When writing to Italy for birth,s or marriage certificates I know you have to include a self-addressed return envelope with my name & address. I did not apply a stamp because I don't know what it will cost from Italy to the usa. [and I also want the stamp from Italy I save them.] question ?---when they send me the bill for all this they can also charge me for the stamp. AM I correct. I HOPE I DID THE RIGHT THING !!!! an ans. would be greatly appreciated. ciao-jan

On Mon, 25 Feb 2002 18:10:31 -0600 (CST), janis246@webtv.net wrote: >When writing to Italy for birth,s or marriage certificates I know you >have to include a self-addressed return envelope with my name & address. >I did not apply a stamp because I don't know what it will cost from >Italy to the usa. [and I also want the stamp from Italy I save them.] >question ?---when they send me the bill for all this they can also >charge me for the stamp. AM I correct. I HOPE I DID THE RIGHT THING !!!! >an ans. would be greatly appreciated. ciao-jan > Oh well, time will tell. Most people I know who have actually recieved records from Italy never send a self addressed envelope. They include 5 or 10 dollars for one record and 10 or 15 for two or three records. Don't despair, I have heard of a few individuals who sent no payment with their request who did get the records they asked for along with a bill. I even know one guy who got his records and no bill, and a couple of people who got change. I suppose it all depends on the official who opens your request. You have to realize that, generally speaking, it's really stretching things a bit to expect somebody in another country to send you information without some kind of payment in advance. Money talks. Frank F.

Meet another person who wrote to Maddaloni, Italy and received any and all records requested without paying. Marriage records, death records and marriage contracts. I did enclose a couple of return address labels for them to stick on their envelopes. I have also written to Matera, Italy on behalf of my cousin for records of his family and received a bill requesting payment for the information they had on file. I sent them $10.00 US currency and they sent the documentation and the change in the form of Italian stamps. I found that the smaller towns do not request the money. I would recommend to go without the money and only enclose the return address labels. It will cost them to return a letter to you requesting monies, but it will also indicate that they do have the information on file. I have never sent a self-addressed envelope. They have their own government issued envelopes. Mike