Italian law stipulates a maximum period of 180 days for the transcription of civil status documents. In Rome, however, people of Italian descent report waiting times exceeding two years, even after court decisions recognizing Italian citizenship, in addition to a lack of response to emails and PECs (electronic tax documents) from the comune (municipality).
During the association's live stream Natitaliani This week, the head of the Civil State of Rome, Francesca BarbantiShe explained the legal deadlines and acknowledged structural difficulties in the process. She is also a member of the organization created to defend the interests of Italian descendants.
“The transcription procedure is an administrative procedure, therefore the reference law is Law 241 of 1990 and its subsequent amendments,” she stated. According to her, the deadlines are 30 days, which can reach 90 days or, in exceptional cases, 180 days.
"I don't remember exactly offhand, but this law establishes legal deadlines of 30 days, which can reach 90 days in specific situations. There are also exceptions that must be justified by authorized regulations, which cannot exceed 180 days," he said.
Function of transcription
Barbanti said that the transcription is the act that guarantees the legal existence of the Italian citizen in the country. "This must be done according to the civil law system, because that's how we make the person who was born abroad legally exist within the Italian legal order," he said.
Without the transcript, it is not possible to obtain documents such as a passport and identity card.
Administrative silence
The lack of response from management appears to be one of the main complaints.
“The serious problem that happens with many […] is the silence, that is, the simple lack of transcription,” the moderator reminded.
According to Barbanti, when there is a refusal, it must be formalized. "The refusal must always be in writing and justified […] the only means of defense is to appeal to the judge," he said.
In practice, however, reports indicate that in many cases in Rome, there is no formal refusal, but rather an absence of response.
Given this situation, applicants are turning to the courts to try to unblock the proceedings.
Lack of structure
Barbanti attributed the delays to staff shortages and the need for more training. "The solutions are more training, as well as, obviously, increasing the number of employees," she stated. She also highlighted the small size of the team. "Here in Rome, there are five of us in total," she said.
The analysis of foreign documents was also cited as a factor of difficulty. "When it comes to foreign countries, this is viewed with considerable apprehension," he stated.
According to a survey released by the Italianism in July 2025there were approximately 120 certificates pending transcription in the municipality of Rome..
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