Quick answer
Floridians with family property in Italy often face a notaio deed signed with cousins in Italy: selling the family house, dividing an inheritance, or accepting or renouncing it. One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- You, the principal, sign before a Florida notary, who takes your acknowledgment, together with two subscribing witnesses…
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Apostille only — Hague member since 1978
- Online notarization
- Available as an add-on
- Consulate serving Florida
- Consulate General of Italy in Miami
- Translation
- Italian offices need an official Italian translation of English records, and the Miami consulate states that it does not translate documents.
How a Florida power of attorney is used in Italy
Floridians with family property in Italy often face a notaio deed signed with cousins in Italy: selling the family house, dividing an inheritance, or accepting or renouncing it. If you won't travel, you sign a procura, and the notaio usually sends a bilingual text with exactly the powers needed. Sign it before a Florida notary with a complete certificate, and we apostille it; the Italian consulate can also prepare one. The notaio will want an Italian translation if the procura isn't bilingual. Online notarization costs $40 for the first document ($10 notarization + $30 platform fee).
Getting a power of attorney Florida will apostille
Signed by the principal and two subscribing witnesses, with a complete Florida acknowledgment certificate in English (venue, presence or online box, date, ID type, notary's signature and seal). The body can be bilingual or in the destination language. The state checks the notarization, not the powers granted, so have the foreign lawyer or notary approve the wording before you sign.
Get the draft from the foreign lawyer, notary or bank that will use it, then sign before a Florida notary in person or through our online notarization add-on: $40 for the first document ($10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee) and $20 for each additional document. Remote witnesses must be physically in the U.S. while witnessing. Notarization and legal drafting are not included in our $220.
State fee for this document: $10 — included in our price. Full details on the power of attorney apostille page.
Who receives it in Italy — and translation
The Consulate General of Italy in Miami handles citizenship by descent and transcription of Florida births, marriages and divorces into the comune's civil records; applicants must live in its district. Citizenship by marriage is filed online with the Ministry of the Interior. Italian notai use powers of attorney and handle property and inheritances, the Agenzia delle Entrate receives inheritance declarations, and universities and CIMEA assess foreign degrees. Since Law 74/2025, citizenship-by-descent applications filed after March 27, 2025 face much narrower eligibility — confirm you qualify before preparing documents.
Italian offices need an official Italian translation of English records, and the Miami consulate states that it does not translate documents. Our general rule is a translation certified by the translator, notarized by a separate Florida notary and apostilled; ask the consulate whether it accepts that format or certifies translations itself. Courts and some comuni in Italy may instead require a translation sworn before an Italian court (asseverata). Translate after the apostille, including the apostille page.
Criminal-record certificates for citizenship by marriage are valid for six months from issue and must still be valid when you file. For descent files, the consulate wants every document in original in one complete submission, so order fresh vital records close to your appointment.
Consular office serving Florida: Consulate General of Italy in Miami.
Four steps, one week
Order online
Pick the document and destination country on the order form and pay by card. After we review your documents, FedEx emails you a prepaid label.
Send it — or sign online
Drop the envelope at any FedEx location. Not signed yet? Add online notarization and there is nothing to ship.
We file in person
We review it, then walk it to the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee for the apostille.
Returned to you
Back in 5–7 business days — anywhere in the U.S., or abroad for a flat $100.
Why power of attorneys get rejected
- Notarized in another state
- Missing witnesses or an incomplete acknowledgment certificate
- Translator also acted as the notary
- Wording rejected by the foreign notary even though the apostille is valid
What it costs for Italy
$220 per document, $380 for two and $160 each for three or more — the state fee, request form, in-person filing in Tallahassee and FedEx shipping inside the U.S. are included. Shipping the finished apostille to Italy is a flat $100 per order.
Not included: whatever the issuing office charges for the certified copy or certificate, and notarization (online notarization is $40 for the first document — $10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee — and $20 for each additional one).
