|
Death of a U.S. Citizen in Italy
General information is available on the "Death Notification" webpage on the "travel.state.gov" website.
Procedures in Italy
WHAT HAPPENS FIRST. Under Italian law 24 hours must pass from the time of death before the remains can be prepared for burial or shipment. Generally, an autopsy is performed unless death occurs in a hospital.
DEATH CERTIFICATE. A death certificate is required for burial in Italy or transport of the remains. A local funeral agent should be contacted as soon as possible and given the death certificate (see Funeral Homes in Rome). Although the agent cannot work on the remains for 24 hours, the agent can provide guidance and can prepare the necessary Italian documents.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS. In order to obtain the required documents and assist with burial and transport, the funeral agent must have the death and identity information of the deceased. A permit must be obtained from the Comune and the Prefettura before the remains can be moved.
HOW LONG DOES THIS PROCESS TAKE? Under ideal circumstances burial locally can take place within 48 hours, however, it generally takes 4 to 7 days to arrange shipment outside of Italy.
MAXIMUM PERIOD BEFORE BURIAL. Although Italian law does not provide a specific maximum time before burial, a decision regarding the disposition of remains must usually be made within 48 hours of the death.
EMBALMING. The embalming and cosmetic preparation of the deceased is not normally available in Italy, but may be obtained under special circumstances and must be performed by an authorized physician or technician.
CREMATION: An authorization is required for cremation in Italy. The Consular Section of the American Embassy will issue the required statement if there is evidence that the deceased's wish was to have his remains cremated, or, in the absence of such evidence, if authorization is received from the deceased's next-of-kin. A delay of several weeks for the local funeral agency to obtain ashes from the crematorium is not unusual.
CASKET AND CONTAINERS. Different types of caskets are available in Rome and other large cities. For shipment abroad, Italian law requires the treatment of the remains to prevent decomposition. They must also be placed in a zinc container whose lid has been hermetically sealed. The metal container must be enclosed in a solid hardwood case suitable for transportation.
EXPORTATION OF REMAINS. The same documents are required to ship either bodies or ashes and are usually obtained by the funeral agency.
EXHUMATION AND SHIPMENT. Exhumation of interred remains is permitted any time after burial during the winter months (October-April) and under the supervision of the city health officer in compliance with municipal regulations. Exhumed remains can be exported following the same procedures outlined above.
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE AMERICAN EMBASSY OR CONSULATES. In order for the American Embassy or Consulate to issue an official death certificate or assist in the export of the remains to the U.S., the next of kin must provide the following questionnaire in English, or in Italian. This questionnaire must be returned to the American Citizen Services section of the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Mailing address and fax numbers are available on the "Contact Information" webpage. To open these files, Adobe Acrobat must be installed on your computer. You can download the free Adobe Reader software from Adobe.
Funeral Homes in Italy
For your convenience the following is a list of funeral homes throughout Italy you may consult.
Although this list is provided as a service to the public, the Embassy and Consulates cannot accept any responsibility for the funeral homes listed below, for the services provided by them or for the fees charged.
ROME CONSULAR DISTRICT
ARMANDO ZEGA & CO.
Viale Regina Margherita 233/A
00187 Rome
Tel: 06-4696 or 06-4423-1410
Fax: 06-440-3044
Cell: 347-2227-678
e-mail: armandozega@inwind.it
ROBERTO ZEGA FUNERAL HOME
Via Clelia 26
00181 Rome
Tel: 06-784-0300
Fax: 06-780-2488
e-mail: publicrelation@zega.it
website: www.zega.it
MASSIMO BOUSQUET & CO.
(also for Jewish services)
Via R. Lanciani 65
00162 Rome
Tel: 06-8632-2283
Fax: 06-8632-0270
e-mail: bousquet1917@tiscali.it
website: www.bousquet.it
MILAN CONSULAR DISTRICT
(*) An asterisk indicates those companies where some English is spoken.
POMPE FUNEBRI GENERALI (*)
Via Ceresio 3
20154 Milan
Tel: 02-341-898
ONORANZE FUNEBRI MISMIRIGO
Via Trieste 12
Gallarate (near Malpensa Airport)
21013 Gallarate
Tel: 0331-796-062 - fax 0331-794-073 - www.mismirigo.it
IMPRESA RALLO (*)
Via Circonvallazione 49
30174 Venezia Mestre
Tel: 041-972-136
IMPRESA ZIMOLO
Via Torrebianca 28
34122 Trieste
Tel: 040-630-126 - www.zimolo.it
PADOVAN (Contractor fot the Vicenza US Army Base) (*)
Viale Rodolfi 34
36100 Vicenza
Tel: 0444-928-420
Fax: 0444-928-419 - www.padovan.it
PROSDOCIMO (Contractor fot the Aviano US Air Force Base) (*)
Via Ellero 5
33081 Aviano
Tel: 0434-652-277
Fax: 0434-660-890 - www.prosdocimomario.it
CAMPIRIO & MANGINI
Via Dante 2
16121 Genova
Tel: 010-581-581, email: campiriomangini@fastwebnet.it
AGENZIA FRANCIONI
Piazza Sardi 12
18038 Sanremo
Tel: 018-4500-400
IMPRESA GENTA
Via Barbaroux 46
10122 Torino
Tel: 011-546-018 - www.genta1848.it
ONORANZE FUNEBRI BRIGNOLA
Piazza Cadorna 33
28838 Stresa
Tel: 032-330-098
ONORANZE FUNEBRI CAMANDONA
Corso Battaglione Aosta 3
11100 Aosta
Tel: 016-523-8823
FLORENCE CONSULAR DISTRICT
OFISA
Viale Milton 89/91
Florence
Tel: 055-489-802
(Fabrizio Bonini)
CEAF
Via Doni 41/r
Florence
Tel: 055-658-0040
(Carlo Parduccizzi)
E. NANNONI
Via Sardegna 35
Siena
Tel: 0577-280-963
(Claudio and Marcello Nannoni)
G. ROFFI
Via G. Verdi 67/69
Livorno
Tel: 0586-897-332
(Umberto Gherardini)
LA TORRE
Via Cataneo 65
Pisa
Tel: 050-2207-000
(Sig. Zanghelli)
P.A.F.
Via del Cimitero 10
Massa
Tel: 0585-488-518
(Giovanni Salvatori)
BABANINI
Via Gioberti 15/17
Orbetello (Grosseto)
Tel: 0564-860-401
(Nello Babanini)
ISIDE
Via S. Eufemia 32
Modena
Tel: 059-217-223
(Stefano Merighi)
CAV
Via Giuseppe Petroni 18/20
Bologna
Tel: 051-228-622
(Oreste Golfiero)
MISERICORDIA
Via Garibaldi 143
Arezzo
Tel: 0575-24242
(Roberto Casini)
PAZZI
Via Fossato di Mortara 33/A
Ferrara
Tel: 0532-206-209
(Sig. Pazzi)
LIBICI
Via Flaminia 114
Rimini
Tel: 0541-392-666
(Giuliano Libici )
NAPLES CONSULAR DISTRICT
For information on funeral homes within the Naples jurisdiction, please contact the American Citizen Services section in Naples directly.
|
