According to general statistics, an estimated 60 million people outside of Italy can claim Italian ancestry by descent.
Italian Americans and those of Italian descent around the world have a unique and rich heritage. Now several generations past their immigrating ancestors, more and more Italian descendants want to learn about their ancestors’ lives and the families they left behind. Amongst this group are many who are seeking to reclaim the Italian citizenship of their ancestors. As researchers in Italian genealogy, we’ve found great satisfaction in reuniting descendants with the heritage and culture of their ancestors. Italians have played an integral part in all aspects of life here in the United States and around the world.
Lo Schiavo Genealogica, LLC can provide professional genealogical research services onsite anywhere in mainland Italy, Sicilia, or Sardinia. There are many Italian archives that are not accessible from a distance, especially if you want to research your ancestors before 1800.
Prices will vary depending on how extensive the research needs to be. You will receive a report, images of all documents found (if permitted by the archives), and any discussion necessary to understand the evidence found.
For genealogy research, our hourly fee is $125. The daily rate for in-Italy in-person research is $800.
Additionally, there will be new hourly groupings for research with a 10 hour minimum:
10 hours for $1,250
20 hours for $2,500
30 hours for $3,750
40 hours for $5,000
Retainer
Half of the approved research hours will be due upfront.
Research reports are not transmitted to the client until the final portion of the fee is paid (if not paid in advance).
SERVICES
Document Requests from Italian Archives
Requests to multiple offices or for more than two documents requested from the same office – a quote will be given depending on the specifics of the project. Some civil record offices or provincial archives charge per family member when preparing a State of the Family Certificate. These fees are not covered by the stated document fee and would be invoiced at the end of the project.
We are very experienced in acquiring documents that other genealogical providers are unable to find. We often receive requests to finding missing documents that other Italian dual citizenship, Italian research firms, or professional genealogists were unable to find. Research to find out why a record has not been found in your Italian town of origin, or to find where your ancestors originated, will be charged at the hourly rate listed above.
Occasionally, an office in Italy simply refuses to provide the requested document, despite our best efforts. This is the exception, rather than the rule. The document request fee would still apply because the work was still performed. We have a 99% success rate and will make every effort possible [through every repository the record may be held in] in order to acquire the necessary document.
Italian Document Translation Services
We would be glad to provide a free estimate of time needed and our rate. Please contact us!
Documents for citizenship are translated word-for-word, as required by Italian consulates. If you would like to see an example of one of these translations, please email us at the address above.
Documents for genealogical purposes – Most Italian civil and parish records follow a general format and do not take long to translate. Unless you request a word-for-word translation, we would provide a translated abstraction of all genealogically pertinent information. Formula wording is omitted to save the client time and money, unless necessary to understand the document within its social or historical context.
Mailing of Certified Documents Outside the U.S.
Mailing of certified Italian documents to a country outside of the U.S. can be very costly. The client would be responsible for the costs of mailing at the end of the project. Certified documents are sent in a manner which allows us to track the package, in case it does not arrive. This helps to assure that the document does not get lost.
Please contact us through the contact form. In order to accurately estimate time and expenses, we will need a detailed summary of your previous research and what your research goals are. For example, are you looking to find out who your great-grandparents were or would you like to trace your family back as far as records will allow? Would you like a specific record for use towards your dual citizenship application or want us to prepare your citizenship application?
You can provide this summary using the contact form, by email (Melanie@ItalyAncestry.com), or by postal mail. We will then evaluate the project, ask any questions necessary to understand your research goals, and prepare an initial research plan and estimate for you. Once a research plan is agreed upon and the retainer received, the research will begin. We look forward to working with you.
The owner of Lo Schiavo Genealogica, Melanie D. Holtz, is a professional genealogist with 20+ years of experience who specializes in Italian research and citizenship via jure sanguinis. As an Italian-American, she brings her love of family and her Italian ancestry to every research project. She understands what it means to find your ancestors and reconnect with lost parts of your history. This is why she chose to name her business after her immigrating ancestor, Antonio Lo Schiavo.
Melanie is also the author of “The Family Tree Italian Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Family Tree in Italy,” which can be purchased on our Resources Page. Lo Schiavo Genealogica is also a proud sponsor of Dream of Italy, a PBS travel series that also celebrates to love of Italy and Italian ancestry.
We look forward to working with you!
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Download our list of five Italian genealogical resources to use when doing your own research! For more tips and resources, purchase The Family Tree Italian Genealogy Guide – it is a complete and reference book to work on your Italian family tree. Want to learn how to research your Italian ancestors? Want to learn about the history of your ancestors, find out where they were born, and explore where they came from? Do you want to learn how to find the Italian documents you need for your citizenship application? All can be found in this book and more! Click here to get your copy.
