Short answer: The Embassy of Italy in Kuala Lumpur issues a Declaration of Value (Dichiarazione di Valore, DoV) for completed qualifications obtained in Malaysia and accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). You submit the original certificate and transcript, certified true copies attested by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and legalised by Wisma Putra, an Italian translation legalised by Wisma Putra, a Completion of Study letter from your university, your passport, the Universitaly pre-enrolment summary (or a job letter) and the embassy's application form. The embassy takes up to 30 days from a complete file and has no express service.
We prepare the whole file: the MoHE certified true copies, Wisma Putra, the Italian translation by our ITBM, DBP and MTA certified team, the authorisation letter and the embassy submission. Send your certificate and transcript on WhatsApp with your Italian university or employer for a quote.
Last reviewed: October 2026. For other Italian documents, see legalising Malaysian documents for Italy.
What a Declaration of Value is (and is not)
A Declaration of Value is a description, issued by the Italian diplomatic mission in the country where you studied, of your qualification: the institution, its legal status, the level of the course, its length and what it gives access to in Malaysia. Italian universities, AFAM institutions and employers use it to assess your qualification. It is not an Italian degree, an equivalence (equipollenza) or a certificate of comparability: the Italian institution makes that decision.
Who can get one in Malaysia: holders of a completed qualification obtained in Malaysia and accredited by MQA (diploma, bachelor's, master's, PhD). Check your programme on the Malaysian Qualifications Register first: a programme without accreditation for your study period is not endorsed by MoHE.
Pre-university qualifications (SPM, STPM, A-Levels, UEC): the Malaysian authority is the Ministry of Education (MoE), not MoHE. See degree, transcript and SPM certificate attestation.
Qualifications from other countries (including foreign partner certificates of a dual award) are declared by the Italian mission in the country that issued them, not in Kuala Lumpur.
Documents the Italian Embassy asks for
Original degree certificate and academic transcript.
Certified true copies of both, attested by MoHE and legalised by Wisma Putra. The MoHE stamp must read "CERTIFIED TRUE COPY". Ordinary photocopies are refused.
Italian translation of the certificate and transcript, covering the front and back of every page and the grading system, legalised by Wisma Putra. The embassy accepts translations by the Malaysian Institute of Translation & Books (ITBM), the Malaysian Translators Association (MTA) or Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), or a Malaysian court translator.
Universitaly pre-enrolment summary for non-EU citizens applying to study, or an employment letter from the Italian company for work.
Completion of Study letter from your Malaysian university with your full name, passport and/or IC number, student ID, years of study and credits, and the name, designation and signature of the issuing officer.
Passport copy: photo page and signature page.
The embassy's application form for a Declaration of Value, filled in and signed (purpose: study with the name of the Italian university, or employment with the name of the company).
Step by step
Check accreditation and the Italian requirement. Confirm that your programme was MQA-accredited for your years of study, and ask your Italian university or employer whether they want a Declaration of Value or a CIMEA statement.
Get the Completion of Study letter from your university's registry with every detail the embassy lists. Private universities issue it on request; ask early, it is often the slowest document.
MoHE certified true copies. MoHE attests copies of the certificate and transcript. Public-university graduates submit copies; private-university graduates show the originals. See our MoHE attestation guide.
Italian translation. We translate the certificate and transcript into Italian, including the back pages and the grading scale. Our team is certified by ITBM, DBP and MTA.
Wisma Putra. The MoHE-attested copies and the Italian translation are attested by Wisma Putra. See Wisma Putra attestation.
Confirm with the embassy, then submit. In our practice we email the consular section first to confirm the documents, the purpose and the authorisation. The Italian Embassy accepts an authorisation letter signed by you alone, with no notarisation, and every document it names must be in the file. Submission and collection are arranged with ambkualalumpur.consolare@esteri.it.
Collect the Declaration of Value within about 30 days and send it, with your legalised documents, to the Italian institution or use it in your visa file.
CIMEA statements: the alternative
Many Italian universities accept a CIMEA Statement of Comparability and, where asked, a Statement of Verification instead of a Declaration of Value. CIMEA works online and does not need the embassy appointment. Which one you need depends on the Italian university, programme or employer, so check their admission page or ask their international office before you start. When they accept CIMEA, the Italian translation and Wisma Putra steps are often still useful for the visa and the university file.
What gets a Declaration of Value application refused
Plain photocopies instead of MoHE certified true copies, or a MoHE stamp that does not say "CERTIFIED TRUE COPY".
A translation that leaves out the back of the certificate or transcript, or the grading system.
A translation by a translator outside ITBM, MTA/DBP or the court translators, or a translation made abroad.
A programme without MQA accreditation for your study period, or a course not yet completed.
A missing or incomplete Completion of Study letter (no student ID, credits or signing officer).
No Universitaly pre-enrolment summary for a study application by a non-EU citizen.
An authorisation letter that names documents not in the file.
Ringkasan dalam Bahasa Melayu
Kedutaan Itali di Kuala Lumpur mengeluarkan Dichiarazione di Valore (Declaration of Value) bagi kelayakan yang telah tamat di Malaysia dan diiktiraf oleh MQA. Dokumen: sijil dan transkrip asal; salinan diakui sah oleh KPT (cop "CERTIFIED TRUE COPY") dan disahkan oleh Wisma Putra; terjemahan bahasa Itali (depan, belakang dan sistem gred) oleh ITBM, MTA/DBP atau jurubahasa mahkamah, disahkan oleh Wisma Putra; surat tamat pengajian daripada universiti; ringkasan pra-pendaftaran Universitaly atau surat tawaran kerja; salinan pasport; dan borang permohonan. Tempoh sehingga 30 hari, tiada perkhidmatan ekspres. Kelayakan pra-universiti melalui Kementerian Pendidikan (KPM).
中文摘要
意大利驻吉隆坡大使馆仅为在马来西亚完成、并获MQA认证的学历签发学历价值声明（Dichiarazione di Valore）。所需文件：毕业证书和成绩单原件；经高教部（MoHE）认证（盖有“CERTIFIED TRUE COPY”章）并经外交部（Wisma Putra）认证的副本；由ITBM、MTA/DBP或法庭翻译员完成、并经外交部认证的意大利语翻译（含正反面及评分体系）；大学出具的完成学业证明信；Universitaly预注册摘要（留学）或工作聘书（工作）；护照复印件；以及申请表。办理时间最长30天，无加急服务。大学前学历（SPM、STPM、A-Level、统考）由教育部（MoE）负责。
Informazioni in italiano
L'Ambasciata d'Italia a Kuala Lumpur rilascia la Dichiarazione di Valore solo per titoli conclusi in Malaysia e accreditati dalla MQA. Servono: originali di diploma e transcript; copie conformi certificate dal MoHE e legalizzate da Wisma Putra; traduzione in italiano (fronte, retro e sistema di valutazione) di ITBM, MTA/DBP o traduttore giurato malese, legalizzata da Wisma Putra; lettera di completamento degli studi; riepilogo della pre-iscrizione Universitaly (studio) o lettera del datore di lavoro (lavoro); copia del passaporto; modulo di domanda. Tempi: fino a 30 giorni, nessun servizio urgente. In alternativa, molti atenei accettano gli attestati CIMEA.
Common questions
Can I get a Declaration of Value for an SPM, STPM or A-Level certificate?
Yes, for a completed qualification, but the Malaysian authority is the Ministry of Education (MoE), not MoHE. The rest of the file (Wisma Putra, Italian translation, embassy) is the same.
Is a Declaration of Value the same as an equivalence?
No. It describes your Malaysian qualification. The Italian university, AFAM institution or employer decides what it is worth in Italy.
Do I need a Declaration of Value or a CIMEA statement?
It depends on the Italian institution. Many universities accept a CIMEA Statement of Comparability (and Verification) instead. Check their admission page or ask their international office first.
How long does the Italian Embassy take?
Up to 30 days from a complete file. There is no express service, so start with the Completion of Study letter and MoHE early.
Does the authorisation letter need a notary?
No. The Italian Embassy accepts an authorisation letter signed by you alone. It must name exactly the documents in the file.
Do I need a translation?
Yes. The certificate and transcript need an Italian translation, front and back, with the grading system, legalised by Wisma Putra. If an authority rejects a certified translation we prepared within 30 days of delivery, we re-do it free.
Are my documents safe with you?
We handle every document under our Client NDA and guarantees.
Related guides
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