Certificate of Non-Existence (CONE):
Proving Your Ancestor Never Naturalized
How U.S. applicants request a CONE from USCIS, when Italian consulates and courts need one, and how to prepare it for Italy.
Last updated: November 2, 2026
Short answer (as of November 2026)
A Certificate of Non-Existence (CONE) is a USCIS document stating that no naturalization record was found for a person. Italian consulates and courts use it to show an Italian ancestor never became a U.S. citizen, which matters for both the unbroken line and the 2025 exclusive-citizenship test. You request it with USCIS Form G-1566.
- Requested by mail on Form G-1566; the fee is on the USCIS fee schedule
- USCIS issues a CONE only if no record is found; otherwise it sends what it found
- A CONE is a federal document, so its apostille comes from the U.S. Department of State
- It must be translated into Italian like your other documents
When you need a CONE
- To prove an unbroken line: before 1992, an Italian who became a citizen of another country lost Italian citizenship. If your ancestor never naturalized, the CONE helps prove it.
- For the exclusive-citizenship test: under the 2025 rules, a parent or grandparent usually must have held only Italian citizenship. A CONE is one way to show a grandparent never became a U.S. citizen.
- When records are missing: if you cannot find a naturalization record, a CONE documents the negative search.
If your ancestor did naturalize, you need the naturalization record itself instead, to compare its date with the next person's birth. See our naturalization records guide.
How to request it
- Search first. Many applicants start with a USCIS Genealogy Program index search and check the National Archives (NARA) and county courts, where older naturalizations were often filed.
- Complete Form G-1566. Include every spelling of the ancestor's name, aliases, dates and country of birth, and a U.S. mailing address. For anyone born less than 100 years ago, include proof of death. Sign the form; unsigned forms are rejected.
- Pay the fee shown on the USCIS fee schedule, by check, money order or card (Form G-1450).
- Mail it to the USCIS address listed on the G-1566 page. Fees are non-refundable.
Preparing the CONE for Italy
- Apostille: as a federal document, it is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not a state Secretary of State.
- Translation: translate it into Italian, following your consulate's or court's rules. See our apostille and translation guide.
- Check your consulate's checklist: some also ask for NARA or county court statements.
A CONE shows that no record was found. It does not prove an ancestor never naturalized in another country, so consulates may ask more questions for older or unusual cases.
Not sure which record you need?
We'll check your ancestor's naturalization status and order the right document.
Sources
- USCIS: Form G-1566, Request for Certificate of Non-Existence
- USCIS: Genealogy Program
- U.S. Department of State: authentications (apostilles for federal documents)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and consulate practice change; check the official sources or ask us before acting.
Questions about the CONE
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