Quick answer: the documents you need to marry legally in Italy
To marry legally in Italy as a foreigner you generally need a valid passport, a birth certificate and a "Nulla Osta" (a certificate of no impediment stating you are free to marry). According to the Città di Amalfi, the Nulla Osta is issued by the competent authority of your own country or by its embassy or consulate in Italy, and documents issued abroad must be translated into Italian and carry an apostille. Couples who do not live in Italy also sign a declaration at the comune (town hall) at least two days before the ceremony. No processing times are published, so start early. A civil ceremony in Italy is legally valid and is recognised back home once it is registered there. This is general guidance, not legal advice - always verify current requirements with the comune and your consulate.
Foreign couples often get lost in Italian bureaucracy: which documents, which translations and apostilles, whether the ceremony can be in English, whether the marriage is recognised at home, and how residence and nationality change the process. This guide walks through it step by step, with the difference between EU and non-EU citizens clearly flagged.
Quick answer: the document checklist
As a foreign couple you will usually need the following. Exact requirements vary with your nationality and your residence, so always confirm with the comune where you will marry:
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| Valid passport | For both partners |
| Birth certificate | Often apostilled and translated |
| Nulla Osta (no impediment) | Certificate that you are free to marry |
| Sworn translation | By a sworn translator into Italian |
| Legalisation or apostille | Under the Hague Convention |
| Giuramento (sworn declaration) | Nulla Osta confirmed under oath at the comune |
Nulla Osta: what it is and how to get it
Nulla Osta literally means "no obstacle" and is the heart of the process. It is a certificate confirming there is no legal impediment to your marriage. The Città di Amalfi says it is issued by the competent authority of your country or by its embassy or consulate in Italy, and that the signature must be legalised at the Prefettura for countries that have not joined the conventions exempting it. It must state your names, date and place of birth, parentage, citizenship, residence and marital status. If neither of you lives or is domiciled in Italy, you sign a declaration of no impediment at the comune at least two days before the ceremony, without witnesses.
Verify with the official source: Città di Amalfi: Sposarsi ad Amalfi (checked 16 October 2026)
Where you live and your nationality matter. If you live in a country other than the one you hold citizenship in, ask both that country's authority and its consulate in Italy which of them issues your Nulla Osta. The comune is the local authority that actually performs the civil ceremony and decides which documents it accepts.
EU citizens vs non-EU (Swedish, British, American)
The difference matters. Because the Nulla Osta can come from the competent authority in your own country and not only from a consulate in Italy, couples from EU countries can often get it at home. For Swedes, Skatteverket issues a marriage certificate (äktenskapscertifikat) for countries that require one, and after the wedding you inform Skatteverket that you have married.
Couples from outside the EU (for example American or British) often obtain the Nulla Osta from their embassy or consulate in Italy, which adds an appointment to the chain. Ask the consulate what it needs and how far ahead it takes bookings. Whatever your nationality, a local coordinator who knows the comune can save you time.
Is the marriage legally valid in your home country?
Yes. A civil ceremony performed correctly at an Italian comune is legally valid, and it is recognised in your home country once it is registered according to home-country procedures. If you do not speak Italian, the comune requires an interpreter for the declaration and for the ceremony, who swears an oath before the registrar, and the same applies to witnesses who do not speak Italian. Always check your home country's registration rules, as the details differ.
Timeline and common pitfalls
Book consular appointments and request documents early. The Città di Amalfi publishes no processing times, so ask your consulate and the comune for theirs rather than relying on a figure from a blog. The most common pitfalls are missing or incorrect translations, missing apostilles, and consular appointments that are booked up well in advance, almost always because the paperwork was started too late.
This is exactly why many international couples choose the symbolic route: marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Italy. Read about the difference in our guide on symbolic vs legal weddings abroad and the general guide to legally valid weddings abroad.
Next steps
A local planner can handle the Nulla Osta and the comune for you. Send one brief to local suppliers who handle the paperwork. Wondering what it all costs, see what a wedding in Italy costs per guest, and for choosing a region: where in Italy should you get married?
Sources and reliability
This guide rests on official sources, not on our briefs. It is general guidance, not legal advice: requirements differ by nationality and can change, so confirm them with the comune where you will marry and with your consulate before you book. Published by the Wedding Abroad editorial team. Last updated October 2026.
Official sources behind the facts in the text, read on 17 October 2026:
- Nulla Osta, legalisation, apostille and Italian translation, the declaration two days before the wedding, and the interpreter: Città di Amalfi, Sposarsi ad Amalfi
- Marriage certificate (äktenskapscertifikat) and registering a marriage abroad: Skatteverket, Att gifta sig i Sverige eller i utlandet