There may be a situation where an applicant knows that he or she qualifies for Italian Dual Citizenship but their living ancestor does not have a copy of their Naturalization Certificate or they are unsure as to the details of their naturalization. If you are faced with this challenge you need to be aware that only the living ancestor can request a replacement of their naturalization record.
The form to use for this request is found at the Department of Homeland Security webpage and the form to use is N-565. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) the information is available only to living individuals and not to others. The instructions for completing the request are very specific and most be followed exactly. Certainly anyone can assist an individual with making a request but only he or she can formally do it and receive the document. The information is not available to anyone other than the person named on the record. If the individual has no recollection of the date and or place of their naturalization, they can conduct a Genealogical Index Search by using Homeland Security Form 1041 and follow the results of this search with a Genealogical Records Request (Form 1041A) or better still with a Replacement of the Record (Form N-565). Again the living individual must do this even if assistance with making the request is required. As part of the process, it is advised to retain all correspondence including the envelopes that are received from Homeland Security.
Another option for obtaining naturalization records for living ancestors, but not the best one, is to request a copy of the individual’s naturalization record from the National Archives or the Court where he or she became United States citizen. These are public records but the Italian Consulate may still require something official from Homeland Security since the ancestor is alive. Missing naturalization documents for living individuals can be challenging but not insurmountable.