Leoeventi Destination weddings in Italy
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Legal Requirements for US Citizens Getting Married in Italy From Italian Consul in the United States
Persons wishing to be married in Italy must appear with two
witnesses before the Ufficiale di Stato Civile ("Vital
Statistics Registrar") of the city or town where the marriage is to
take place, in order to file a declaration of their intention to
marry. At which point, the couple must present all required
documents.
Following the declaration, it is usually necessary for marriage
banns to be posted at the local Comune (City Hall) for two
consecutive Sundays before the marriage itself is celebrated.
However, said banns are usually waived by the Vital Statistics
Registrar if neither party to the marriage is an Italian citizen and
neither is residing in Italy.
On
the fourth day following the second Sunday on which the banns have
been posted (or any time after they have been waived) the couple may
be married, either in civil or religious ceremonies.
The
following required documentation must be
presented to the Vital Statistics Registrar when filing a
declaration of intention to marry:
- American
passport or, if member of the Armed Forces serving in Italy,
military identification card and birth certificate;
- Certified copy
of birth certificate showing the name of both parents and
bearing the required "Apostille" certification from the
Secretary of State of the State which issued the document;
- Evidence of
termination of any previous marriage (final divorce decree,
annulment decree, or death certificate);
- Sworn statement
of consent to the marriage by the parents or legal guardian if
the person is under 18;
- A declaration sworn to by the
American citizen before an American consular officer in Italy,
stating that according to the laws to which the citizen is
subject in the United States there is no obstacle to his/her
marriage. Evidence of American citizenship (birth certificate,
naturalization certificate, passport) must be shown to the
American Consul at the time of making said declaration. Any
member of the Armed Forces must also present final approval of
his commanding officer for the marriage;
- A declaration (ATTO
NOTORIO)*, in addition to the sworn statement described in
# 5 above, sworn to by two (2) witnesses before the Italian
Consul in the United States that has jurisdiction over your
place of legal residence
[Click here to find
the appropriate Italian Consulate].
If you are already in Italy you may obtain # 6 at a Pretura
("Magistrate Court").
In Rome the
Atto Notorio is executed at the Pretura Civile, Ufficio Atti
Notori, Via Lepanto 4, tel. (06) 32.39.82.47.
This Office is open from 9:00am until noon, Monday through
Saturday. On Monday and Thursday, the office is open
from 3:00pm to 4:00pm. It is recommended that the
interested party arrive between 8:15 and 9:30am to add their
name to the waiting list posted on the office door.
Service is on a first come, first-served basis. No
appointments are given. It is necessary to buy two
revenue stamps of € 20,00 each, called "marca da bollo
per uso amministrativo". Revenue stamps can be
purchased either at a tobacco shop or inside the Pretura.
Two witnesses
over 18 years old and an interpreter are required.
The first
document requested by the Italian Authorities at the Pretura
in order to prepare the Atto Notorio is a
Permesso di Soggiorno ("Residency/Sojourn Permit") to
stay in Italy. Said document must be obtained upon arrival
in Italy at Ufficio Stanieri ("Foreigners' Office")
of the Questura ("Police Headquarters"). In
Rome said office is located in Via Genova, 2. The
requirement for a Permesso di Soggiorno applies
also to the two witnesses and the interpreter, unless they
are citizens of Italy or of other European Union (EU)
countries, in which case their national ID Card (carta
d’identità) is sufficient.
CIVIL
CEREMONY FOR NON-RESIDENT US CITIZENS:
Bring the two documents to the UFFICIO MATRIMONI at the
ANAGRAFE ("Marriage Office"). The clerk will examine
the documents and will give the interested party an
appointment to return in a few days with two witnesses and
an interpreter to file a declaration of intention to marry (Promessa
di matrimonio). If the party applies for a
marriage certificate at that time, it will be received
immediately after the ceremony. In Rome said office is
located in via Petroselli n.50, tel. (06) 6710-3066 and it
is open between 8:30am and 4:00pm, Monday trough Friday.
The declaration
of intention to marry is followed by the Civil Ceremony.
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