Marriage abroad

Nowadays it is very fashionable to get married abroad. Some people choose to get married in exotic countries or romantic cities. Sometimes you want to get married simply because you live abroad.

In order to get married abroad, it is necessary to go through the Italian Consulate.

If you are Italian and wish to get married abroad

Italian citizens who marry abroad are not subject to marriage publications, unless required by foreign law. In some cases, the foreign authority requires a "Certificate of legal capacity to marry". This certificate is exempt from legalisation and translation.

If you reside abroad, you must submit your request for the above-mentioned "Certificate of legal capacity to marry" to the Italian diplomatic-consular representation in whose territory you reside, filling in a substitute declaration in which all the elements necessary to obtain the information or data requested must be indicated.

The certificate of absence of impediments to marriage must always be requested at the consulate of territorial jurisdiction where the marriage is intended to take place, even if residing in Italy.

Transcription of the marriage certificate

The marriage celebrated abroad must be transcribed at the competent Italian municipality in order to be valid in Italy. In order to be valid, the original marriage certificate issued by the Office of Foreign Civil Status must be legalised and translated.

Getting married at an Italian Consulate

If a couple wants to get married at the Italian Consulate. This is a document to be signed by the couple who want to get married and submitted to the Italian consulate office.

In some cases the application may be rejected. The celebration of a consular marriage may be refused when local laws oppose it or when the parties do not reside in the circumscription.

If both are Italian citizens and have their residence abroad, they must apply for the wedding publications at the diplomatic or consular representation where the wedding is to take place. If each of the couple resides in two different consular jurisdictions, the publications must be made at the different consulates of residence.