Dual Citizenship Services
Reclaiming Your Ancestry
Petitioning for and Obtaining Vital Records
Our Services Include:
- Filing petitions requesting release of deceased ancestors’ New York State birth certificates;
- Filing petitions requesting one and the same declarations;
- Filing petitions requesting amendments or corrections of certain vital documents;
- Requesting declaratory judgments with regard to missing New York State birth or marriage certificates;
- Requesting release of certified copies of judgments of divorce and certificates of non-appeal;
- Filing applications on behalf of clients to obtain US naturalization documents or “no record” letters from USCIS and NARA, Town, City or County Clerks;
- Preparing forms to order marriage and death records;
- Obtaining genealogical copies of vital records;
- Filing name change petitions to reclaim the family’s original surname
Did your family’s name change over the years and you would like to reclaim it?
Send Us a Message
Caterina Ranieri and her great team helped us with obtaining records required for Italian Dual Citizenship from the State of NY that could only be obtained with a court order. What seems like a simple request was more complicated than it appears on the surface. Her legal advice and guidance through the process were extremely helpful in getting the outcome we needed. Her team was always great with responding to questions along the process. We feel that we were very fortunate to have found Caterina and highly recommend her services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dual Citizenship Services
We are a New York State law office and our legal advice Is limited to New York State laws and United States Federal laws. To determine if you qualify for dual citizenship, we suggest you check with the rules of the country with which you seek dual citizenship.
You should check the rules of the country with which you are seeking citizenship to help you determine if you qualify. Once you know you are eligible and you know which documents you need, please contact our office to set up an appointment. If legal action is required to obtain certain documents, we will so advise you.
A petition filed with the appropriate court can take anywhere from 3 months to 6+ months. The time it takes is dependent on the scope of work and the Judge’s caseload.
Our office engages in litigation with various New York State agencies, which has become increasingly more difficult in recent years. If you are looking for a “quick fix” or a fast resolution when it comes to litigation, we may not be the office for you. Litigation is a serious endeavor with risks involved. We do our best to manage those risks.
If the Court agrees with the relief you are seeking, the Court will sign the order which will direct how the relief will be granted. For example, if the Court agrees with your request and it signs the order directing the release of an ancestor’s birth certificate, we will then have a certified copy of the order sent to you. Once you receive the certified order, you will mail the certified order, the order form, payment, and identification to the appropriate agency.
The same holds true for amendment requests where the Court directs the amendment of certain vital documents.
If the Court enters a declaration regarding the identity of your ancestors, we will have certified copy of the order mailed to you which you can then have an Apostille placed on the order by the New York State Department of State.
Litigation is a serious matter in New York State. We engage in litigation on a regular basis with various local and state agencies. It requires a significant financial investment on the part of our clients. If you are not prepared to make this investment, we may not be the right firm for you.
Petitions which request the release of deceased ancestors’ New York State birth certificates start at $2,250. Legal fees for petitions that request one and the same declarations or correction of vital documents start at $4,950 and increase based on the number of ancestors whose identities need to be addressed or number of documents that need to be corrected.
