# Adoption Paperwork



## maddaston (Jun 26, 2014)

Thank you for all the help regarding Divorce Paperwork in petitioning for citizenship. MY next question is in regards to my son. I adopted him legally two years ago and his birth certificate lists me as his father. The dates do not necessarily add up, so I am asking if I need to include his adoption order in the application or is the Birth Certificate all that is needed?

Thanks.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

What do you mean by "the dates do not necessarily add up"?

Assuming he's a minor (under age 18) on the date you have your citizenship recognition appointment, yes, you'd supply the adoption order, too. (With apostille and translation of course.)

If he has reached his 18th birthday _you_ wouldn't supply either at your appointment. He'd have to apply for his own citizenship recognition. If he lives in the same jurisdiction then you can have a joint appointment.


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## maddaston (Jun 26, 2014)

By the "Dates not matching", I mean his mother and I got together after he was born. So, our wedding date is after his birth. But I am shown as his father on his Birth Certificate., the same as his siblings, whom I am the natural father. Is the Court Order needed in this case then?


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

There's no requirement in Italian citizenship law that parents marry before their child is born -- or that they marry at all. There is no "mismatch" in those dates.

You are legally _obliged_ to report the adoption of your minor child as such, so yes, you would submit the court order along with his birth certificate, suitably prepared (apostilled and translated, long forms). Your consulate might even have a "register a child's adoption" form (in Italian) with instructions on their Web site that you can use, or you can ask the consulate for the same. You should not have to travel to the consulate -- you should be able to send the documents (suitably prepared) and form in by mail. (In the U.S. certified mail or Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation work well and are inexpensive. It doesn't need to be an express service.) You would only need to travel to the consulate if/when you'd like your child to have an Italian passport, though there's no legal requirement to obtain a passport for him unless he needs one for some passport purpose, e.g. travel to Italy.

Note that you would be dealing with the consulate having jurisdiction over the place of the event (the adoption). That may or may not be the consulate having jurisdiction over the place you currently reside. If these are two different consulates then I'd just make sure he's also registered in AIRE (the registry of Italian citizens overseas) via your local consulate after you've handled the paperwork with the other.

Again I'm assuming he is a minor. If he is not, he assumed the responsibility at age 18, and he will blame you for costing him an extra 300 euro.  (Adults now have to pay 300 euro to apply for citizenship recognition.)


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