Italy - Getting Married

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Procedure

You cannot celebrate the marriage on national holidays, even midweek, such as Christmas, St. Stephen, the first of the year, on March 18 (the patron), Easter and Easter Monday, 25 April, 1 May, 1st of November and so on.

The date and time is agreed with the Official State Civil depending on the availability at the time of signing of the publication and, in the case of marriage by delegation, the presentation of the Delegation issued by the Municipality of residence or the declaration of the subscription of the report by the Civil Status Officer in charge of the proceedings. At the wedding must be present 2 adult witnesses. Bride and groom and witnesses must be in possession of a valid document.

Marriages to be celebrated at the Headquarters of the Town Hall are free while the celebrations in the Fortress are extra.

The Civil Ceremony

• The civil service in Italy is a fully legal marriage, recognized throughout the world. The civil ceremony, by law, must takes place in a town hall, or a property belonging to the town hall, and will be presided over by the vice-mayor, or his substitute. In a few special cases, certain villas have been given special permission to host civil weddings.
• The couple must complete certain documents here in Italy prior to the ceremony, and Italyweddings will assist fully with this, including, for American citizens, the Atto Notorio and Nulla Osta. For other nationalities, the process is quite simple, and the couple should consider being in Italy two or three days at least prior to the ceremony.
• The ceremony is beautifully written, and full of significance - much more than a simple Justice of the Peace or Registry office ceremony you may be accustomed to. The couple are free (and encouraged) to add readings and music, and many of the elements of a religious ceremony may be included: the bride being given away, exchanging of personal vows, and exchanging of rings.
• The witnesses are required for the civil wedding - usually two members of the wedding party, typically the maid of honor and best man, but often parents. If you do not have guests present, Italyweddings will take care of the witnesses.

Religious Ceremonies

• A religious wedding may be a Protestant ceremony, Jewish wedding, or Roman Catholic rite. By Italian law, the only church permitted to perform a legally binding Church wedding is the Catholic Church.
• A Protestant blessing is the most common type of blessing performed, and has a great degree of flexibility. The blessing can be held in a Protestant church in Florence, or in the halls and grounds of villas and hotels, or in the private chapels of many of the villas we work with.
• The rite is identical to a Protestant blessing you may be familiar with, and will include prayers, readings, vows, exchange of rings, the bride being given away, the choice of music, and in many cases, if the couple prefer, Eucharist may be included.
• In the Protestant Church it is required that one, at least, of the parties must be a baptized Christian; that the ceremony be attested by at least two witnesses; and that the marriage conform to the laws of the State and the canons of this Church. A priest or a bishop normally presides at the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage, because such ministers alone have the function of pronouncing the nuptial blessing, and of celebrating the Holy Eucharist.

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Required Documents

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• A final divorce ( sentenza di divorzio) or annulment decree or death certificate (if previously married)
• If either party is under 18, a sworn statement of consent to the marriage by the parents or legal guardians
• You also need the inevitable fiscal stamp
• You may also need to obtain a certificate of no impediment ( nulla osta) from a consulate stating that according to the laws to which youre subject in your home country, theres no obstacle to your marriage.

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministero dell'Interno
Piazza del Viminale n. 1 - 00184 Roma
TelefonoCentralino tel. 064651
GPS COORDINATE GPS
41.899721690058364, 12.494035363197326

Useful Contacts and Resources

Municipality of Savona

Venice Municipality

Register and Marital Status

Italy weddings services

Eligibility

Minors cannot contract marriage.

The court, on application by the person concerned, established his psycho-physical maturity and the merits of the reasons given, after hearing the prosecutor, the parents or guardian, may by order issued in private admit to serious grounds for marriage who has completed sixteen year old.

The decree shall be communicated to the public prosecutor, the bride and groom, parents and guardian.

Against decree may be brought complaint appeal with the court of appeal, within deadline of ten days from notice.

The appeals court decides not to appeal an order, issued in the council chamber.

The decree takes effect when the period prescribed in the fourth paragraph, without has been proposed complaint.

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Civil Code Articles 84-148 and 159-219

LAW May 31, 1995 # 218, Articles 26-32

Publications

Celebration

Processing Time

Please explain processing time taken in obtaining the document/certificate.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
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sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
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Instructions

In Italy, before a marriage can take place, the banns must be posted by a civil registrar.

The banns are valid for six months. You can therefore get married from the 4th day until the 180th day after the banns were first posted.

If you are not European Union citizens and are not resident in Italy, you must have your signature authenticated.

Before getting married you must apply the "Publications".

According to Italian Law, the legal requirements for foreign couples who wish to make their dream come true and get married in Italy with a Civil Ceremony, vary according to their country of origin.

Required Information

• Name of the couple getting married.
• Name of their Witnesses.
• Age of the couple intending to get married.
• Marital history.

Need for the Document

The marriage produces multiple and significant effects in both personal balance sheet.

It, in particular, establishes between the spouses all those relationships which are summarized in the Status of married person. But its effectiveness is not limited to the relationship between the spouses themselves.

The marriage between the parents, in fact, is a prerequisite for the recognition of the status of a legitimate child.

It also creates a personal relationship between spouses and also legally relevant third parties, for example, by affecting the formation of the bond of affinity, with all the ensuing consequences.

Information which might help

No Residency Requirements - Unlike most of Italy, indeed Europe, there are no residency nor minimum stay requirements for the region of the Coast of Maratea and the Cilento.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

Legal requirements for foreign couples to get married in Italy

http://www.italyweddings.com/service.html

Others

Please note that Town halls in Italy may require all foreign citizens to make a declaration of marriage before their special day, so plan your arrival a few days before the ceremony. A fee for the rental of the marriage hall, which can vary considerably depending on where you are getting married, also has to be paid.