A practical guide on how to get civilly married in Italy
Here is a brief practical guide on how to get civilly married in Italy
Check the requirements: before being able to get married civilly in Italy, you need to meet certain requirements. In particular, you must be of legal age, not already married or engaged in another marriage, and not related by direct or collateral lineage up to the fourth degree.
Book the civil registry office: once the requirements have been checked, you must book the civil registry office of the municipality where you want to celebrate the marriage. You will provide your personal information, those of your partner, and the expected date of the marriage.
Collect documents: for the celebration of a civil marriage, it is necessary to present some documents, including a birth certificate, a residency certificate, a certificate of marital status, and a citizenship certificate. All these documents must be recent and translated into Italian by an authorized translator if they are in a language other than Italian
Book the date: once you have obtained all the necessary documents, you can set the date of the civil marriage.
Civil ceremony: the civil ceremony takes place at the civil registry office of the municipality. On this occasion, the mayor or a delegated official will read the marriage certificate and ask the future spouses to give their consent for the marriage.
Witnesses: in Italy, it is expected that there is only one witness per civil marriage. In the past, the witness was considered a guarantor of the identity and freedom of the spouses to contract marriage. However, over time, this figure has become less important from a legal and judicial point of view. Today, the witness has mainly a function of emotional support for the spouses during the wedding day. In addition, having only one witness simplifies bureaucratic procedures and reduces the risk of errors or misunderstandings. Witnesses must be of legal age and may have relationships with the future spouses.
Registration: once the civil ceremony is over, the civil registry officer will proceed to register the marriage and issue the marriage certificate.
Civil marriage is a legal institution that creates a union between two people recognized by the state.
Here are the legal effects of civil marriage in Italy:Community of property: in the absence of a different marital agreement, civil marriage creates a community of property between the spouses. This means that all property acquired during the marriage, with the exception of those obtained through donation or inheritance, is jointly owned by the spouses.
Reciprocal rights and duties: the spouses have reciprocal rights and duties, such as the obligation of fidelity, moral and material assistance, collaboration, and contribution to family expenses.
Assumption of surname: in Italy, spouses can choose to keep their respective surnames or assume the surname of the other spouse. It is also possible to opt for a double surname.
Succession: in the event of the death of one of the spouses, the surviving spouse is entitled to a share of the inheritance.
Maintenance payments: in the event of separation or divorce, one spouse may be required to pay maintenance to the other, based on their respective economic conditions.
Social protection: civil marriage guarantees spouses the possibility of benefiting from some social protection rights and benefits, such as the ability to have insurance for the spouse and dependent children.
Family rights: civil marriage guarantees spouses access to a series of family rights, such as the adoption of children, the possibility of requesting residence in the same domicile, and the possibility of requesting recognition of Italian citizenship for the foreign spouse.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope it has been useful and informative, and that it has provided you with the necessary information to make informed decisions about your civil ceremony. If you have any further questions or doubts, do not hesitate to contact me!
