
Planning a Destination Wedding in Italy? Understanding the legal paperwork for destination weddings is essential for ensuring your special day goes smoothly. In this guide, we'll provide you with everything you need to know about the legal requirements for foreigners to wed in Italy.
Navigating the legal requirements for destination weddings in Italy can be difficult, requiring careful attention to detail and adherence to specific legal knowledge that for a foreign can be tricky. From obtaining documentation to securing appointments with local authorities, thorough preparation is essential to ensure a seamless and legally recognized ceremony.
Civil Marriage in Italy
Civil marriage in Italy is a secular union between two individuals, conducted without religious affiliation that has is legally binding. Typically officiated by the Mayor or a civil registrar, these ceremonies occur in non-religious settings (at a local town hall or at approved venues) and are conducted entirely in Italian, with the option to have a translator.
The ceremony typically involves the reading of relevant articles from the Italian civil code and the exchange of marriage vows.
Don't fret about the setting— approved venues often include historical landmarks like medieval castles, palaces, and villas. However, note that most locations are indoors.
Understanding the Requirements for Civil Ceremonies
If you want to have a Civil Ceremony in Italy as a foreigner, you need to plan in advance.Before exchanging vows in Italy, it's crucial to understand the legal requirements and all the paperwork usually needed for destination weddings. You'll need to obtain specific documents and adhere to certain regulations set forth by Italian authorities.
In a few words: If you want to have a Civil Ceremony in Italy, you need to plan in advance!
Documentation Needed to get married in Italy
Common documents required and paperwork for a destination wedding in Italy include valid passports, birth certificates, and a Nulla Osta (Certificate of No Impediment) issued by your home country's embassy or consulate in Italy.
To legally marry in Italy as a foreigner you’ll need:
Valid Passport
Birth certificate (original or certified copy)
Evidence of the termination of any previous marriage/s (if applicable)
Affidavit or “Dichiarazione Giurata” stating that there is no legal impediment to your marriage issued by the authorities of the country of which you are a citizen, legalized and translated into Italian
Atto Notorio - a declaration stating that according to the laws to which you are subject there is no obstacle to your marriage. This declaration is to be sworn to by two witnesses before an Italian consul outside Italy or, in Italy, before a court official in the city where the marriage will take place.
Declaration of Intention to Marry - You should present all the above-listed documents to the Marriage Office (Ufficio Matrimoni) of the town hall (municipio) in the city where the marriage will be performed, and make a “Declaration of Intention to Marry”.
Civil banns announcement posted at the town hall for two consecutive weeks, before the marriage can take place. Banns are posted only after the Declaration of Intention to Marry has been filed, but if neither party to the marriage is an Italian citizen or a resident of Italy, banns are automatically waived or posted for a shorter period of time depending on the town hall regulations.
Consider this link from Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation your vademecum for legal requirement and different case histories (i.e. one partner is Italian, one has an Italian residence...)
How much does this documents cost?
1 revenue stamp for the Nulla Osta 16€
2 revenue stamps for the Atto Notorio 16€
1 application for the Atto Notorio 10,62€
1 application for the Nulla Osta around 50€
1 fee of 31,86€ for the Atto Notorio, if applicable
Visit your Country Embassy/Consulates Websites to know more:
Australia:
Canada:
United Kingdom:
Ireland:
United States:
India:
Brazil:
Argentina:
China:
Civil vs. Religious Ceremonies in Italy
In Italy, to legally marry couples have the option to have either a civil or religious ceremony. Civil ceremonies are legally binding and typically conducted at town halls or other authorized venues, while religious ceremonies must be performed by a recognized religious official. If you'll marry in the Vatican (a different state), marriages will be registered from the Vatican civil authorities, and you may not need documents such as Dichiarazione Giurata from the local Prefettura. If you are a US citizen, visit this link for english-language religious ceremonies at the Vatican.
Religious Marriage in Italy
While Catholicism is the predominant religion in Italy, the country acknowledges marriages from all faiths. However, unlike Catholic ceremonies, non-Catholic weddings are not legally binding unless preceded by a civil ceremony. Additionally, approval from the Parish Bishop is required for mixed-faith weddings between spouses of different religions. Following, you'll find the list of legal requirements to get married in Italy with a Catholic Ceremony. Documents for Catholic Ceremonies in Italy:
Certificates of baptism, confirmation and first communion from your local Church
Certificate of attendance to the pre-marital course
Prenuptial inquiry issued by the Archdiocese of your local Church
Written letter from your Priest or Pastoral Advisor with his permission to marry
Nihil Obstat, a letter of no impediment to marry from the Bishop of the Parish in your country
If one of the partners isn’t Catholic, a mixed religion marriage approval
If the priest doesn’t perform the civil part of the marriage, a civil wedding certificate showing that you’re legally married
Gay unions in Italy: a civil partnership
In 2016, the Italian government passed legislation permitting civil partnerships for same-sex couples. Like in other nations, civil partnerships in Italy are exclusively available to gay couples, as marriage unfortunately is still reserved just for heterosexual couples.
Essentially, it's a different label, yet most rights and responsibilities resemble those of marriage.
But what exactly is a civil partnership and what does it entail?
A civil partnership:
Is for same-sex couples
Grants the same rights regarding inheritances, cohabitation, pensions and family name as married couples
Doesn’t allow adoption
Doesn’t require being faithful
Dissolution of the union is easier than a divorce
Since it's not legally recognized as a marriage, our tip is if you come from the United States or Canada, or from a State where gay marriage is valid, is to have all the marriage paperwork in your Country and have the symbolic ceremony here.
Booking Appointments
Once you've gathered the necessary documents, you'll need to book appointments with local authorities in Italy to complete the paperwork. This may involve visiting the town hall (comune) or other relevant offices to declare your intention to marry.
Translations and Apostilles
In most cases, documents may need to be translated into Italian and authenticated with an apostille—a form of international certification. It's essential to confirm these requirements well in advance to avoid any delays or complications.
All documents originating outside of Italy (birth certificate, divorce decree, etc.) must be legalized for use in Italy and must be translated into Italian.
Ex. To legalize a U.S. document for use in Italy, you need to have it stamped with a so-called Apostille stamp by the secretary of state in the state where the document was issued, in accordance with The Hague Convention on the legalization of foreign public documents.
Consider a Symbolic Ceremony
If navigating the legal requirements to get married in Italy proves to be too complex or time-consuming, consider having a symbolic ceremony in Italy instead. While a symbolic ceremony is not legally binding, it allows you to exchange vows in a beautiful and meaningful setting without the need for extensive paperwork, and you can legally marry in your country of origin.
Expert Tip & Insights:
If you are not interested in a Religious Ceremony, our suggestion is to go with a Symbolic Ceremony and do all the paperwork at your Home County. This will save you lots of time and paperwork trying to figure out legal requirements to get married in Italy!
If you want to have a legal Ceremony in Italy, beware of timing and schedules, you want to start looking into it at least 1.5 year in advance, but still consider that some documents can be issued only 6 months before.
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