The Process

In order to start the Italian recognition process, also known as, "Jure Sanguinis", or Right of Blood, one must first find out if one qualifies.  After going through pretty much all Italian consulate and embassies available and known to human kind, I came to find out, that I qualify under my GGF or Great-grandfather, GM or Grandmother, M or Mother, and Me.

Up until that point I had everything figured out, except that I was born in Argentina, but now I was living in the US, the country where I held residence for the past 13 years, since I was 15 years old.

Therefore, a new questions arises, should I start the process in my native country?, or should I start the process where I hold residence?

Of course I opted to request help from my very best friend...the World Wide Web! aka Internet.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted! I kept searching all over the www for a straight answer, and all I had were yes, no, yes, no, yes, and perhaps!

And so, since that didn't go as expected, I contacted both the Italian consulates in Miami as well as the one in Buenos Aires.  And after 2 long and dreadful days they replied back withe the news..."You must apply in the country where you hold permanet residence."

Aghhh...I was relieved!

That week I waisted no time and went back to the www to research the steps and process that needed to be followed.

I found out all the documentation that needed to be presented:

1. Your paternal/maternal great-grandfather's birth certificate from Italy, also known as an estratto dell'atto di nascita.
2. Your paternal/maternal great-grandfather's certificate of Italian citizenship from Italy, also known as a certificato di cittadinanza italiana. (Note: Most Italian embassies and consulates do NOT require this. The only ones that do are the Italian consulates in Miami and Chicago) (see category 1 D/A/B/C)  
3. Your paternal/maternal great-grandmother's birth certificate.
   
4. Your great-grandparent's marriage certificate (If married outside of Italy, you will need an apostille and a translation into Italian.)
5. Your paternal/maternal grandmother's birth certificate (with apostille and translation) 
6. DECLARATION THAT YOUR GRANDFATHER/GRANDMOTHER NEVER RENOUNCED ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BEFORE ANY ITALIAN AUTHORITY, listing all his places of residence (if he is alive, ask him to sign his own declaration. The signature must be notarized if not signed before us. Copy of his passport and I.D. card are requested. Use FORM 3 if he is alive or FORM 4 if he is deceased) 
   
7. Your paternal/maternal grandfather's birth certificate.
8. Your grandparents' marriage certificate (with apostille and translation)
9. Your mother's birth certificate (with apostille and translation)
10. DECLARATION THAT YOUR FATHER/MOTHER NEVER RENOUNCED ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BEFORE ANY ITALIAN AUTHORITY, LISTING ALL HER PLACES OF THEIR FORMER RESIDENCE (if he/she is alive, ask him/her to sign his/ her own declaration. Signature must be notarized if not signed before us. Copy of his/her passport and driver license are requested. Use FORM 3) 
    
11. Your father's birth certificate
12. Your parents' marriage certificate (with apostille and translation)
13. Your birth certificate (with apostille and translation) 
14. YOUR DECLARATION THAT YOU NEVER RENOUNCED ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP BEFORE ANY ITALIAN AUTHORITY, LISTING ALL PLACES OF YOUR FORMER RESIDENCE (Form 2) 
    
15. Your marriage certificate, if applicable (with apostille and translation)
16. Your spouse's birth certificate, if applicable
17. Birth certificates for all your children under the age of eighteen, if applicable (with apostille and translation)
18. Any applicable divorce decrees/certificates (with apostille and translation)
19. Death certificates related to the Italian ascendants. (with apostille and translation, if for your mother, grandmother or great grandfather) 
20.  Certificates: all certificates must be in "certified copy" a.k.a. "long form" or "full form" or “book copy” ("certification" or "abstract" will not be accepted). Such forms can be obtained at the Vital Statistics Office of the State in which the birth/marriage/death took place. Certificates reporting only the "Country" of birth cannot be accepted. You must request the Office of Vital Statistics to indicate the city of birth.
    Apostille: U.S. birth / marriage / death records related to the Italian side must bear the Apostille of the Secretary of State of the State where the document was issued (except for the certificate of naturalization and/or similar documentation).
    The “Apostille” is an international legalization. It is not a stamp on the certificate. It is a physical document stapled to the birth/marriage/death certificate.
    Please note that the “Apostille” does not require translation.
    
    IMPORTANT - Additional requirements for all categories:
    
    1) If you are married, you must also submit your marriage certificate along with a copy of your spouse's birth certificate.
    2) If you have children of minor age (under 18) you must also submit certified copy of their birth certificates.
    3) Certificates relating to the applicant’s family (his or her birth certificate, marriage certificate, birth certificates of minor children) in languages other than Italian must be translated into Italian. Documents that do not need to be translated and do not need an Apostille are: - U.S. Certificates of Naturalization and the letter of no records issued by Immigration and Naturalization Services. Statements regarding the naturalization status of the interested party, ancestors’ certificates and certificates related to the "not Italian side" of your family tree need an Apostille, but no traslation.
    
    • For all certificates issued from New York City and New York State, please check the web site of the Consulate General of Italy in New York (www.consnewyork.esteri.it).
    
    • Documents issued in countries other than the U.S. must comply with the local regulations on the legalization of documents and they must be translated into Italian. Such documents and their translations must be submitted to THE ITALIAN CONSULATE/EMBASSY IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE DOCUMENTS WERE ISSUED PRIOR TO BEING BROUGHT TO THIS CONSULATE.
    A list of all the Italian Embassies and Consulates can be found at www.esteri.it
    
    

It was a long list, but it could be done one at a time!