Can you get married in Italy as an American? Yes, and American couples are the largest group of foreign couples planning weddings there. The process involves some paperwork, a visit to a U.S. consulate or the embassy in Italy, and a few steps at the Italian town hall where you will marry, but it is well established and entirely manageable with the right planning.
This guide explains the documents you need, the process step by step, the difference between civil, religious and symbolic ceremonies, and where to get married in Italy. Requirements can change, so always confirm the details with the U.S. Embassy and the town hall before you travel.
Can Americans legally marry in Italy?
Yes, Americans can legally marry in Italy, either in a civil ceremony at an Italian town hall or in a Roman Catholic church ceremony. The U.S. Embassy in Italy publishes step-by-step guidance for U.S. citizens who want to marry in Italy.
Italy is especially popular with Americans. Research reported by Il Sole 24 Ore found that 31.7 percent of all destination wedding requests in Italy in 2025 came from the United States.
What documents do Americans need to get married in Italy?
Americans need a valid passport, a birth certificate, proof that any previous marriage has ended, and a sworn declaration called the Dichiarazione Giurata, according to the U.S. Embassy. Depending on where you marry, you may also need a second document called the Atto Notorio.
- A valid U.S. passport for each partner
- Birth certificates
- If either partner was married before, evidence that the marriage ended, such as a divorce decree or death certificate
- The Dichiarazione Giurata, sworn at a U.S. consulate or the embassy in Italy
- The Atto Notorio, where required, from an Italian court or an Italian consulate in the U.S.
Documents issued in the U.S. may need an apostille and a certified Italian translation. Your town hall will confirm exactly what it accepts, so ask for its list early.
How do you get married in Italy step by step?
The process has five main steps: gather your documents, swear the Dichiarazione Giurata, have it legalized, declare your intention to marry at the town hall, and then hold the ceremony. After the wedding, you obtain an apostille on your Italian marriage certificate.
| Step | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gather documents | At home, before you travel | Passports, birth certificates, proof that any previous marriage ended |
| 2. Dichiarazione Giurata | U.S. Embassy or a U.S. consulate in Italy | You swear that there is no legal impediment to the marriage |
| 3. Legalization | The local Prefettura | The declaration is legalized for use in Italy |
| 4. Declaration of Intention | The marriage office at the town hall | You present your documents and declare your intention to marry |
| 5. Ceremony and apostille | Town hall, then the Prefettura | You marry, then obtain an apostille on the marriage certificate |
The U.S. Embassy lists seven locations that provide notarial services in Italy: Milan, Genoa, Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples and Palermo. The apostille on the marriage certificate after the wedding is described in the embassy’s guide for the Rome consular district.
How much does it cost to get married legally in Italy?
The legal paperwork itself is inexpensive. Most of the cost is the venue and the ceremony room. These are the official fees the U.S. Embassy lists for the main steps:
| Step | Official fee | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Legalizing the sworn affidavit at the Prefettura | One 16 euro revenue stamp (marca da bollo) per document | Buy the stamp at a tabacchi shop before you go to the Prefettura |
| Atto Notorio at an Italian court | Two 16 euro stamps plus one 10.62 euro stamp | Ready in four to 10 days |
| Urgent Atto Notorio, same day | Two 16 euro stamps plus one 31.86 euro stamp | Useful if you arrive close to the wedding date |
| Civil ceremony room at the town hall | From 500 euros to 9,200 euros | Depends on the town, the season and the day of the week |
Add the cost of apostilles and certified Italian translations at home, an interpreter if you do not speak Italian, and the venue, planner and celebration itself. An Atto Notorio sworn at an Italian consulate in the U.S. is paid in U.S. dollars, for example at the Italian Consulate General in Houston.
What is the Dichiarazione Giurata?
The Dichiarazione Giurata is a sworn declaration that there is no legal reason why you cannot marry. The U.S. Embassy describes it as an affidavit “sworn to before a U.S. consular officer accredited in Italy, stating that there is no legal impediment to your marriage according to the laws of the U.S. state in which you are a resident.”
You need an appointment at the embassy or a consulate to swear it, so book as soon as your travel dates are fixed. After that, the declaration is taken to the local Prefettura to be legalized before you present it at the town hall.
What is the Atto Notorio?
The Atto Notorio is a second sworn statement that some Italian town halls require in addition to the Dichiarazione Giurata. In the Rome consular district, the embassy’s guidance explains that you can obtain it from the Rome court (Tribunale Ordinario) or in advance from an Italian consulate in the U.S.
Whether you need it, and where to get it, depends on the consular district and town where you marry. Getting it from an Italian consulate before you leave the U.S. can save a day in Italy.
Rules American couples often miss
These details come up again and again with town halls. All of them are on the U.S. Embassy page or the Italian consulate page:
- Documents expire after six months. Under Italian law, public documents issued outside the EU are valid for six months from the date of issue, so order birth certificates and divorce decrees with your wedding date in mind.
- Apostille and translation. U.S. documents must be apostilled by the secretary of state of the state that issued them and translated into Italian.
- Divorced or widowed. Bring the final divorce decree, annulment decree or death certificate. A woman whose previous marriage ended less than 300 days before the wedding also needs a waiver from the Procura della Repubblica at the court in the wedding city, which requires medical evidence that she is not pregnant.
- Witnesses. The ceremony needs two witnesses of any nationality, over 18, with a valid photo ID. A witness cannot also be your interpreter.
- Atto Notorio witnesses. They must know you and cannot be relatives or future in-laws. Rules differ by office: an Atto Notorio in Italy uses two witnesses, while the Italian consulate in Houston asks for four and says the document is valid for 90 days.
- Interpreter. If you do not speak Italian, you need an interpreter for the Atto Notorio, the declaration of intention and the ceremony.
- Busy months. Waiting lists are common, especially in May, June and September, so book consulate and court appointments early.
How long do you need to be in Italy before the wedding?
Plan to arrive several working days before the wedding, because the declaration, legalization and town hall appointment all take place in Italy. Civil banns are normally posted for two consecutive weeks, but the U.S. Embassy notes that this may be waived or shortened if neither partner is Italian.
Offices are closed on weekends and public holidays, so check the calendar carefully. From 2026, October 4 is again a national holiday in Italy, as Geopop reports.
Is a marriage in Italy legally valid in the U.S.?
Yes. The U.S. Embassy explains that a marriage performed legally in Italy is valid in the United States, as a marriage valid where it was performed is automatically valid in the U.S. To use your Italian marriage certificate at home, get an apostille on it from the Prefettura that covers the area where you married.
Where do you swear the affidavit: Rome, Milan, Florence or Naples?
Book a notary appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Rome or at the Consulates General in Milan, Florence or Naples. If you marry near Genoa, Venice or Palermo, contact the U.S. Consular Agent there directly. Fill in the affidavit form for your office in advance but sign it only in front of the consular officer, according to the Embassy.
Can you have a religious wedding in Italy?
Yes. A Roman Catholic wedding in Italy is legally valid on its own, because, as the U.S. Embassy explains, “the priest will register the marriage with the civil authorities.”
Non-Catholic religious ceremonies are different. The embassy notes that they need a civil ceremony first for the marriage to be legally recognized, so many couples hold a short civil ceremony and then a religious or personal celebration afterwards. For a Catholic wedding, contact your home parish early, as the Church has its own preparation requirements.
Can same-sex couples get married in Italy?
Same-sex marriage is not legal in Italy, but same-sex couples can enter a civil union. Italy’s civil unions law, Law 76 of 2016, came into force on June 5, 2016, according to Wikipedia.
The U.S. Embassy publishes separate guidance for U.S. citizens entering into a civil union in Italy. Many couples also choose a symbolic ceremony in Italy, whatever their legal arrangements at home.
What is a symbolic wedding ceremony in Italy?
A symbolic ceremony is a wedding celebration with no legal effect, held wherever you like, with the legal marriage completed at home before or after the trip. It avoids Italian paperwork completely and gives you full freedom over the venue, time and style of the ceremony.
This is a popular choice for couples who want a ceremony in a vineyard, a castle courtyard or on a terrace by the sea, where a legal civil ceremony may not be possible. It also suits couples who want a celebrant to lead a personal ceremony in English.
Where can you get married in Italy?
A civil wedding takes place at a town hall or at another venue the municipality has approved, while a symbolic ceremony can be held almost anywhere. Tuscany is the most popular region for foreign couples, with Lake Como, the Amalfi Coast and Chianti as the leading hotspots, according to Il Sole 24 Ore.
For a more exclusive setting, consider Marche. The castle of Gradara is “one of the best-preserved Italian Medieval structures,” according to Italia.it. Our guide to a destination wedding in Italy compares Marche with Tuscany and Lake Como.
How far in advance should you start planning?
Start at least nine months before the wedding, and earlier for peak-season dates or a specific venue. That is the timeline we recommend on our luxury wedding in Italy page.
The legal steps themselves happen close to the date, but venues, suppliers, consulate appointments and guest travel all need to be booked well ahead. Starting early also leaves time to obtain the Atto Notorio from an Italian consulate before you travel.
Getting Married in Italy as an American: FAQ
Can Americans legally get married in Italy?
Yes. U.S. citizens can marry in Italy in a civil ceremony at a town hall or in a Roman Catholic ceremony, which the priest registers with the civil authorities. Banns are waived or shortened when neither partner is an Italian citizen or resident.
How long do you need to be in Italy before the wedding?
Plan to arrive several working days before the ceremony. You need time for the consulate appointment, the Prefettura and the declaration of intention at the town hall, and the date is only set after that declaration.
How much does it cost to get married in Italy?
The legal fees are small: 16 euro revenue stamps for legalization and the Atto Notorio. The civil ceremony room at the town hall costs from 500 euros to 9,200 euros, according to the U.S. Embassy. The venue, planner and celebration make up most of the budget.
What is the nulla osta for Americans?
Many couples call it the nulla osta. For U.S. citizens it is the sworn affidavit (Dichiarazione Giurata) signed before a U.S. consular officer in Italy, stating that there is no legal impediment to the marriage, then legalized at the Prefettura.
Do we need an interpreter to get married in Italy?
Yes, if you do not speak Italian. An interpreter is needed for the Atto Notorio, the declaration of intention and the ceremony, and a witness cannot act as your interpreter.
Can you get married in Italy if you are divorced?
Yes. Bring the final divorce or annulment decree, apostilled and translated into Italian. A woman whose previous marriage ended within the last 300 days also needs a waiver from the Procura della Repubblica.
Is a civil wedding in Italy valid in the U.S.?
Yes. A marriage valid where it was performed is valid in the United States. Get an apostille on the Italian marriage certificate from the local Prefettura.
Should we have a legal or a symbolic ceremony in Italy?
A legal civil ceremony gives you the marriage certificate in Italy but limits you to the town hall or approved venues. A symbolic ceremony can be held almost anywhere, with the legal marriage done at home.
Planning the celebration as well as the paperwork? Our guide on how to plan a wedding in Italy covers venues, timelines and vendors.
How can Sweet Life Italy help you get married in Italy?
Sweet Life Italy can plan your wedding in Italy from venue to guest transport, working with you on the timeline so the legal steps fit around your celebration. We plan luxury weddings in Italy, with private transport from our own chauffeur service with English-speaking drivers.
You can also extend your stay with an Italy honeymoon. Tell us about your wedding and we will start with a video call to understand your vision. The first estimate is free.
About Sweet Life Italy. Sweet Life Italy is a certified incoming tour operator and destination management company based in Castelraimondo, in the Marche region, founded by Marco and Ilaria. We design weddings, honeymoons and bespoke Italian holidays with private transport from our own chauffeur service.
