Italian Consulate General in Los Angeles
About the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles
Italy's consular office for Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico — with a notably permissive translation policy.
The Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles — Consolato Generale d'Italia a Los Angeles — is one of nine career Italian consulates in the United States.[1] It provides consular services to Italian citizens and residents of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico — a jurisdiction unique in its county-level boundary within California.[2]
California is split between two Italian consulates: Los Angeles covers the southern counties — San Luis Obispo, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, and Orange — while Northern California is served by the Consulate General in San Francisco. This county-level split is unique among U.S. Italian consulates, where most jurisdictions follow state lines.[2]
The Consul General, Raffaella Valentini, assumed her post in Los Angeles in March 2023.[3] The consulate relocated to its current address at 12424 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1400 in September 2023. Previously, the consulate was at 1900 Avenue of the Stars in Century City (2012–2023) and before that at the adjacent 12400 Wilshire Boulevard in Brentwood (1992–2012).[4]
Los Angeles has one of the most explicit translation policies among U.S. Italian consulates: the consulate states that translations do not need to be done by an official translator — "Non è obbligatorio che le traduzioni vengano effettuate da un traduttore ufficiale."[5] This makes it notably more permissive than consulates that require or strongly recommend certified translators.
The consulate handles citizens' services for Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C. handles diplomatic relations with the U.S. federal government and consular services for DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Outside business hours, Italian citizens facing a consular emergency can call +1 (310) 433-5422. Available weekdays 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM and weekends/holidays 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM. After 10:00 PM, call MAECI Rome at +39 06 36912666. This number is reserved for proven emergencies only.[6]
The general operator line is available Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM. Individual departments answer calls 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Monday–Friday (except Wednesdays). Always verify your appointment day and time on Prenot@mi.[7]
Consular jurisdiction: Southern California, Nevada, Arizona & New Mexico
The Los Angeles consulate serves Southern California (10 counties), plus the entire states of Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles serves Southern California (10 counties), plus the entire territory of Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. It is the only Italian consulate in the U.S. with a county-level jurisdiction boundary within a state.[2]
| State | Scope | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Southern California (S. CA) | selected | San Luis Obispo, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, Orange |
| Nevada (NV) | Entire territory | — |
| Arizona (AZ) | Entire territory | — |
| New Mexico (NM) | Entire territory | — |
If you live in Northern California (any county not listed above), your consulate is the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco. Prenot@mi enforces jurisdiction by address — booking an appointment at the wrong consulate will cause the appointment to be rejected.
Consular services
Vital records (Stato Civile)
Transcription of U.S. vital records (births, marriages, deaths, divorces, civil unions) into Italian municipal registries. Marriage publications, adoptions, and name/surname changes. Processing time is 30 days from receipt — the consulate transmits the act to the Italian municipality for transcription. Transcription itself is free of charge; only apostille and translation carry costs. Los Angeles has one of the most explicit translation policies among U.S. consulates: translations do not need to be done by an official translator — "Non è obbligatorio che le traduzioni vengano effettuate da un traduttore ufficiale."[5] U.S. vital records must be translated into Italian before submission — Partenza provides professional translations of U.S. birth, marriage, and death certificates formatted for consular transcription.
Citizenship (Cittadinanza)
Italian citizenship applications by descent (jure sanguinis), by marriage, and by residence; citizenship declarations (Art. 4A); citizenship certificates (Art. 4B). The statutory processing time is 730 days (approximately 2 years) from receipt of a complete file. Jure sanguinis appointments typically have the longest backlogs (1–6 years). Law 74/2025 (effective 24 May 2025) introduced new limits to generational transmission: persons born abroad with another citizenship no longer automatically inherit Italian citizenship unless a parent or grandparent was exclusively Italian at death, or a parent resided in Italy for at least 2 consecutive years post-naturalization.[8][9] Every U.S. vital record submitted with a jure sanguinis application requires certified Italian translation — see Partenza for vital records translation formatted for consular submission.
Notarial & legal (Notarile)
Public acts, wills (public, secret, or holographic), private deed authentication, powers of attorney, legalizations, and succession-related formalities. Processing time is 60 days for notarial acts and legalizations. Available only to Italian citizens living abroad. Appointment required. Payment by money order or cashier's check payable to "Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles."
Passports & CIE (Passaporti)
Italian passport issuance and renewal for adults and minors under 18, Electronic ID cards (CIE), and emergency travel documents (ETD). Passports are valid 10 years; processing time is 15 days from receipt (extendable by 15 days if further verification is needed). Book via Prenot@mi no earlier than 6 months before expiration.[10]
AIRE registry (Anagrafe)
Registration of Italian citizens residing abroad in the AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero) database. Mandatory within 90 days of moving abroad for stays over 12 months. The consulate transmits the registration to the Italian municipality within 180 days of receipt. Since 1 Jan 2024, non-registration carries fines of €200–€1,000 per year (up to 5 years).[11]
Visas (Visti)
Visa applications for non-Italian citizens travelling or relocating to Italy: Schengen short-stay visas (processing 15 days, extendable to 45), national type-D long-stay visas (90 days, 120 for self-employment, 30 for family reunification), and student visas. U.S. citizens do NOT need a visa for stays up to 90 days. Type D applicants are fingerprinted on-site (mandatory since 11 Jan 2025).[12] Payment: money order or cashier's check payable to "Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles" — no cash, no cards.
Booking an appointment
All consular services require an appointment booked via the official Prenot@mi portal.
Current fees
Q2 2026 (April 1 – June 30, 2026) · EUR 1 = USD 1.1718
| Service | Art. | EUR | USD (MO/check) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary passport | Art. 27 (A+B) | €116.20 | $136.30 |
| 16-page passport booklet | Libretto 16 pp. | €5.20 | $6.10 |
| Passport duplicate/re-issue | Art. 19 | €20.00 | $23.50 |
| Passport collective (family) | Art. 74 | €50.00 | $58.60 |
| Emergency travel document | E.T.D. | €1.55 | $1.90 |
| CIE first issue | Art. 28C (A+B) | €21.95 | $25.80 |
| CIE duplicate | Art. 28D (C+D) | €27.11 | $31.80 |
| Schengen visa | Schengen | €90.00 | $105.50 |
| Schengen visa (minors 6–12) | Schengen 6-12 | €45.00 | $52.80 |
| National visa type D | Naz. tipo D | €116.00 | $136.00 |
| National student visa | Naz. studio | €50.00 | $58.60 |
| Citizenship (marriage/residence) | Art. 07B | €600.00 | $703.10 |
| Citizenship (descent — jure sanguinis) | Art. 07C | €250.00 | $293.00 |
| Citizenship certificate | Art. 4B | €50.00 | $58.60 |
| Citizenship declaration | Art. 4A | €11.00 | $12.90 |
| Certificate/extract | Art. 7 | €12.00 | $14.10 |
| Authentication | Art. 24 | €20.00 | $23.50 |
| Notarial act (simple) | Art. 65 | €66.00 | $77.40 |
| Notarial act (complex) | Art. 17A | €90.00 | $105.50 |
| Power of attorney | Art. 18A | €60.00 | $70.40 |
| Translation conformity (per page) | Art. 72A | €13.00 | $15.30 |
| Translation conformity (complex) | Art. 72C | €20.00 | $23.50 |
Apostille authorities
| Jurisdiction | Issuing authority | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| California | California Secretary of State — Sacramento office handles mail requests. Los Angeles Ronald Reagan Building offers same-day in-person processing. | $20 per document (+$6 special handling for in-person) |
| Nevada | Nevada Secretary of State | $20 per document |
| Arizona | Arizona Secretary of State | $3 per document ($25 expedite fee for walk-in) |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Secretary of State | $3 per document |
| Federal (U.S. Department of State) | U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications — Required for federal documents (FBI background checks, USCIS records, IRS documents, etc.) — state apostilles do NOT apply. | $20 per document |
Frequently asked questions
- Which areas does the Los Angeles consulate serve?
- Southern California (San Luis Obispo, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, and Orange counties), plus the entire states of Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. Northern California is served by the San Francisco consulate.
- How do I book an appointment?
- All appointments are booked online via prenotami.esteri.it.[13] Create a free account, select "Los Angeles," choose your service type, and book the first available slot.
- How long are appointment wait times?
- Wait times vary by service type and season. Passport renewals and AIRE registrations typically have shorter waits (weeks to a few months). Citizenship (jure sanguinis) appointments can carry multi-year backlogs at some U.S. consulates. Check live availability on Prenot@mi for your specific service.[13]
- Do I need to confirm my Prenot@mi appointment?
- Yes. You must confirm your appointment on the Prenot@mi portal between 10 and 3 days before the scheduled date. Without confirmation, the system automatically cancels the reservation. Log into Prenot@mi, select I miei appuntamenti, click the appointment, and check the confirmation box.
- Can I use a third-party service to book an appointment faster?
- No. Do not use paid booking agents or third-party services. Reservations made by third parties are refused without notice, and fraudulent slot captures risk Prenot@mi access being blocked.[14] Book directly at prenotami.esteri.it.
- What are the consulate's office hours?
- The general operator line is available Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM. Individual departments answer calls 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Monday–Friday (except Wednesdays). Always verify your appointment day and time on Prenot@mi.[7]
- How long does the citizenship application take to process?
- The statutory processing time is 730 days (approximately 2 years) from receipt of a complete file. Complex cases may take longer.
- How did Law 74/2025 change Italian citizenship by descent?
- Legge n. 74 of 23 May 2025 modified Italy's 1992 citizenship law.[8] Persons born abroad with another citizenship no longer automatically inherit Italian citizenship. Jure sanguinis is now recognized only if: (1) a parent or grandparent possessed exclusively Italian citizenship at death, OR (2) a parent resided in Italy for at least 2 consecutive years after acquiring Italian citizenship.[9] Applications confirmed before 27 March 2025 are grandfathered.
- Do my document translations need to be done by an official translator?
- The Los Angeles consulate explicitly states that translations do not need to be done by an official translator — "Non è obbligatorio che le traduzioni vengano effettuate da un traduttore ufficiale."[5] This is one of the most permissive translation policies among U.S. Italian consulates. Partenza provides professional English-to-Italian translation formatted for consular submission.
- What forms of payment are accepted?
- Money order or cashier's check payable to "Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles." Separate money orders required for each applicant. No cash, no debit cards, no credit cards, no personal checks.[15]
- Do I need to register with AIRE?
- If you are an Italian citizen living in Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, or New Mexico and expect to stay more than 12 months, yes — AIRE registration is mandatory within 90 days of moving abroad. Since 1 Jan 2024, non-registration carries fines of €200–€1,000 per year.[11]
- Do U.S. citizens need a visa to travel to Italy?
- No. U.S. citizens do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days. For longer stays, a National Visa (Type D) is required.[16]
- Who is the current Consul General?
- Raffaella Valentini, who assumed her post in Los Angeles in March 2023.[3]
Sources
Information on this page is verified against official Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI) sources.
- Italian Missions Abroad — Italian diplomatic network — esteri.it
- Consular network — jurisdiction (Southern CA, NV, AZ, NM) — conslosangeles.esteri.it
- The Consul General — Raffaella Valentini — conslosangeles.esteri.it
- 12424 Wilshire Boulevard — Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles — conslosangeles.esteri.it
- Translation policy — Los Angeles Consulate (traduzione e legalizzazione) — conslosangeles.esteri.it
- Emergency contacts — Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles — conslosangeles.esteri.it
- Contacts — Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles — conslosangeles.esteri.it
- Legge 23 maggio 2025, n. 74 — conversione del DL 36/2025 sulla cittadinanza — Normattiva — Portale della legislazione vigente
- Citizenship by descent — new rules (Law 74/2025) — Italian Consulate General (English explainer)
- Passports — Los Angeles Consulate — conslosangeles.esteri.it
- Legge 30 dicembre 2023, n. 213 — sanzioni mancata iscrizione AIRE — Normattiva — Portale della legislazione vigente
- Italian Decree-Law No. 145 (11 October 2024) — entry provisions including visa biometrics — Normattiva — Portale della legislazione vigente
- Prenot@mi — Official appointment portal — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- New measures against unauthorized intermediaries on Prenot@mi — Italian Consulate General in Rosario (MAECI network policy)
- Consular fee table — Q2 2026 (estratto tabella diritti consolari) — conslosangeles.esteri.it
- Visas — Los Angeles Consulate — conslosangeles.esteri.it
Last verified: