Transcription in Italy of marriages contracted abroad

According to the provisions of the Italian Law n. 218/1995 (Art. 65), foreign measures concerning civil status of person, family and personal rights, have direct effect in Italy without requiring further approval procedure.

Therefore, the marriage contracted abroad can be directly transcribed into Italian civil registry and the official, the Mayor or his nominee have the obligation to proceed with the transcription.

Public order is the only limit to the transcription of the marriage contracted abroad. In fact, Civil Status Regulation (Art. 18), introduced by Presidential Decree n. 396 (November 3, 2000), establishes that public act perfomed abroad may not transcribed in Italy if it is contrary to public policy (for example, the bigamous marriage can not be transcribed, because bigamy is forbidden in Italy).

By Mr. Luca Santaniello
Lawyer at Santaniello & Partners 

Please, see also:

Same-sex marriage celebrated abroad can be transcribed in Italy

Recognition of divorces and legal separations in Italy