Two countries
Apostille from Italy to United States
At a glance
Can a document from Italy be used in the United States?
| Result | Apostille applies. |
|---|---|
| Italy | Uses apostilles member since 1 |
| United States | Uses apostilles member since 1 |
| Apostille issued by | Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court (Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale) of the district where the document was issued2 Prefecture, Territorial Government Office (Prefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo) with territorial competence2 |
| Fee in Italy | No fee, according to the office (apostilles from the Public Prosecutor's Office in Udine)3 €16 (stamp duty (marca da bollo) at the Prefecture of Ferrara, only for documents subject to stamp duty)4 |
| Processing time in Italy | Varies by office; the Public Prosecutor's Office in Udine says documents are returned within a few days of submission3 |
| Last checked |
Step by step
How to get a document from Italy ready for the United States
- Find the office for the area where the document was issued: the Public Prosecutor's Office for judicial and notarial documents, or the Prefecture for other administrative documents.2
- Check whether that office needs an appointment; for example, the Public Prosecutor's Office in Turin only takes apostille requests by appointment, booked by email at segreteriacivile.procura.torino@giustizia.it.5
- Hand in the document to be apostilled, with any attachments, at the office.5
- Collect the document when it is ready.3
- Give the document, with its apostille or legalisation, to the office in the United States that asked for it.
Situations
When the answer changes
- Private documents.A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public, and the apostille then goes on the notary’s certificate. A copy of a public document from another country is first certified by a notary public, then apostilled.
- The other direction. For a document from the United States used in Italy, the apostille or legalisation starts in the United States. Apostille from United States to Italy
Note: What the apostille confirms
An apostille only confirms the signature, the role of the person who signed and any seal or stamp on the document. It does not confirm what the document says. The office that receives the document decides what it accepts.
Questions
Questions about documents from Italy for the United States
Is an apostille from Italy accepted in the United States?
Yes. An apostille from Italy is enough for the United States: both are members of the Apostille Convention (Italy since 11 February 1978, the United States since 15 October 1981). The apostille is issued in Italy by Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of the district where the document was issued and 1 other office. The office in Italy states that it charges no fee. Last checked 18 October 2026 against the HCCH status table.
Who issues the apostille for a document from Italy?
Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court (Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale) of the district where the document was issued and Prefecture, Territorial Government Office (Prefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo) with territorial competence. The apostille is always issued in the country the document comes from, not in the United States.
How much does the apostille cost in Italy?
The office in Italy states that it charges no fee. Fees can change, so check the office's own page before you apply.
Do I need to notarise a private document first?
Yes. A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public in Italy. The apostille then goes on the notary's certificate.
Does the United States also need a translation?
The office in the United States that receives the document decides. Ask it before you start whether it needs a translation, and whether the translation needs its own certification.
Sources and verification
Sources
- HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)
- Italy - Competent Authority (Art. 6)
- Apostille e legalizzazioni - Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Udine
- Legalizzazione documenti new - Prefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo di Ferrara
- Legalizzazione apostille - Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Torino
- Legalizzazioni ed apostille - Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Bologna
- Legalizzazione documenti - Prefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo di Roma
- Legalizzazione Apostille - Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Taranto
- Implementation Chart of the e-APP
- United States of America - Competent Authority (Art. 6)
- Requesting Authentication Services
- Request for Authentications Service (DS-4194)
- Status
- Last verified: (18 October 2026)
- How it was checked
- Checked by our team against the sources above
- Next review
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