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Groom signing the marriage register at a civil wedding in Certaldo, the bride smiling behind him

After the wedding

Your Italian marriage certificate
in the UK.

You are married, and in the UK your Italian certificate is the only proof of it. It has to be the right one, and a wrong certificate usually comes to light months later, when you are already home.

Married in Italy

Do you need to register your marriage in the UK?

No. A marriage celebrated under Italian law is legally valid in the UK, and there is nothing to register there. Since 2014 the UK no longer keeps foreign marriage certificates either, so there is no British copy of your marriage anywhere.

That is why the Italian certificate matters so much: you will need it for your passport, for immigration, for legal and financial matters and one day perhaps for an inheritance. We make sure you go home with the right certificates, in the right number, and with their official English translation.

The short answer

What you need
after the wedding.

  • Around six originals of your marriage certificate, in case an office insists on keeping one. Keep them like your birth certificates: they are valid for ever.
  • The simple "Certificato di matrimonio", never the "Estratto per riassunto".
  • Paper originals, hand signed by the registrar and stamped by the Comune: safer than digital ones.
  • Multilingual certificates only if Box 10, "Cognome dopo il matrimonio" (surname after marriage), is left blank. HM Passport Office doesn't accept them anyway.
  • An official English translation, prepared by us from a scan. You keep the originals.
  • No Italian apostille: so far no UK office has asked our couples for one.

Six originals

Which certificates we ask the Comune for.

Box 10 left blank

3 + 3 certificates

3 Italian "Certificato di matrimonio" and 3 multilingual certificates (Formule B), with Box 10, "Cognome dopo il matrimonio", blank or crossed through. HM Passport Office simply doesn't accept the multilingual ones at all.

Box 10 filled in

6 certificates

6 Italian "Certificato di matrimonio", no multilingual ones. Marriage never changes a surname in Italy, so a filled-in Box 10 shows your surname before the wedding: nobody will change your name with it.

In both cases

Paper originals

The simple "Certificato di matrimonio", never the "Estratto per riassunto". Paper originals, signed by hand by the registrar and stamped by the Comune. We check every certificate before it leaves the town hall.

Why it matters

One word on the title
makes the difference.

An Italian Comune can issue your marriage record in several formats, and to most people they look the same. The one we always ask for is headed simply Certificato di matrimonio, not the Estratto per riassunto dell'atto di matrimonio, which is a different document.

The format matters too. Many Comuni now issue certificates electronically, and some offices may already accept them, but we can't be sure of it. To be safe we always ask for paper originals, signed by hand by the Ufficiale di Stato Civile and stamped by the Comune. A QR code is fine, but it doesn't replace the signature.

None of this is something you should have to argue about at a town hall counter on the day after your wedding. We ask for the right certificates and check them for you.

Apostille

Does the certificate need
an Italian apostille?

For the UK procedures we handle, not at the moment. So far no UK office has asked our couples for an apostille from the Prefettura on the marriage certificate, so we don't get one: it saves you time and money.

If a UK authority ever asks for it, it can be added later, and we take care of it.

Official translation

Your certificate
in English.

We prepare the official English translation of your marriage certificate and post you the original translations. If we looked after your wedding paperwork, you don't need to do anything: we collect your certificates from the Comune ourselves, check them, translate them and send everything to you. If you married in Italy without us, send us a scan of your certificate: you keep the originals, and we send you the translations wherever you live.

Ask us for a translation

Married in Italy without us?

We can still get you
the right certificates.

If you married in Italy and you are not sure you have the right certificates, or you don't have any yet, we contact the Comune where you got married for you. We request the correct certificates, check them, prepare the official English translations and send everything to you, wherever you live.

It takes a little longer than when we follow a wedding from the start, but you can be sure your certificates are the right ones, and already translated.

Ask us to get your certificates

Who does what

We take care of the certificates.
You keep them safe.

What we do for you

  • Ask the Comune for the right certificates, in the right number
  • Check the title, the signature, the stamp and Box 10 of every certificate
  • Prepare the official English translations and post them to you
  • Deal with an apostille later, if a UK office ever asks for one

What only you can do

  • Keep your originals like your birth certificates: they are valid for ever, and there is no copy in the UK
  • Use one original at a time and never leave it with anyone, unless it is strictly necessary
  • Tell us if a UK office asks for something we haven't mentioned

Your surname

Changing your surname
on your UK passport.

Getting married in Italy never changes anyone's surname: your Italian certificate shows both of you with the names in your passports. If you want to take your spouse's name, you do it in the UK, with the simple Italian marriage certificate and its certified English translation, exactly the documents above. HM Passport Office doesn't accept the multilingual certificate.

More in our guide to changing your name after a wedding in Italy.

Last updated: October 2026. This page is for general planning and doesn't replace the instructions of GOV.UK, HM Passport Office, the General Register Office or the Comune. Requirements can change.

Still planning?

Let us handle the paperwork,
before and after.

From the documents you need in the UK to the certificates you take home, we look after the whole procedure for British couples. Not sure where to start? In a 30-minute consultation on Google Meet we tell you exactly what to do and when. It costs €50, deducted from our fee if you then ask us to take care of your paperwork.

Book a consultation

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What our couples say about us.

Laura & PatrickNew York City · October 2026
★★★★★

Wedding Magic!

Working with Francesca was a pleasure from start to finish. Her responsiveness, thoughtful recommendations, and attention to detail made the entire experience feel seamless. She guided us to wonderful vendors that perfectly…
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Elizabeth and DaleNew York, NY · September 2026
★★★★★

A dreamy wedding weekend

Francina made planning an international wedding so much less stressful! Her expertise and relationships with local vendors helped us to feel confident with our ultimate vendor decisions, and all the vendors absolutely delivered!…
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Marisol & JorgeOctober 2026
★★★★★

An Absolutely Perfect Wedding Day

We couldn’t have asked for a better wedding celebrant and day-of coordinator than Francina! 🤍 From the very beginning, she was amazing, and everything on our wedding day went perfectly. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and…
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Questions, answered

After the wedding
for British couples.

Do we need to register our Italian marriage in the UK?

No. A marriage celebrated under Italian law is legally valid in the UK and there is nothing to register. Since 2014 the UK no longer keeps foreign marriage certificates, so keep your Italian originals safe: they are your proof of marriage.

How many marriage certificates do we need?

Around six originals, in case an office insists on keeping one: 3 Italian certificates and 3 multilingual ones if Box 10 of the multilingual certificate is blank, otherwise 6 Italian certificates.

Which marriage certificate do we use in the UK?

The simple Italian "Certificato di matrimonio" on paper, hand signed by the registrar and stamped by the Comune, with its certified English translation. HM Passport Office doesn't accept the multilingual certificate.

What is Box 10 on the multilingual certificate?

Box 10 is "Cognome dopo il matrimonio / Name following marriage". Marriage never changes your surname in Italy, so if the Comune fills it in, it writes the surname you had before the wedding, and nobody will change your name with that certificate. In that case you only need Italian certificates.

Does our marriage certificate need an apostille?

Not at the moment for the UK procedures we handle: no UK office has asked our couples for one so far. If one is ever requested, it can be added later and we take care of it.

We married in Italy without you. Can you get us the right certificates?

Yes. We contact the Comune where you got married, request the correct certificates, check them, translate them and send everything to you. It takes a little longer, but you can be sure they are the right ones.

We married in Italy without you. Can you still translate our certificate?

Yes. Send us a scan of your certificate: you keep the originals, and we post the original English translations to you wherever you live.

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