Paperwork requirements for American citizens wishing to get married in Italy

1st STEP: ATTO NOTORIO

To marry in Italy an Atto Notorio is required; this is in effect a sworn declaration done before the ITALIAN Embassy or Consulate in the state in which you reside. To obtain the Atto Notorio, you must first have certain documents in advance  and then fix an appointment with the nearest Italian Consulate to you :

• Valid US passport
• Birth certificate with Apostille translated in Italian (keep a copy to carry with you to Italy)
• If previously divorced/widowed, your divorce decree or death certificate with Apostille and translated in Italian (keep a copy to carry with you to Italy).

You must have the translations authenticated by the Italian Consulate in the U.S. when you go for your Atto Notorio.

For the list of Italian Consulates in the U.S., please click on the following link:

ITALIAN CONSULATES IN U.S.A.

Unable to get your Atto Notorio in the US: If you are unable to obtain an Atto Notorio from an Italian Consulate in the US, (as you may not have time or the nearest Italian Consulate is very far from your home), you may obtain your Atto Notorio from a Law Court in Italy, but an appointment is needed at least 5/6 months before your arrival in Italy . The person requesting the Atto Notorio must attend in person together with two adult witnesses. If either spouse or one of spouses does not speak Italian, it is necessary to provide an interpreter, in addition to the two witnesses. Upon request, we can provide an interpreter and two witnesses in Italy at an additional cost. Please calculate one extra day in Italy as to do the Atto Notorio. Please Note: Neither spouse can act as witness or interpreter.

What is the APOSTILLE : This means that the original documents (birth and, if applicable, divorce or certificate of death in case if you are widowed) which need to be presented to the Italian Consulate have been sent (done via mail) to the Secretary of State’s Notary Public of the state from which the document originally is from for authentication (or Apostille seal).

In few words, the APOSTILLE is the seal of the Notary Public of the State in accordance with the Hague Convention, which means that the documents can be used officially even in a foreign country.

2nd STEP : NULLA OSTA in Italy.

In addition to the Atto Notorio, a US citizen intending to get married in Italy will need to make a Nulla Osta (Affidavit) an US Consulate in Italy. This Nulla Osta must be signed, whether you are single, divorced or widowed, in the presence of an US Consular officer at the US Embassy or Consulate in Italy. A Nulla Osta literally states that “there are no impediments,” or that one is free to marry. The Nulla Osta is valid for THREE months (if you decide to get married in Rome, it is valid for SIX months) and costs approximately 50 USD per person that you must pay directly at the US Embassy or Consulate.

3rd STEP : LEGALIZATION of your Nulla Osta in Italy.

The Nulla Osta must then be legalized by the Italian authorities (Prefecture Office) and this is done by our Wedding Coordinators.

Important:

Please note that, until recently, a woman whose previous marriage was terminated within the last 300 days had to obtain a waiver from the competent “Procura della Repubblica” in Italy (Court) in order to marry in Italy. Depending on the Wedding Hall selected, this law may no longer apply and you are advised to check with your Wedding Planner. Otherwise, she must allow the required period of 300 days to elapse. If you are widowed, you must bring the death certificate of your previous spouse translated in Italian with Apostille.

If you may have any questions, feel free to contact us anytime.