Confirm you’re free to get married or register a same-sex civil partnership in Italy if you live in the UK
Check the laws in Italy to make sure you can get married or register a same-sex civil partnership in Italy if you live in the UK. Your marriage or civil partnership will be recognised in the UK if:
- you follow the correct process according to the law in Italy
- it would be allowed under UK law
The person conducting your ceremony or relevant local authority can help you understand the processes you need to follow to get married or register a same-sex civil partnership, including what documents you’ll need.
If you’re a woman who has been divorced for less than 300 days contact the Italian authorities to understand whether you can get married or form a civil partnership.
Get a certificate of no impediment from a UK register office
To get married or register a same-sex civil partnership in Italy, British nationals living in the UK need a certificate of no impediment (CNI). A CNI is a legal document that states that no barriers (called impediments) to your marriage or civil partnership have been shown to exist.
To get a CNI, book an appointment at a UK register office to give notice. Tell them you need a CNI to get married or register a same-sex civil partnership abroad when you book your appointment.
Your UK CNI should be accepted in Italy. Check with the person conducting your ceremony or relevant local authority how long before your ceremony your CNI must be issued.
You and your partner’s names on the CNI should match the names on your passports, including your middle names.
A UK CNI is equivalent to a ‘Nulla Osta’ in Italy. Once you have your UK CNI, it will be accepted by local authorities for 6 months.
Before submitting it to the Italian authorities your UK CNI will need to be legalised (apostilled) and translated. You also need to sign a bilingual statutory declaration in front of a UK notary public, which will also need to be legalised (apostilled).
A no trace letter will not be accepted by the Italian authorities.
If you live in Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey
Apply for a CNI – or a certificate for marriage if you live in the Isle of Man - with your local register office and then apply with the British Embassy in Rome to have your document exchanged to an Italian CNI. A no trace letter will not be accepted.
Alternatively, you can apply for a CNI at the British Embassy Rome.
Marriage registration
Marriages that take place abroad according to another country’s law are not added to UK records. Your marriage will be registered in Italy instead. The person conducting your ceremony can tell you how to get a marriage certificate. You will not be able to register at or get a certificate from a UK register office, or British embassy or consulate. Keep your marriage certificate as evidence of your marriage. You may want to get it translated, especially if you want to use it outside Italy. Find a qualified translator.
If your partner is a British national
They should check what documentation they need with the person conducting your ceremony or relevant local authority and apply online themselves.
If your partner is not a British national or a national of Italy
Your partner should contact their national embassy to find out what documentation they need to get married or register a same-sex civil partnership in Italy.
If you want to marry your civil partner
To marry your civil partner you’ll either need to convert your civil partnership into a marriage, or end (dissolve) the civil partnership before you get married.
If you registered a same-sex civil partnership in the UK you can convert it into a marriage. Otherwise, check the laws in the country where your civil partnership was registered to find out what you need to do.
You cannot get a CNI while you‘re still in a civil partnership.
If you’ve travelled to Italy without a UK CNI
You may have time to get the document you need in Italy before your ceremony. Follow the guidance for British nationals living abroad to find out how to apply.