Yes, US citizens can legally marry in Italy, and the marriage is valid at home. Two documents, a few appointments and good timing: here is how it works, and how we do it for you.
Paperwork guide for US citizens
Can Americans legally marry in Italy?
Yes. American citizens can legally get married in Italy with a civil ceremony or a legally recognised religious one, and the marriage is valid in the United States.
You need two documents, the Nulla Osta and the Atto Notorio, and a few appointments in the right order: the US Consulate, the Prefettura, the court and the Comune. At Efffetti we prepare the documents for you and take care of every appointment: from you we only need your passports and all the information about your situation, at the start.
The short answer
Quick overview for US citizens.
Valid in the US. A civil or legally recognised religious marriage celebrated in Italy is valid in the United States.
Two documents: the Nulla Osta (an affidavit signed at the US Consulate in Italy, then legalised) and the Atto Notorio (a sworn declaration at an Italian court or an Italian consulate in the US).
Two witnesses for the Atto Notorio (a few towns ask for four), over 18, and not your parents, siblings or in-laws.
Time in Italy: at least a full week before the wedding if you do the Atto Notorio in Italy.
Italian citizenship: if either of you has it, or has applied for it, tell us: the procedure changes completely.
Most of it is in our hands. Here is what only you can do.
What only you can do
Send us your passports and all the details of your situation at the start
Sign the affidavit in person at the US Consulate (only the two of you go in)
What we do for you
Prepare your documents
Book the US Consulate appointment as soon as the calendar opens
Legalise your affidavits at the Prefettura, without you
Book the Atto Notorio, the Comune, the interpreter and the date
Find the witnesses for you, if you don't bring your own
Collect, legalise and translate your marriage certificates
Recognition
Is a marriage in Italy legal in the US?
Yes. A marriage celebrated according to the law of the country where it takes place is valid in the United States and, under a general principle of international law, around the world. There is no national registration to do when you get home.
What matters is having the right certificates. We take care of it: we request the multilingual certificate and the simple Italian certificate, have them legalised at the Prefettura, translate them and send them to you. It takes a little time, but it always gets done.
What you need
Documents required to get married in Italy as an American.
Nulla Osta / Affidavit for American citizens
The Nulla Osta, also called Sworn Statement or Affidavit, is signed at the US Consulate in Italy responsible for your area. Fill in the form but don't sign it until you are in front of the consular officer. Only the two of you go in, with your passports and phones switched off; the fee is $50, or the equivalent in euros, for each signature or seal. Each of your two affidavits must then be legalised at the Prefettura, with a €16 revenue stamp (marca da bollo). We do it for you, and you don't need to come: an Italian Prefettura can be quite a shock if you are not used to it.
We can book the consulate appointment for you. Choosing the right office, the right day and the right form can be tricky from abroad, and we do it every week, so it may save you some stress. If you prefer to book it yourselves, here are the official links:
Be patient with the booking. The US Consulate in Florence opens the appointments for the following month only in the last week of the month before, and other offices work in a similar way. It can be nerve-racking: we watch the calendar and book the right slot as soon as it opens.
Atto Notorio for American citizens getting married in Italy
The Atto Notorio is a sworn declaration that there are no legal impediments to your marriage. You can obtain it at an Italian Consulate in the United States or at a court in Italy, with two witnesses, or four in a few towns. In Italy it must be done at least one full week before the wedding.
If you do it at an Italian consulate abroad, be ready: they will ask for your birth certificates and, if you are divorced or widowed, the related documents, all with an apostille and an official translation. These documents are not needed in Italy, but our consulates around the world want to see them. Doing it in Italy is usually much simpler.
Your witnesses must be over 18 and cannot be your parents, siblings or in-laws. Two are usually enough, although a few towns ask for four. You can bring your own, or we can find them for you.
Your wedding witnesses are a different matter: they can be the same people or others, and they can also be your parents or siblings, as long as they are over 18.
How we do it
Everything in Florence, often in one morning.
We prefer to handle the consulate, the Prefettura and the court in Florence (and we go to the Prefettura for you), even for weddings on Lake Como or elsewhere in Italy: with the right timing, everything can be done in one morning, two at most. Then you are free to enjoy Italy until the declaration at the Comune.
As soon as possibleWe contact the Comune where you want to marry and confirm its requirements.
Up to 6 months beforeWe book the Atto Notorio appointment.
When you book our serviceSend us your passports and all the details at once: previous marriages, divorces, Italian citizenship. Every missing piece of information means redoing work later.
About one month beforeWe book the US Consulate appointment for the Nulla Osta as soon as booking opens.
At least a full week beforeAtto Notorio in Italy, with your two witnesses, if you didn't obtain it at an Italian consulate in the US.
Usually 2 days beforeThe declaration at the Comune, with an interpreter. In some towns, such as Venice, it is done the same day, just before the ceremony.
This timeline is a planning guideline: the final schedule depends on the Comune where you marry.
Good to know
What slows the paperwork down.
Information in instalments. We prepare your documents for you: the more complete the information you give us at the start, the fewer times we have to redo them.
Italian citizenship you didn't mention. If either of you has, or has applied for, Italian citizenship, the whole procedure changes. We always ask, but it is important that you know it.
The consulate calendar. Appointments open late and fill up fast: patience is part of the process.
Before the wedding
Town Hall declaration before the wedding.
With the Atto Notorio and the legalised Nulla Osta, couples who don't live in Italy meet the registrar at the Town Hall, usually two days before the wedding, and in some towns even the same day, with an interpreter. Your wedding witnesses are not needed at this meeting, only at the ceremony. In some towns, such as Venice, this step is done just before the ceremony.
If one of you lives in Italy, a notice of marriage must be published in advance; this is waived if neither of you is Italian or resident in Italy. If one of you is not American, the procedure of that nationality applies: see mixed couples and special cases.
Your ceremony
Civil and religious weddings in Italy.
A marriage is valid in Italy if it is celebrated with a civil ceremony, at the Town Hall or at a venue the town has authorised, or with a religious ceremony recognised by Italian law. Weddings involving US citizens cannot be performed by US consuls or at the US Consulate.
Last updated: October 2026. This page is for general planning and doesn't replace the instructions of the US Embassy, the Italian consulates, the Prefettura or the Comune. Requirements can change. Official reference: US Embassy and Consulates in Italy.
After the wedding
Your marriage certificate for the US.
The certificates: we ask the Comune for the multilingual certificate with the box for the name after marriage left blank. If the Comune can't leave it blank, we ask for Italian certificates instead, and give you those.
Legalised: all the certificates are apostilled at the Prefettura. It takes about a month after the wedding, sometimes a little more, and then we send them to you.
Translation: we also give you our sworn translation of the Italian certificate.
Registration: no national registration is needed in the United States.
Keep several originals: you will need them for passports, name changes and other records.
Want to play it safe?
A 30-minute consultation.
On Google Meet we look at your situation, your wedding town and your dates, and 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.
Many American couples choose their own venue and suppliers from home. We can review what you have planned and coordinate the final preparations and the wedding day.
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Yes. US citizens can marry in Italy with a civil ceremony or a legally recognised religious one, and the marriage is valid in the United States. You need the Nulla Osta and the Atto Notorio, and a few appointments in the right order.
If we get married in Italy, is it legal in the US?
Yes. A marriage celebrated according to Italian law is valid in the United States and, as a general principle of international law, around the world, with no national registration to do at home. We send you the legalised and translated certificates.
Which documents do American citizens need to get married in Italy?
Two: the Nulla Osta, an affidavit signed by each of you at the US Consulate in Italy and then legalised at the Prefettura (we take care of that, you don't need to come), and the Atto Notorio, a sworn declaration at an Italian court or an Italian consulate in the US. From you we only need your passports and all the details of your situation.
Who can be our witnesses for the Atto Notorio?
Two people over 18 who are not your parents, siblings or in-laws; a few towns ask for four. You can bring your own, or we can find them for you.
Who can be our wedding witnesses?
Two people over 18: they can be the same as for the Atto Notorio or different ones, and here parents and siblings are fine.
How many days before the wedding do we need to be in Italy?
At least a full week if you do the Atto Notorio in Italy. If you obtain it at an Italian consulate in the US, a few days are enough for the US Consulate, the Prefettura and the declaration at the Comune.
Should we do the Atto Notorio in Italy or at an Italian consulate in the US?
Usually in Italy. Italian consulates abroad ask for birth certificates and any divorce or death certificates, all apostilled and officially translated: documents that are not needed in Italy. In Italy you only need your two witnesses and a week before the wedding.
Why is it hard to book the US Consulate?
Appointments open late: in Florence, those for the following month open only in the last week of the month before, and they fill up fast. That is why we book it for you: we watch the calendar and take the right slot as soon as it opens.
What if one of us has Italian citizenship?
Then you must marry as an Italian and the procedure changes completely. Tell us at the start, even if you have only applied for it.
Do we need an interpreter?
Yes, if one of you doesn't speak Italian, at the declaration at the Comune and at the ceremony, and also at the ceremony if one of your witnesses doesn't speak Italian. We arrange it for you.
Do you assist American couples throughout the entire paperwork process?
Yes. We prepare your documents, book the consulate and court appointments, prepare the sworn translations, act as interpreters and deliver everything to the Town Hall. Paperwork help is available even without a wedding planner.
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