There is a wide variety of areas where this can happen: somebody who receives an Italian pension every year have to certify that he or she is alive and doesn't have other source of income somebody who inherits from Italy those who are pursuing Italian citizenship those who want to get married in Italy, for which there's a whole process to go through general assistance to Italian citizens who happen to be in our jurisdiction, whether if they live here or they are just passing through. Then, I do a lot of certifications, legalizations, just basically confirming that those in front of me who are signing a document are actually who they say they are. In some other cases it is more difficult: for example, in certain situations, when the request is for a work visa, they have to go to Chicago. There are many students who want to study abroad, in Italy, and the Italian Consulate makes it very easy for them to come to a Vice Consul, which means for many of them driving to Kansas City and not flying to Chicago: they sign the visa application in front of me and I apply the Italian Consul's stamp and so they don't have to travel to their consulate, they can just send the paper work, including the passport, and then it comes back with the visa stamp. I do a lot of students' visas, particularly this time of the year. The closest General Consulate is in Chicago, and I think it's the one which covers the highest number of States among the Italian Consulates in the United States: a very broad area. People who use our services are either American citizens who are going to visit Italy or Italian citizens. I'm the Vice Consul for the state of Kansas, but practically speaking I also cover western Missouri, because there is a vice consul in Saint Louis who covers the eastern part of Missouri, and then I also cover adjoining states like Nebraska and Oklahoma. We do are in Kansas!Ĭonsul Serra, which are the activities of your Honorary Consulate, and which are the areas covered by it? We thank him for his work, and his kindness in answering to our questions. Now, together with other professionals, Gino has founded a new Italian Chamber of Commerce, in Kansas City. Gino Serra is the Italian Honorary Vice Consul here.Įven in the Midwest area, Italians left their mark and continue to do that, as we'll see. Well, today we actually are: we're in Kansas City, shared between Kansas and Missouri, where we meet the guest of our interview. "I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" used to say Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz".