Marrying in Italy as a foreign couple

Marrying in Italy as foreign nationals is a full right and the marriage is valid internationally. Article 116 of the Civil Code allows it both between two foreign nationals and between an Italian and a foreign national, with no need for Italian residency or citizenship. What changes everything is whether you live in Italy or are flying in for the wedding.

1. The document that matters

The key document is the nulla osta — the certificate of no impediment, or the certificate of capacity to marry for countries party to the Munich Convention. It is a statement from the authorities of your own country confirming there is no legal obstacle to the marriage under your own law. How you obtain it depends on where you are from.

Issued in Italy. Your embassy or consulate in Italy issues it. Once you have it, the consul's signature must be legalised at the prefecture, unless an international treaty exempts your country.

Issued abroad. The competent authority at home issues it — often the town of birth. It then has to be translated into Italian and legalised by the Italian embassy abroad, or carry an apostille under the Hague Convention.

United States and Australia. These follow a route of their own: they do not issue a standard nulla osta. Their citizens swear an affidavit before their own consul in Italy, followed by a sworn declaration before an Italian court with witnesses.

2. The two possible routes

Scenario A — neither of you resident in Italy

This is the destination wedding case, and it is the simpler road: without residency in Italy, no banns are published.

You choose the Italian town where you want to marry and contact its registry office to book the date and the room. You send copies of your passports and legalised nulla osta well in advance. A few days before the wedding — how many varies from town to town — you both have to appear in person, with an official interpreter if you don't speak Italian, to sign a declaration confirming there is no impediment of kinship or affinity. Then, on the day, the ceremony takes place before two witnesses.

Scenario B — at least one of you resident in Italy

Here you follow the standard Italian route: the foreign partner obtains the nulla osta, you book an appointment for the banns in your town of residence, the notice stays posted online for eight days, and once the certificate of publication is issued you have 180 days to marry.

3. Property regime and validity at home

During the ceremony, or beforehand before a notary, you must declare which property regime you are choosing: community of property, which is the Italian default, or separation of property. You may also choose to apply the property law of your own country.

Immediately after the ceremony the town issues a multilingual marriage certificate, the international extract. It should be legalised at the prefecture where required and lodged with the authorities of your own country, or your consulate, so the marriage is registered at home as well.

4. The interpreter

If either of you, or your witnesses, do not understand Italian, the law requires an official interpreter — both at the signing of the declaration, for non-residents, and during the ceremony itself. The interpreter swears before the registrar to translate the formulae, the articles of the code and the vows faithfully.

Consular procedures differ from country to country and are revised often. Treat this page as a map, and confirm each step with your own consulate and with the registry office of the town you have chosen.