Americans Getting Married in Italy – Documentation
American citizens can get married in Italy
providing they deal with some regulations and documentation that need to be prepared both in Italy and in the USA. The following information is provided as a general guideline for U.S. citizens wishing to get married in Italy, but we suggest you contact us to consider your specific case. Depending on your residency, marital status and the city of the wedding, your wedding in Italy might need to follow specific procedures. If you would prefer to perform all the bureaucracy in the US and have a symbolic wedding in one of our fantastic Italian venues, Efffetti can assist you with a symbolic blessing or humanist celebrant for your wedding in Italy. For Catholic weddings please read the Catholic weddings in Italy section.
Please note that weddings involving U.S. citizens cannot be performed by U.S. Consuls nor take place on the premises of the U.S. Consulate.
To get married in Italy, an American Citizen must present two documents:
- Nulla Osta (or affidavit) released by the American Consulate in Italy and legalized with an Apostille and
- Atto Notorio released by the Italian Consulate in the USA or by an Italian Court. In the case that the citizen is a resident of Italy, he/she will also have to apply for a Notice of Marriage at his/her local Commune (town hall/registrar in Italy).
How to obtain these two documents.
NULLA OSTA / AFFIDAVIT
- The required “Nulla Osta” (Sworn Statement/Affidavit Form) is available for download once you apply for the appointment (there is one office per city where you will meet the USA Consulate). Please print out and complete the form, but do not sign it until you are in front of a consular officer in one of the consular sections in Italy responsible for the city of your wedding.
- Be sure to book a meeting with the US consulate in the relevant city via their website (above) at least two months before your arrival in Italy. Some consular sections are only opened to the public a couple of days per week, so be sure you plan your trip and wedding in Italy accordingly.
- The fee to the consulate can be paid at the consulate itself for the equivalent of 50 US$ per Nulla Osta (credit cards are usually accepted).
- The Nulla Osta will have to be LEGALIZED at the local Prefettura, adding an administrative fee stamp of 16,00€ per document to the amount of 50 US$. This is handled by Efffetti but consider that the Prefetturas are only open in the mornings, and if we do not have the Nulla Osta by 10 – 10:30 am, we might only be able to have the legalization done the following day. Some Prefettura only work by appointment and some have days they are closed (i.e. Rome is closed on Wednesdays).
ATTO NOTORIO
The atto notorio is a statutory declaration which the American citizen must swear in front of the Italian Consul in the USA. Two to four witnesses (depending on the State where you live) and some documentation is also required. Alternatively, the same can be sworn in front of a local court in Italy, still in the presence of two witnesses and with your passports. The Atto Notorio is released immediately, but the preparation of the documents might require a few days. If you plan to do this in Italy, we can assist you, but you must be in Italy, with 2 witnesses, at least a full week before the day of the wedding.
-
ATTO NOTORIO DONE IN THE USA:
Documents needed to obtain the atto notorio in the USA for each of the spouses:
- Long Form Birth Certificate with the full names of the parents (original or certified true copy) legalized in the USA and legally translated into Italian (this translation can be done by a legal translator in the USA)
- If it applies – evidence of the termination of any previous wedding (original or certified true copy) legalized in the USA and legally translated into Italian (this translation can be done by a legal translator in the USA)
- If it applies – name change evidence (original or certified true copy) legalized in the USA and legally translated into Italian (this translation can be done by a legal translator in the USA)
- If it applies – widow status evidence (original or certified true copy) legalized in the USA and legally translated into Italian (this translation can be done by a legal translator in the USA)
- Passport of each of the spouses and each of the witness.
Make an appointment at the closest Italian consulate in the USA at least one month before the wedding date.
-
ATTO NOTORIO DONE IN ITALY:
We strongly discourage you to try and do this in big cities like Rome or Milan as courts there are very crowded. We are happy to support you at the court in Florence. Documents needed to obtain the atto notorio in ITALY (Florence). For each of the spouses, we will need to know most of the data contained in the documents above, BUT WE WILL NOT NEED THOSE DOCUMENTS apart from the scanned copies of your passports.
- You will have to contact us, and we will send you a form to fill in.
- Be in Italy one full week before the wedding, as the court will only accept meetings on specific days.
- Make sure 2 witnesses that know you well can be with you at the meeting with the court (no siblings). A fee of 16€ x2 + 34,89€ (11,63€ x3) = 66,89€ payable by tax seals (marca da bollo) which we can buy for you on your behalf.
With the Atto Notorio and the Legalized Nulla Osta, the American Couple NOT RESIDING IN ITALY will then meet the local town hall registrar two days before the wedding, together with an interpreter, to sign a sworn declaration (witnesses are not needed at this stage). After that, the wedding can take place as planned. Weddings in Venice do not need the meeting for the sworn declaration, which is done just a few minutes before the wedding.
In the case that one of the spouses is residing in Italy, after the above mentioned 2 documents are in your hands, you must apply for a Notice of Marriage at the local city hall two consecutive Sundays before the marriage is due to occur. As mentioned though, the Notice of Marriage is waived if neither party to the marriage is an Italian citizen and neither is residing in Italy.
Should one spouse not be American, he/she will have to follow their country’s specific paperwork. If you have doubts you can Book a 30 Minute WhatsApp / Skype Consultation for just 50€
A marriage is considered valid in Italy if performed under civil or religious auspices. A civil ceremony is performed at the town hall and a translator must interpret if one or both the parties do not understand the Italian language. A religious ceremony is performed by a Roman Catholic priest or by a clergyman of any other denomination. To make a religious wedding legally binding, the pastor or priest must be authorized by the Italian Ministry of Interior to perform a religious ceremony or belong to one of the religions recognized by the Italian government.
You do not need to register your wedding in the US, but to make sure all the organizations accept your marriage certificate, Efffetti will take it to the Prefettura to have it legalized by placing an Apostille on the certificate. This process is not required but not doing so may result in some organizations not accepting your wedding document.
For additional general references please visit the US Embassy site
Want to play it safe?
Enquire below to be contacted by one of our Wedding Planners in Tuscany and Italy
⭐ FAQ – American Citizens Getting Married in Italy
1. Which documents do American citizens need to get married in Italy?
American citizens usually need two main documents for a legally binding wedding in Italy: the Nulla Osta and the Atto Notorio. The Nulla Osta is an affidavit signed at the U.S. Consulate in Italy, confirming that you are free to marry. The Atto Notorio is a sworn declaration obtained either at an Italian Consulate in the United States or at an Italian Court before the wedding. In some cases, additional documents may be needed depending on residency, previous marriages or dual citizenship. We review your personal situation and provide a clear list with everything required.
2. How do we obtain the Nulla Osta for our Italian wedding?
The Nulla Osta is issued by the U.S. Consulate in Italy responsible for the area where your wedding will take place. You must book an appointment online and bring a completed affidavit, your passport and any required supporting documents. The affidavit must be signed in front of a consular officer. After the appointment, the Nulla Osta must be legalized with an apostille at the local Prefettura before it can be delivered to the town hall. We guide you through the whole process and check the consular schedule for your location.
3. What is the Atto Notorio and where can we get it?
The Atto Notorio is a sworn declaration confirming that there are no legal impediments to your marriage. You can obtain it either at an Italian Consulate in the United States or at an Italian Court in Italy. If you choose the consulate, you will need witnesses and you must follow their appointment schedule. If you prefer to obtain it in Italy, you must arrive several days before the wedding and attend a short hearing at the court. We arrange the appointment, guide you through the required documents and accompany you if needed.
4. Do we need an interpreter for the civil ceremony?
Yes. Italian law requires an interpreter if one or both spouses do not speak Italian. The interpreter must be physically present at the civil ceremony and sometimes also at the town hall meetings or pre-wedding declarations. We provide interpreting services in English and handle all communication with the registrar so that your ceremony is smooth and fully understood.
5. Can our Italian civil wedding be recognised in the United States?
Yes. A civil wedding performed in Italy according to Italian law is generally recognised as valid in the United States. We recommend requesting an international multilingual marriage certificate or having your certificate legalised with an apostille before returning home. This ensures that your marriage is easily accepted by U.S. authorities, Social Security offices, insurance companies and other institutions.
6. How early should we plan our consular and court appointments?
We recommend starting as early as possible. Some U.S. Consulates in Italy have limited appointment availability, and court schedules vary by city. Many couples book their consular appointment several months in advance. If you plan to obtain the Atto Notorio in Italy, try to arrive at least one week before the wedding date to allow time for the hearing, translations and legalization procedures.
7. Do you assist American couples throughout the entire paperwork process?
Yes. We support American couples from start to finish. We provide a tailored document list, book consular and court appointments, prepare sworn translations when needed, act as interpreters and deliver the final paperwork to the town hall. If you also need wedding planning or a symbolic ceremony, we can assist with those services as well, but paperwork help is available independently.
8. Can you help if we have a complex situation, such as previous marriages or dual citizenship?
Yes. We frequently assist in cases involving prior marriages, divorce documents, dual citizenship, residency abroad and mixed-nationality couples. Each situation requires a slightly different procedure, and we make sure every document is correct before you travel. This prevents delays and avoids last-minute surprises with the Italian authorities.