U.S. citizens wishing to marry in Italy must appear before the Registrar of Civil Status of the municipality where they intend to contract marriage, providing the documents listed below. The list below is general in nature and not exhaustive. Therefore, it is advisable to contact the relevant offices of the chosen town and follow the specific procedures provided. For religious marriages, please contact the celebrant in Italy directly.
Required documents:
- U.S. passport;
- Notarized copy of birth certificate, showing the names of both parents. The birth certificate must be legalized with “Apostille” issued by the Secretary of State of the state where the birth took place. The birth certificate must be accurately translated into Italian;
- Certified copy of the final divorce decree or death certificate of the previous spouse, if applicable. Both documents must be legalized with “Apostille” issued by the Secretary of State of the state where the certificates were issued. The death certificate must be accurately translated into Italian. The final divorce decree must be translated into Italian by a professional translator and the translation legalized with Apostille;
- Notary Act. This is a notarial act in which four persons of legal age (“attestants”), with no kinship ties to the applicants, equipped with a valid identity document (passport), testify under oath together with the applicants before the Consular Officer or, in Italy, at a Civil Magistrate’s Court, that the persons concerned are of free marital status and that, in compliance with the laws to which the citizen is subject in the United States and Italy, there are no legal impediments to their marriage (i.e., they are not married or are divorced or widowed);
- To request an “Atto Notorio” please fill out the appropriate form, indicating three possible dates and send it to the Notary Office by e-mail (notarile.boston@esteri.it). Please include a telephone number;
- Sworn statement made by the U.S. citizen before a U.S. Consular Officer in Italy. This statement must state, that in compliance with the laws to which the citizen is subject in the United States, there are no legal impediments to his or her marriage in Italy. Please contact in Italy, at the numbers below, the U.S. Consulate nearest to the city where you intend to contract the marriage, to make an appointment;
- Please note if the U.S. citizen is a minor, consent to the marriage must be given by the parents or legal guardian(s).
For more information on the Affidavit, click here.
Rome: United States Embassy,
Via Vittorio Veneto 119A, 00187
Tel. (06) 46741 Fax (06) 488-2672;
Florence: U.S. Consulate General,
Lungarno A. Vespucci 38, 50123
Tel (055) 239-8276 Fax (055) 284-088;
Milan: U.S. Consulate General,
Via Principe Amedeo 2/10, 20121
Tel (02) 290-04559 Fax (02) 290-01165;
Naples: U.S. Consulate General,
Piazza della Repubblica, 80122
Tel (081) 583-8111 Fax (081) 761-1869
Marriage Publications and Celebration.
After the Declaration made before the U.S. consular authorities, interested parties may proceed with the request for the posting of marriage publications, at the relevant municipality, for a period of 8 consecutive days. Generally, foreign citizens and non-residents of Italy are relieved from the obligation of marriage publications. For more information, please contact the U.S. U.S. Consulate or the Civil Status office of the municipality where the marriage will be celebrated.
After the 8-day publication period has elapsed, the marriage can be celebrated, starting on the fourth following day, by the Municipal Registrar. In case of a religious marriage, the officiant will have to register the marriage for validation at the Civil Status Office of the relevant municipality.
American citizens are advised, before leaving Italian territory, to request a copy of the marriage certificate and legalize it with Apostille at the competent Prefecture.