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Documents Checklist
In US
American Passport
Original Birth Certificate, with Apostille and translated into Italian
Evidence of Termination of Any Previous Marriage translated, with Apostille Seal
Affidavit (Atto Notorio) before Italian Consular Officer in US (done by you)
In Italy
Sworn Statement (Nulla Osta) by American citizen before a U.S. Consular Officer in Italy, with Apostille Stamp
Legalization of Nulla Osta by Prefect's Office in Italy
Step by step:
1 -Obtain a valid American passport.
2 -Obtain an original birth certificate that contains the names of your parents.
3 -Send the original birth certificate to the appropriate office to be authenticated for use in Italy. If born in the United States, you must send the original birth certificate to the office of the Secretary of State of the state in which you were born to receive an "Apostille" stamp, which authenticates official documents for use in Italy. Obtain document of termination of any previous marriage, i.e. divorce or annulment decree or death certificate of previous spouse.
4 -Send the document of marriage termination to the office of the Secretary of State of the state in which the marriage termination occurred to be authenticated by the Secretary's office with an "Apostille" seal.
5 -Translate the original birth certificate and the document of marriage termination into Italian. Note: Call the nearest Italian Consulate in the United States, or wherever you may be outside of Italy, to get details on proper methods of translating documents.
6 -Once you get these documents make an appointment with the nearest Italian Consulate to where you live and ask how many witnesses are required (it varies from location to location) .
You have to bring the originals together with the Apostille and the translations of your birth certificates and divorce decrees (if any) and the witnesses to get your "Atto Notorio' that is a declaration, stating that according to U.S. laws there is no obstacle to the marriage. (The witnesses must swear before an Italian Consul that there are no impediments to the marriage under U.S. law) Make sure that the Consulate stamps the translation of your documents if the Consulate did not do the translation themselves.
7 -Send us by fax or email copy of all your documents and we will check that everything is OK.
IN ITALY
1 -Go with our assistant to the US Consulate to get a sworn statement, known as a Nulla Osta, declaring before an American Consular Officer that, according to the laws of the state or other jurisdiction in which you reside, there is no obstacle to your marriage. Bring your passport and the originals of your documents.
2 -After obtaining the declaration from the Consulate, it must be taken to the Prefecture to be authenticated (legalized). (Our assistant will accompany you)
3 -Finally your documents will be brought to the Wedding Hall where you will be married so that they can complete the paperwork.
That's it - and now your ready to walk down the aisle!!
If you did not obtain an Atto Notorio prior to coming to Italy it can be executed in Rome or Milan. We will be happy to assist you to get the documents at a cost of Euro 500 including our coordinator's assistance, witnesses, stamps and taxes
IMPORTANT
- Your full name must be written in the same way in your Passport, Birth certificate, Atto Notorio and Nulla Osta. If the future bride has been already married and is still keeping the name of her ex-hustand she must be sure that her passport contains her maiden name
- To be valid your "Atto Notorio" must have at the top of the page "Repubblica Italiana" and "Consolato Generale d'Italia"
- All birth, divorce certificates must be Apostilled by Secretary of State's Notary Public of the state the documents originated in.
- All the documents (birth certificate, divorce decree and Atto Notorio) must be translated into Italian (the translation must be authenticated by the Italian Consulate in the U.S. when you go for your Atto Notorio.
Nulla Osta to be made in Italy has a cost of Euro 55 per person plus Euro 11 per person for its legalization. You have to pay cash for them.
WHAT IS APOSTILLE?
Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been part of the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention provides for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention. Documents destined for use in participating countries and their territories should be certified by one of the officials in the jurisdiction in which the document has been executed. Said official must have been designated as competent to issue certifications by "apostille" (usually in the office of the State Secretary of State of his/her counterpart) as provided for by the 1961 Hague Convention. The text of the Convention may be found in T.I.A.S. 10072; 33 U.S. Treaty Series (UST) 883; 527 U.N. Treaty Series (UNTS) 189, and Martindale-Hubble International Law Digest.
With this certification by the Hague Convention apostille, the document is entitled to recognition in the country of intended use, and no certification by the Authentications Office or legalization by the embassy or consulate of the foreign country where the document is to be used is required. The Authentications Office only certify to documents from other federal agencies and officials from foreign governments with the apostille.
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