1. The Archives are open to qualified Researchers from institutions of Higher Education pursuing academic studies and who have an adequate knowledge of archival research.
2. Applications requesting access to the Archives must be submitted to the Prefect along with a letter of introduction from either a recognized institution of Higher Education or from a suitably qualified person in the field of historical research.
3. Applications should specify the applicant’s surname, first name(s), qualifications (these must include a four-year University degree or equivalent), profession, nationality, home address, address in Rome and purpose of research.
4. Applications should be accompanied by two photographs, one of which will be used for the Entry Card required to enter the Vatican City and the Archive Study Rooms.
5.Entry Cards expire on July 15th of each year. Your card will be renewed upon submission of the previous year’s card.
6. Undergraduate students are not admitted into the Archives.
7.In order to allow access to as many Researchers as possible, access is usually not permitted to more than one researcher working on the same topic.
8. The Archives are open to Researchers from September 16th to July 15th (8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.) from Monday to Saturday. The Admissions Secretary issues Entry Cards from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Periods and days in which the Archives are closed are shown on the «Archive Calendar». The Bursar’s Office is open to researchers every day from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
9. Researchers holding an Entry Card may enter the Archives between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (Monday to Saturday). A written explanation must be submitted to the Prefect to request afternoon access (from 4:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.).
10. Collections up to and including the pontificate of Benedict XV († January 22nd, 1922) are available for consultation, as well as the collections of Arch. Nunz. Monaco; Arch. Nunz. Berlino; Aff. Eccl. Str., Baviera; Affari Eccl. Str., Germania (until 1939) and the collection Ufficio Informazioni Vaticano (Prigionieri di guerra 1939-1947).
11. The available forms should be used to request archival material. No more than three volumes or envelopes may be requested per day. Requests are accepted until 12:00 noon.
12. All volumes and documents must be handled with the utmost care. It is strictly forbidden to write, even in pencil, on archival documents or to place paper or any other objects on the material. Furthermore, the order of the material must not be altered.
13. Only graphite-pencils may be used for writing notes. Ballpoint-pens, fountain-pens, felt-tip pens, etc., are strictly forbidden.
14. If the material issued to the Researcher is in a poor state of conservation or presents other problems, the staff must be informed.
15. It is strictly forbidden to remove any material from the Study Room.
16. Indexes must be consulted in the Index Room and replaced in their original location. Publication of the indexes, in part or as a whole, is forbidden.
17. Silence must be observed in all parts of the Archives. Please dress with discretion.
18. Researchers unfamiliar with the Archive collections and indexes should refer to the guide provided by the Prefecture. Publications are available to help researchers orient themselves.
19. Researchers may not photograph the documents. Reproductions must be requested from the Archives Photographic Department.
20. Admission to the Archives carries with it the obligation to send the Prefecture one copy of any publication (articles in journals, exhibition catalogues, books etc.) in which documents from the Archives are used or quoted.
21. Reference number of all volumes and documents should be quoted in the correct and concise form given in the Collection Index. If in doubt a staff member should be consulted. The words «Archivio Segreto Vaticano» (ASV) must always precede the reference number and no reference should be made to the city of Rome in the same.
22. Failure to observe these rules will result in the refusal of future access to the Archives.