Acknowledgement of maternity or paternity is an act by which children born out of wedlock may be acknowledged by their mother or father, or by both, separately or jointly, even if they are already married to another person. The declaration of acknowledgement is an irrevocable act and may alternatively be formalised in the birth certificate, in a declaration before the Civil Registrar, in a public deed, in a will (in this case, it takes effect only after the testator’s death) or in an application submitted to the Judge supervising cases concerning guardianship (the so-called Giudice Tutelare). Once made, acknowledgement cannot be revoked, not even by will.
Main reference legislation: Law No. 219 of December 10, 2012