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Declaration of Value for School Titles, Diplomas, Degrees


PLEASE, NOTE: As of January 11, 2024, the Hague Convention on the Apostille entered into effect in Canada. Canadian Authorities have changed the procedures for authenticating Canadian certificates and documents to be used abroad. In many cases, the double step (Global Affairs Canada or Provincial Service authentication and Consulate legalization) will no longer be necessary; instead, the Apostille issued by the relevant Canadian offices will suffice. Click here to know more about the Apostille.


A “Dichiarazione di Valore” (DV), which literally translates as statement/declaration of value, is an official document written in Italian and issued by the Italian authority of the country where you have studied. It is required to verify the authenticity of the academic credentials obtained abroad and their correspondence into the Italian educational system. A DV also provides information about the validity of the qualification concerned in the country where the applicant studied, confirms the legal status and nature of the awarding institution and indicates the length of the program/s concerned.

All students wishing to study in Italy, and those who need to have their credentials recognized in Italy for any other purpose, must therefore obtain a “Dichiarazione di Valore“.

If the applicant moves to Italy to continue to study without having obtained a prior diploma, upon request, the Consulate can issue a Consular Declaration (CD) that states both his/her attendance and any credits earned or, depending on the circumstances, the legalization of the school document.

For information on how to apply, what documents must be submitted to the Consulate and what costs are associated to this service, click on the links below.

Information provided below apply to users regardless of their current residence. Applicants requesting a DV or DC from Italy must follow the same procedure.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A DV OR CD. A step by step guide 

1) Find the Italian Consulate in Canada under whose territorial jurisdiction your school/university is located. If your school/university is not located within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto, you cannot send your DV/DC request to this Consulate. Visit the website of the Italian Consulate/Embassy responsible for the jurisdiction where your school/university is located.

2) If you can apply at the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto, download the appropriate form to request the DV, CD and/or consular legalization of translations of your school/university documents (if required – see point 5);

Find here a list of documents required for different categories of DV or CD.  You will have to make copies. The Consulate does not make photocopies.

4) Obtain from the school/college/university you have attended the original transcripts and final qualification (secondary school diploma/Bachelor, Master, Ph.D., etc.).  Final qualification and transcript must be apostilled. Keep reading for further information on the requirement of the Apostille. Please, bear in mind that we cannot issue a declaration of value or a consular declaration based on photocopies or original documents without the apostille certificate. 

5) Contact the Italian school/university or employer to find out if they require translations of diploma and transcript. If that is the case, please contact one of the certified ATIO translators whose specimen of signature is filed at this Consulate.

6) The procedure is free of charge if the DV/CD requested is to be used for study purposes (please attach documentation to prove the purpose). For any other use (i.e. recognition of academic credentials or working purposes), a consular fee  (art. 66N) will apply. Kindly note that if translations are required, the Consulate may have to legalize the translator’s signature. A consular fee for each legalization applies (art. 69 per each legalization).

7) If you are unsure of the overall amount due, send an email to toronto.scuola@esteri.it. If you know the exact amount due, prepare and include in the envelope that you will send to the Consulate a money order or bank draft made out to the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto (Canadian dollars only).

8) Once you have gathered all the above documents (i.e. school report/secondary school diploma/Bachelor degree/Master degree /transcript, translations if required), you can send them by mail, along with a copy of your passport and a money order for the relevant consular fee (if applicable), to:
Consulate General of Italy
136 Beverley Street
Toronto, M5T 1Y5, ON
School Office

Make sure to include in your envelope another prepaid and preaddressed envelope as we will return the Declaration of Value by mail with the prepaid envelope. Kindly note that all return expenses must be borne by the applicant.
If you use a courier services, you may have to choose the option “freight collect”, a shipping arrangement where the consignee (customer or final recipient) is responsible for paying shipping charges upon delivery. If you reside outside of Canada, we recommend you use a courier service such as Canada XpressPost, FedEx, DHL or UPSThe Consulate will not be able to return your declaration of value and your original documents unless a pre-paid and pre-addressed envelope is provided.

Usually this procedure requires up to 6 weeks.

All original documents will be returned to the applicant.

 


IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER – A DV is not an “equipollenza”

The DV/CD provides a short description of a given academic or professional qualification awarded by an institution located in a foreign country with a different educational system compared to the Italian one.

As such, the DV/CD by itself does not give proof of someone’s competence and/or professional skills acquired through the qualification and it is not an “equipollenza”. Although the document is considered by the Italian authorities a reliable and official source of information pertaining to the academic credentials obtained abroad, the presentation of a DV/CD does not pre-empt the right by the receiving institution/office/school to carry out further independent verifications, for instance through a detailed examination of the official transcript.


APOSTILLE and TRANSLATIONS

As of January 11, 2024, the Convention of The Hague on the Apostille entered into effect in Canada. This means that Global Affairs Canada and Provincial Authentication Services will no longer authenticate public documents or other notarized private documents. Instead, they will issue an Apostille (a certificate that will accompany the original document it refers to). The Apostille eliminates steps required to get documents accepted in countries where the convention is in effect (including Italy). As an example, if a document carries the apostille, the legalization by the Consulate General of Italy will no longer be required.

a) If a document  has been issued by the Authorities of Manitoba or North West Territories or if it has been notarized by Manitoba or NWT Authorities, the Apostille will be issued by Global Affairs Canada. 
Click here for information on the procedure to apply for an Apostille issued by Global Affairs Canada.

b) If a document has been issued or notarized in Ontario, the request for an Apostille will have to be sent to the Ministry for Public and Business Service Delivery of Ontario.
Click here for information on the procedure to apply for an Apostille issued by MPSBD Ontario.

If a document carries the Apostille, it does not require further legalization by this Consulate to be used in Italy.

TRANSLATIONS CARRIED OUT BY ATIO CERTIFIED TRANSLATORS

During this transitional phase, the Consulate will keep legalizing translations carried out by ATIO certified translators whose signature is on file with this Consulate (list available here).  Please note that a consular fee is due for the legalization of translators’ signature (art. 69 of the Consular Fee).

If you wish to contact a translator not registered with our Consulate, you may do so but, in order for that translation to be used/recognized in Italy:

  1. You will have to have the translation notarized by a notary public/lawyer operating in Canada;
  2. Following point 1, you will have to apply for the Apostille issued either by Global Affairs Canada or by the Official Documents Service of Ontario, based on where your translation is notarized.

Once your translation is apostilled, no further legalization of the Consulate will be required.