If you have an Italian birth certificate and need it in English for use in the UK, you are probably wondering one thing: how does this actually work? The good news is that it is a simple, clear process. You just need to follow the right steps and watch out for a few Italian-specific details.

This guide takes you through the full process, step by step, so your atto di nascita is translated correctly and accepted the first time.

Step 1: Find out which Italian certificate you have

Before anything else, check what type of document you are holding. Italy issues birth records in more than one form, and the type changes what your translation will look like:

  • Certificato di nascita — a simple birth certificate with the basic facts.
  • Estratto di nascita — a short extract.
  • Estratto di nascita per riassunto — a summary extract, often with extra notes.
  • Copia integrale dell’atto di nascita — the full, long-form copy that records everything.

Why does this matter? Because the copia integrale is the longest and includes margin notes (called annotazioni) — things like marriages, name changes, or citizenship notes added later. These notes must be translated too. People often forget them, and that missing part is exactly what a UK caseworker looks for.

So your first step is simple: look at your document, and if you are not sure which type it is, don’t worry — we will know from the scan.

Step 2: Take a clear scan or photo of the whole document

Once you know what you have, take a clear, full-colour scan or photo of the entire certificate.

Make sure these are easy to read:

  • All names and dates
  • The official Comune stamp (the town hall seal)
  • Any signature from the registrar or mayor
  • All margin notes, if you have the long-form copy

If part of the document is cut off or blurry, that part may be missed in the translation. For the long-form copia integrale, double-check that every side note is visible in your scan.

Step 3: Send your document to us and get a free quote

Now you actually send it across — and this part is easy, with no long forms and no account to create.

You can send your scan or photo in one of two ways:

  • Upload it directly through our website using the quote form, or
  • Email it to us as an attachment.

Once we have your document, we review it and send you a free, no-obligation quote. This tells you the exact price and the turnaround time before you commit to anything. The price depends on the length of your certificate (a short estratto costs less than a full copia integrale) and how quickly you need it.

You don’t pay anything to get this quote. You only move forward if you are happy with it.

Step 4: Confirm your name spelling and your purpose

When you send your document, also tell us two quick things so we get it right the first time.

First, your name spelling. Italian names are usually straightforward, but confirm:

  • Accented letters (à, è, ì, ò, ù) should be kept, not dropped.
  • Some people have double surnames, or the mother’s maiden name listed separately.

The key rule: the names in your translation must match your passport exactly. If your passport spells your name a certain way, the translation follows it.

Second, what it’s for. Tell us the purpose (passport, citizenship, university, visa), because it can affect the format and whether you need a posted copy.

Step 5: Make sure you are translating in the right direction

This step saves people from paying for the wrong job, so don’t skip it.

This process is for translating an Italian document into English for use in the UK.

But sometimes it is the opposite. If you were born in the UK and an Italian authority needs your UK birth certificate in Italian (for example, an Italian consulate registration called a trascrizione), that is a completely different job. That one goes the other way and is handled through our English to Italian birth certificate translation service.

So before you confirm, be clear: is your document Italian (needs English), or English (needs Italian)?

Step 6: We translate and certify it for the UK

Once you approve the quote and complete the secure online payment, the translation begins.

For the UK, it is done as a certified translation — not just a plain one. That means your finished document includes:

  • A signed statement that it is a true and accurate translation
  • The translator’s name and company details
  • The date of the translation
  • A layout that matches the original, with the Comune stamp, signature, and margin notes all translated

This is the format UK authorities expect — the Home Office, HM Passport Office, universities, and register offices. A normal translation without this certification is usually sent back.

This is exactly what we do. Our certified birth certificate translation service returns your Italian document in clean English, laid out like the original, with nothing skipped.

Step 7: Receive your finished translation

The final step is getting your document back, in the format that suits you:

  • A certified PDF by email — enough for most online UK applications.
  • A posted paper copy — useful if a solicitor, registrar, or caseworker asks for a physical document.
  • Both, if you are not sure.

A simple tip: ask the office that wants your document which format they need before you order, so you only pay for what is required.

If you ever need extra certified copies later, just ask — your translation is stored securely, so re-ordering is quick.

Quick recap of the process

Here is the whole process in one glance:

  1. Check which Italian certificate you have.
  2. Scan the full document clearly.
  3. Send it (upload or email) and get a free quote.
  4. Confirm your name spelling and purpose.
  5. Check the direction (Italian → English).
  6. Approve and pay, then we translate and certify it.
  7. Receive your certified PDF and/or posted copy.

Start your Italian translation

Done properly, an Italian birth certificate translation is usually ready within 24–48 hours, with urgent options if you are on a deadline. The whole process really comes down to the detail — the right document type, the Comune stamp, the margin notes, and matching names.

Send us your document and we will take it from there. You can hire a translator here, and we will confirm the price and timeline before any work begins.

New to all of this? Our short read on whether you can translate your own birth certificate explains why it has to be done by an independent translator.