The Dichiarazione di valore is not mandatory for citizens of the European Union who seek the recognition in Italy of a qualification obtained in another Member State. For professional recognition the Directive provides its own documents, and for academic recognition the Italian courts have held that the absence of the consular statement cannot by itself prevent the assessment. In practice, however, many Italian universities still list it among the documents they expect, and a well-prepared statement makes the assessment of an EU qualification faster and more accurate. This page explains where the obligation ends and the convenience begins, and which documents an EU citizen can use in its place.
Not mandatory, often requested
For the recognition of a professional qualification obtained in a Member State, Legislative Decree 206/2007 and Legislative Decree 15/2016 provide that the qualification is documented with the certificate of conformity or the certificate of the home competent authority, and the ministries may not require the consular statement. For academic recognition, equivalence and public competitions no rule excludes it, and the regulations of many universities and the notices of many competitions still name it among the documents to file, side by side with the CIMEA statements that Law 148/2002 allows them to accept. An EU citizen who applies to such a university without the statement is not without remedy, as the next section explains, but is often asked to produce it or an equivalent document before the assessment proceeds. Obtaining it in advance, where the consulate issues it within the deadline, avoids the discussion.
What the Council of State has held
The Italian Council of State has clarified that the absence of the Dichiarazione di valore does not prevent a thorough assessment of the foreign qualification by the academic authorities. On the basis of this and other decisions it would be improper to give the statement a decisive and discriminatory role in the recognition of foreign qualifications: the competent authority must examine in detail the congruence between the content of the foreign programme and the Italian one, using every means of inquiry available to it and considering every relevant element, so as to base its judgment on substance rather than form. The statement is therefore an additional source of information in support of the assessment, not a condition of admissibility, and a refusal based solely on its absence is open to challenge before the administrative courts. The firm relies on this case law when a consulate cannot issue the statement within the deadline of a procedure, and prefers to file it when it can.
Nationality is not the test
The exemptions described above depend on where the qualification was obtained, not on the passport of the holder. An EU citizen, Italian citizens included, who holds a degree from the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil or any other third country is treated, for that degree, as any holder of a non-EU qualification: the Dichiarazione di valore or the CIMEA statements are required for academic recognition, for competitions and for the Blue Card of a family member, and for professional recognition the ministry applies the national regime with the consular statement. Conversely, a non-EU national who holds a degree obtained in Germany or Spain benefits, for academic purposes, from the same European instruments as an EU citizen, the Diploma Supplement, the ECTS credits and the CIMEA automatic statements, although professional recognition under the Directive is reserved to EU, EEA and Swiss nationals and to the third-country nationals to whom the law extends it.
What the statement contains and what replaces it
The Dichiarazione di valore is an official document issued in Italian by the local Italian consular authority. It contains the attestation of the value of the qualification with the ECTS credits where applicable and the duration of the programme, the authority under whose competence the qualification was issued, the institution where the studies were completed with confirmation of its official recognition, an authenticated copy of the diploma, a description of the academic, school or professional system to which the qualification belongs, the consular translation of the qualification, the personal data of the holder, the date of award and the registration number, the field of study and the programme followed, the final average, the grading system of the country, the professional rights conferred and a short description of the national educational system. The page on the contents of the statement explains each item. For an EU qualification most of this information is already carried by the Diploma Supplement, which every university in the European Higher Education Area issues on request, and by the CIMEA statement of comparability, which indicates the comparable Italian level, or by the automatic statement of correspondence that CIMEA’s ARDI service generates free of charge for the qualifications of the countries party to the Lisbon Convention. Together, these documents are what an EU citizen files in place of the consular statement when the university accepts them, and what the firm prepares first.
Frequently asked questions
I am an Italian citizen with a degree from another EU country: do I need the Dichiarazione di valore?
The same rules apply as to any EU citizen, because the test is where the qualification was obtained. For professional recognition you do not need it. For enrolment or academic recognition the university’s regulation decides, and most accept the Diploma Supplement with the CIMEA statement of comparability in its place.
I am an EU citizen with a degree obtained outside the EU: am I exempt?
No. The exemption follows the qualification, not the passport. A degree from a third country requires the Dichiarazione di valore or the CIMEA statements for academic recognition and competitions, and the consular statement for professional recognition under the national regime.
Can a university refuse my application only because the Dichiarazione di valore is missing?
According to the Council of State the absence of the statement does not prevent the assessment, so a refusal based on that ground alone is challengeable. In practice universities ask for the statement or for the CIMEA statements before deciding, and filing one of them is quicker than contesting a refusal.
Which document replaces the Dichiarazione di valore for an EU degree?
The Diploma Supplement issued by the university, together with the CIMEA statement of comparability or, for the qualification types covered, the free ARDI statement of correspondence. For professional recognition the certificate of conformity or the certificate of the home competent authority replaces it by law.
Do you hold an EU qualification and want to use it in Italy?
Send us a scan and tell us the purpose: you receive within one working day the documents your procedure requires, whether the consular statement is among them, and a written quote.
