Feb 152012
 

Any records from states that fall under the jurisdiction of other Italian consulates need to be authenticated by them before handing them over to the Detroit consulate. For that means the NY consulate for the vast majority of my vital records and Philly for my great-grandparents' marriage. I was uncertain of the process so I posted to the Italian Citizenship Message Board. This is a response I received from someone who had gone through Detroit before:

I went through Detroit and had to have documents authenticated in both NY and Newark. I will post this evening in Templates the letter, release and instructions. In most cases the documents are sent to the citizenship department of the consulate, however some are done by the notary and some by the legal departments. The fee currently is $8.10 per document (fee changes quarterly) and is based on art. 71 A. NY took approximately 2 months to return my documents. Philly has a faster turn around, but I don't know the specifics. NY will not process documents while you wait if you deliver them personally, Philly will do them while you wait. The documents must be apostilled and translated.

Update: 16 Feb 2012

This person now posted the templates and information on the message board. I repeat the details here:

To authenticate documents that originate in a consular jurisdiction other than the one to which you are applying send the following:

1. Original apostilled document (BC, MC, etc.) and copy.
2. Translation.
3. Request letter (template attached)
4. Release (template attached)
5. Payment – enclose a money order for $8.10 per document (fee changes quarterly and can be located on the consulates' tariff schedule as Art. 71A). NY and Philly post a tariff schedule, I am not sure of the other consulates but the fee should be the same at all. NY and only NY accepts Visa or Mastercard in addition to a money order, they charge a one time $4.00 transaction fee. (Alter the template letter if you are enclosing a money order.)
6. Self addressed stamped envelope (your choice of delivery method, first class mail, priority mail, fedex, etc.)
7. Copy of your photo ID.

You can personally deliver your documents for processing and some consulates will process your documents while you wait. NY will not process your documents while you wait so be sure to include your SASE. Processing in NY is approximately 2 months.

Template Statement

Template Letter

Jan 062012
 

I finally gave up on ordering genealogical records from NY State. They cashed my checks back in July and still have yet to send me any records. I wrote a letter complaining, but I'm sure that will do no good.

So instead I've been emailing and writing various town clerks to see if they might have any vital records.

The Lockport Town Clerk found the death certificate for my wife's great-great-grandfather, John Morris. It's $11 for the death certificate but they charged no search fee upfront.

The Kenmore Town Clerk found the death certificate for my great-grandfather, Samuel Wilson. Again, no search fee. Just a $22 fee for a copy of the death certificate.

Now I'm hoping that this will have the names of his parents, specifically his mother. I have that his father, my great-great-grandfather, was David Wilson, and I even have what's thought to be a photo of David. What I'm unsure about is the name of his mother. It could be Elizabeth Watts. I'm also hoping that it will confirm both his birth date and his home town of Ballymena, Ireland.

Oct 312011
 

Someone on the Italian Citizenship Message Board posted this:

vr@health.state.ny.us is the email address. 518-474-3055 they will email you documents. I have attached the affidavit for the Death Certificate.

This is what they wrote back:

Attached is a PDF file listing the requirements for obtaining certified records for dual citizenship purposes (Dual Citizenship Requirements): (See attached file: Dual Citizenship Requirements.pdf)

For more information about birth records, visit our web site at http://www.nyhealth.gov/vital_records/birth.htm
For more information about marriage records, please visit our web page at http://www.nyhealth.gov/vital_records/marriage.htm
For further information about obtaining death certificate copies, please visit our website at http://www.nyhealth.gov/vital_records/death.htm

To obtain a certified copy of your parents', grandparents' or great grandparents' marriage certificate for dual citizenship purposes, please provide the following:

If either the bride or the groom of the marriage is still living:

1. The bride or groom may request his or her own marriage record. The record will be sent to the requestor who may then give it to the applicant for dual citizenship. The requestor must include a copy of his or her identification.
2. The bride or groom may request his or her own marriage record and include a signed and notarized letter stating that he or she gives the department permission to send the document to the applicant for dual citizenship. The requestor must include a copy of his or her identification.
3. If the applicant has power of attorney (POA) for the bride or groom, the applicant may request the record. The POA must be signed by the bride or the groom on the marriage certificate. The language stated in the POA must be sufficient to allow the person given POA to obtain the marriage certificate. Applicant must include a copy of the applicant’s identification along with the power of attorney and completed application.

If both the bride and groom are deceased:
1. A completed Marriage Certificate application form (see attached) along with a check or money order for the appropriate fee.
2. A photocopy of your identification (see application for identification requirements).
3. Photocopies of the death certificates of both the bride and groom on the record. If they died in New York State outside of New York City and you do not have copies of the death certificates, please provide the town, city or village where they died, name at the time of death and the dates of death.
4. A completed, signed and notarized Affidavit to Request Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate (see attached DOH-5000).

If you are requesting us to forward your documents to the New York State Department of State to obtain an Apostille (Exemplification), you must also include:

a. A note telling the Department of State which country requires the Apostille, the address to which the documents and Apostilles should be sent and,
b. A separate check made out to the Department of State for $10.00 for each document that requires an Apostille.

NOTE: Submitting a false affidavit may result in prosecution for perjury.

Affidavit to Request Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate: (See attached file: DOH-5000 DC Aff – Marriage FORM.pdf)

Mail-in Application for Copy of Marriage Certificate (doh-4382): (See attached file: Mail-in Marriage Certificate Application.pdf)

Please use this application only if the marriage license was issued in New York State outside of the five boroughs of New York City. Marriage records for licenses issued in New York City are not available through the New York State Department of Health.

If the marriage license was issued in one of the five boroughs of New York City, you can call the New York City Clerks office at (212) 669-8090 for information or visit their web page to download a form: http://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/

___________________________________

Grandparent’s or Great Grandparent's Death Record:

The applicant must include along with the application for a death certificate, a completed and notarized Affidavit to Request Certified Copy of Death Certificate, documentation demonstrating relationship and a copy of his or her identification.

NOTE: Submitting a false affidavit may result in prosecution for perjury.

Affidavit to Request Certified Copy of Death Certificate: (See attached file: DOH-5001 DC Aff – Death FORM.pdf)

Mail-in Application for Copy of Death Certificate (doh-4376): (See attached file: Mail-in Death Certificate Application.pdf)

Please use this application only if the death occurred in New York State outside of the five boroughs of New York City. If the death occurred in one of the five boroughs of New York City, you will need to apply to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as they are the custodians of New York City death records. You can find more information and an application on their web site at http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/home/home.shtml

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential or sensitive information which is, or may be, legally privileged or otherwise protected by law from further disclosure. It is intended only for the addressee. If you received this in error or from someone who was not authorized to send it to you, please do not distribute, copy or use it or any attachments. Please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete this from your system. Thank you for your cooperation.

Oct 302011
 

Poking around Italian Citizenship Message Board today and saw this: "They were both married in Pennsylvania, which does not record marriages at the state level. When we originally requested these certificates from the county courthouse, the county clerk ASSURED us that the marriage certificates provided to us were the only official record of marriage. As my husband feared, the certificates lacked certain information. The consular officer nearly laughed out loud when he saw how short they were. Specifically, he said that the certificates needed to show parent's names and information of any previous marriages (or a statement that there were none)."

I now realize that our marriage certificate is a "short form" from the City of Tonawanda. I need to apply for a long-form from NY State. Another $30.