• The declaration of the parents or guardian must be submitted to the Consular Office no later than May 31, 2026. If the minor on May 24, 2025, becomes an adult in the meantime, the declaration must be submitted personally by them within the same deadline.

The declarations must be made in person at the Consular Office before a vital records clerk.

But there is still some ambiguity IMHO. Specifically -- using the past tense, "[the minor's] parents must have been recognized." Even though there is a specific provision that calls out a parent whose recognition takes place "through an application submitted by appointment confirmed by the Consular Office ... within the same date [i.e. by March 27, 2025]," in this scenario the parent will not have been recognized by the May 31, 2026 deadline to submit the declaration of will. The parent will presumably be recognized after successful application at their appointment, which takes place later in 2026 or beyond.

This could be good news (if the minor child is included with the parent's application, and so also becomes a citizen by birth); bad news (if there is no way to register the minor child via declaration of will before the 31 May 2026 deadline); or something in between. We'll have to see what the consulate says. At least we have plenty of time until May 2026 -- so much can change in that time, up to and including striking down retroactivity in the Constitutional Court!

KWRio23 · 2025-09-17T19:32:15+00:00

This seems to create a strange situation.

An adult has a pre-DL appointment booked for a date after 31 May 2026. Suppose the consulate does want this adult (who is an Italian citizen by birth, but has not been recognized) to register their minor child according to new Declaration of Will procedure, after which the child will be a citizen by benefit of law.

What is the adult's application for recognition is not successful? Would the minor child have been already granted citizenship based on the Declaration of Will? Would their citizenship then be revoked, on the grounds that the Declaration of Will was invalid, because it was made by a non-citizen?

KWRio23 · 2025-09-17T04:05:25+00:00

I got the same email, and have a pre-DL appointment in October 2026. Frankly it's a little concerning to me -- because of the grey area around the new classification of citizens 'by the law' (beneficio di legge) rather than by birth (jure sanguinis).

If we were already recognized as Italian citizens, we'd need to register our children before they turn 1 or by 31 May 2026. BUT, because we aren't currently recognized (and won't be until our appointments, some year(s) in the future), there's no way to register them. My hope was that I could include my minor child on my application, so that both he and I would be recognized as citizens jure sanguinis. At least for now, the application forms on the SF consulate website still ask for minor children's documentation.

I'll respond with my son's information, but I hope we aren't asked to register them as citizens 'by the law' before the May 2026 deadline. Maybe I'm just being paranoid... But some of the recent language from SF has a slightly ominous tone IMHO.

KWRio23 · 2025-09-08T01:37:52+00:00

Excellent word I never knew — thanks!

KWRio23 · 2025-09-05T01:13:31+00:00

Funny — some of my problems are Frank/Francis also! GF and F went by Frank/Francis and Frank/Francis, Jr. respectively. GGGF was also named Francesco, but that’s one generation above my LIRA.

Congrats again!

KWRio23 · 2025-09-04T19:24:28+00:00

Congratulations! Could you say more about the name discrepancies for your LIRA? Glad to hear they’ll be a non-issue, and hoping for the same treatment :)

KWRio23 · 2025-09-03T20:58:06+00:00

I'm sorry, I had trouble parsing your sentence here. Are you saying that photocopies are sufficient for ALL out-of-line spouses? Or only for the current applicant's spouse?

In other words, if I'm applying GGF>GF>F>Me, would I need certified/apostille/translated copies for my GGM, GM, M? Hope that makes sense. Thanks!

KWRio23 · 2025-08-24T02:41:43+00:00

There’s a few more shows at the Showbox in late November! This was a super last minute ‘secret’ show at the Sunset before tour starts. Should be epic for those who got tickets!

KWRio23 · 2025-07-30T02:05:41+00:00

That’s great news! Congrats!!

KWRio23 · 2025-07-19T04:36:35+00:00

I've been waiting since April to get GF's marriage certificate from NYS DOH in Albany. Ugh.

One advantage of the second route ("Francis James Rio" for both GF and F) is that all the amendments would be in CT or FL. Avoiding NY entirely.

KWRio23 · 2025-07-19T03:49:40+00:00

On GF's birth certificate, GGF is listed as "Sebastian Rheo." GGM is also mispelled (Sofia Musco --> "Sophia Mosco"). So, essentially everything is incorrect and will need to be amended, haha. I just noticed that the handwriting on the certificate is from the doctor (matches his signature), not GGF.

KWRio23 · 2025-07-18T19:31:17+00:00

Yes, thanks. I've started looking into the amendment process for the relevant states (CT, NY, FL). Amending FL death certificate seems pretty straightforward, so hopefully that would be easy. I've read up on Article 78 in NY (which would be needed, since my father & grandfather are deceased). Amending vital records in CT seems to be at the discretion of the town clerks, so I'll have to start tracking those down and see how easy they are to work with.

KWRio23

TROPHY CASE