Marriage in Italy - Australian Embassy

Australian Embassy

Italy

Embassy address: Via Antonio Bosio, 5, Rome - Telephone: 06 852 721 - Fax: 06 8527 2300

MARRIAGE IN ITALY

Australian government representatives overseas cannot perform marriage ceremonies and you cannot get married at an Australian Embassy or Consulate

Australians intending to marry in Italy must be in possession of an "Atto di notorietà per uso matrimonio" (also known as Atto Notorio per matrimonio), produced by the Italian authorities and a Nulla Osta which is available from the Australian Embassy in Rome or Consulate-General in Milan.

The requirements for Australians getting married in Italy are currently under review. At this time, Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage (either issued by DFAT in Canberra or by an Australian mission in Italy) are not accepted by Italian authorities.

ATTO NOTORIO PER MATRIMONIO

An Atto Notorio per matrimonio (sworn declaration) can be obtained from the Italian Embassy or Consulates in Australia, or from a Tribunale Civile in Italy (details provided below). Please note that under new Italian legislation there may be restrictions on who can apply for an Atto Notorio at an Italian overseas mission. No such restrictions apply to people seeking an Atto Notorio in Italy. We strongly urge you to contact the Italian Embassy or nearest Italian Consulate for more information on this procedure and the costs involved.

If you have been previously married, you must produce evidence of the termination of your marriage(s). Documents accepted for this purpose include original divorce and death certificates.

All certificates including divorce certificates or death certificates evidencing the termination of previous marriages MUST be ORIGINALS. Photocopies are not accepted. Australian Certificates can be obtained from the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the Family Court of Australia, as appropriate.

Note: In Italy a divorced woman who wishes to marry again within 300 days of the date of the finalisation of her divorce must seek special permission from an Italian magistrate, or allow the 300 days to elapse.

Tribunale Civile in Italy

The Atto Notorio per matrimonio can be obtained from any Tribunale Civile in Italy. The person(s) requesting the Atto Notorio must attend in person. Please note that you may have to be accompanied by witnesses and, if the parties to the marriage do not speak Italian, an interpreter. You should confirm these requirements, together with the fee for the service with the Tribunale when you ring to make your appointment.

Following are the contact details for the Tribunale Civile in Rome:

Tribunale Civile di Roma
Office for "Atti Notori"
Viale Giulio Cesare 54/B
Nuovo Edificio, 1st floor, Room 523 and 524
00192 Rome ITALY
Tel: +39 06 357 7547

NULLA OSTA

In addition to the Atto Notorio per matrimonio - no matter what your current marital status (single, divorced or widowed) –Australian citizens marrying in Italy require a Nulla Osta (Sworn Declaration) issued by an Australian Mission in Italy. The Nulla Osta literally states that "there are no impediments" or that one is free to marry. The document is valid for six months and costs the Euro equivalent of A$50.00 per Australian citizen. This Italian document is different to the Australian Certificate of No Impediment, which is not currently being accepted in Italy.

A Nulla Osta can be obtained from:

Australian Embassy
Via Antonio Bosio 5
00161 Rome, ITALY
Telephone: +39 06 8527 2246
Facsimile: +39 06 8527 2300
Email: consular-rome@dfat.gov.au
Website: http://www.italy.embassy.gov.au/

Australian Consulate-General
3rd Floor
Via Borgogna 2
20122 Milan, ITALY
Telephone: +39 02 776 74200
Facsimile: +39 02 776 04242

Please note that payments can only be made in cash in Euros, or with an Italian bank cheque. Credit card facilities are not available.

The Nulla Osta must be legalised by the Ufficio Legalizzazioni of a Prefettura prior to the wedding ceremony. The legalisation fee for each Nulla Osta consists of a duty stamp which has to be purchased before taking the Nulla Osta to the Prefettura. You may confirm the cost of the duty stamp with the Prefettura beforehand.

The Nulla Osta may be legalised at any Prefettura in Italy.

The contact details of the Prefettura in Rome are:

Prefettura di Roma
Viale Ostiense, 131L,
2nd floor, Scala B,
00154 Rome ITALY

CIVIL CEREMONY
After legalising the Nulla Osta, the document together with the Atto Notorio per matrimonio must be taken to the Ufficio Matrimoni (Marriage Office), in the Italian city where you plan to marry. There you will be given two appointments: The first to make a Promessa di Matrimonio (Declaration of Intent to Marry); and the second for the actual civil marriage ceremony. For these appointments you have to be accompanied by witnesses and, if the parties to the marriage do not speak Italian, an interpreter. You should confirm these requirements, together with the fee for the service when you contact the Ufficio Matrimoni to make your appointments.

If one or more of the parties to the marriage is Italian or is an Australian with Italian residency, then Banns (pubblicazione di matrimonio) must be posted for at least two weeks prior to the ceremony.

At the civil ceremony, you should apply for a marriage certificate (certificato di matrimonio), which will be provided immediately after the ceremony. Ask to have an Apostille affixed to the certificate by the Prefettura (of the city in which you get married), so that the document can be used for legal purposes.

Applicants are required to pay a fee for the rental of the marriage hall. Fees vary considerably depending on the location of the marriage. Further information on fees is available from the Ufficio Matrimoni (Marriage Office), in the Italian city where you plan to marry

During the peak marriage season (May to September) delays can be expected in obtaining appointments for the civil ceremony and in the issue of the Apostille. Please note that many Italian offices close for at least part of the month of August.

Contact details for the Marriage Office in Rome are:
Via Petroselli, 50,
00186 Rome ITALY
Tel: +39 06 6710 3066

Further information on marrying in Italy can be obtained from the Australian Embassy in Rome or the Australian Consulate-General in Milan.

The above information is provided by the Consular Section of the Australian
Embassy in Rome for the convenience of Australian Consular clients. While every effort is made to maintain the currency of this information, which is correct at the time of publication, the information may change at any time without notice. It is the responsibility of the individual to confirm the advice provided with the appropriate Italian authorities.

Published: 20 October 2011