GET MARRIED IN ITALY – LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CANADIAN CITIZENS

If you and your fiancé are both Canadian citizens, and both of you are wondering how to have a civil wedding in Italy complete with a legal validation in Canada, well, you have come to the right place.

In this post, I am going to explain to you the easiest step by step process of what needs to occur in order to get legally married in Italy. Please note that this only applies if both parties are Canadian citizens.

Ok, ready? Let’s start.

Step 1: Complete an Affidavit

An affidavit basically states that there is no impediment for you in regards to marriage, click here to download the form. IMPORTATANT: Do not sign this form yet! You will have to wait until you are at the Canadian embassy in Rome, or at the presence of a Consular officer to sign it.

Step 2: Collect all documents

The Canadian Embassy will ask you to present the following documents with the affidavit:

Certified and true copy of your valid Canadian passport
Proof of Canadian citizenship. If you were born in Canada, make sure to bring in a certified and original copy of both sides of your long-form birth certificate, which is very important, the long-form is the birth certificate that includes your parent’s information. If you were born outside of Canada, make sure to bring your original or certified true copy of both sides of your certificate of Canadian citizenship.
An original, certified, and true copy of a marriage record which has been issued by the Vital Statistics office of each Canadian province and/or territory where you have resided since the age of 16.
If applicable, bring your original and certified true copy of your final divorce certificate or decree.
If applicable, bring your original or certified true copy of the death certificate of your deceased spouse.
A certified copy of your fiancé’s valid passport.
They will ask you to pay a fee, and you must bring the copy of the receipt as well. But, if you prefer, you can pay in person with your Visa or MasterCard credit card.
Mailing/pick-up instructions: Mailing/pick-up is sent by registered post to a foreign or Italian address at no additional cost to you.
Here’s some important information to know; each party must do this entire process separately, meaning, both parties need to swear an individual affidavit, collect documents separately, obtain one declaration for each individual, and pay double.

Step 3: Submit your Application

Now that you have gathered all of your documents and filled out your affidavit, you have two choices:

a) Send them by mail or courier to:

Embassy of Canada
Consular Affairs (LN)
Via Zara, 30
00198 Rome
Italy

If you choose this option, in order to avoid going to Rome, sign the affidavit in front of a notary public in Canada, or at a consular office at the Canadian Embassies or the consulates in other countries.

or

b) In person: You must request an appointment to the Embassy in Rome.

The Canadian embassy will deliver the documents in 5 business days from the time the complete application is received.

Step 4: Legalize the Declaration from the Canadian Embassy.

After doing all the work, it is important to get an important document that has all the necessary information included that the Italian government happens to be looking for called the “Nulla Osta”. The “Nulla Osta” is not issued through the Canadian embassy, with the declaration that the embassy will give you, you will be fine to continue the process.

Bring both declarations to the Italian “Prefettura” for legalization processes. Go to the “Ufficio legalizzazioni” . Link with the information to the “Prefettura” offices that are in Italy.

Step 5: Go to the town hall office where you desire to get married.

Now that you have your declaration legalized, bring it to the marriage office in the town hall in Italy in which you want to get married in. Assuming that neither of you are Italian residents, the town hall will wave the any bans. Please consider the fact that you must be here in Italy at least 3-4 days before your wedding date (depending on the town hall, the amount of days vary, please contact them in order to get this information confirmed) in order to get sworn in at town hall.

If you don’t speak Italian, you will need to bring an interpreter to be sworn in with you as well as a copy of a valid identification of two witnesses. Your wedding date should also be scheduled in advance at the town hall.

Step 6: Get Ready for the Big Day!

Now, you are ready for your big day! You have already completed all the necessary paperwork, and now, you just have to bring the interpreter and have your two witnesses ready. The civil ceremony will be performed in Italian and translated by the interpreter.

Step 7: Obtain several copies of the marriage license from the Town Hall

Weddings that are performed in a foreign country are usually valid in Canada, and you don’t have to register them separately in Canada. But, in case you have any doubt about anything, you can contact the Vital Statistics Office in your province.

I highly recommend that before leaving Italy, obtain several copies of the marriage certification from the Town Hall in which you got married. It is important to request them in a multilingual format (i.e. “Estratto dell’atto di matrimonio in formato plurilingue”).

Step 8: Legalize your marriage Certificate.

The last step is to bring your marriage certification back again to the Prefettura for legalization purposes, and then send it to the Canadian Embassy in Rome for the authentication process.

If this all sounds like a headache, I am at your disposal at all times to help you out every step of the way, and make this process extremely easy for you! I don’t ever want you to miss anything along the way, and with my help, you will save a lot of time and energy dealing with so much tedious paperwork.

Contact me now for further information, I would be happy to hear from you!