Planning to marry in Italy it is not so complicated as you might think. Indeed, there are no legal residency requirements for a wedding and the procedure for British citizens who live in the UK can be easily broken down into five steps as follows.
- Time limit for paperwork process
Do not start the documental collection more than 6 months before your wedding date, or 3 months if you are resident in Scotland.
You will provide for a) valid passport or national ID card for both parties; b) original birth certificate for both parties or certified copy and c) divorce papers or death certificate if you have been previously married and divorced or widowed.
- Certificate of no-impediment to Marriage (CNI) also called NULLA OSTA
You will have to provide documentation that certifies your identity as well as that there are no legal obstacles standing in the way of your marriage. In order to do this you must give notice of marriage to your local registry office in the UK.
If requirements are met, the competent office will issue the Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage. On this point, be sure that names you give to the Registrar as exactly the same as written in your passports. On the contrary, Italian authorities could reject your application.
- Statutory Declaration
You need a statutory declaration which you will sign in front of a notary or solicitor in the UK stating that there’s no legal impediment to your marriage in your home country.
The statutory declaration duly signed will b presented to the registrar at the town hall (Comune) or to the priest of the place you will get married, depending on the nature of the ceremony (civil or religious).
- Documents Apostille
Italian authorities require that all documents issued in the UK need to be legalised in order to be valid in Italy according to Hague Convention.
In the UK, the competent office to affix Apostille is FCDO Legalisation Office.
- Translate your documents
Once these documents have been legalised, they will be officially translated by:
- a sworn translator in Italy (lists are available at the Italian Courts);
- a professional UK translator registered in one of the official Institutes of Translators. Subsequently, a Notary Public will have to certify the authenticity of the translator’s signature and their membership to one of the Institutes of Translators and then to be apostilled.
However, getting married in Italy requires advanced planning, as well as a good understanding of the law in order to meet administrative deadlines and requirements.
Please contact The Italian Lawyer for further details on the procedure by email at info@theitalianlawyer.com