About the Author
Kwok is a practising solicitor based in London, admitted in England & Wales and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. He is registered with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Kwok has worked as legal counsel and in-house solicitor across leading firms and corporations. He personally oversees every apostille and legalisation case at Ginkgo Advisory, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and end-to-end quality control.
Kwok Lam
Legal Consultant of Ginkgo Advisory
British Nationals Getting Married in Italy
If you are a British national planning to get married or register a same-sex civil partnership in Italy, you must follow the Italian legal process.
Your marriage or civil partnership will usually be recognised in the UK if:
you follow the correct process under Italian law;
and the marriage or civil partnership would be allowed under UK law.
The Italian local authority or the person conducting your ceremony can confirm which documents you need.
British nationals often need a Certificate of No Impediment, also known as a CNI.
In Italy, a CNI is equivalent to a Nulla Osta.
A Nulla Osta confirms that no legal barrier to your marriage or civil partnership has been shown to exist.
Check the Italian Authority First
Before you apply for a CNI, check with the relevant Italian authority or ceremony organiser.
They can confirm:
whether you need a CNI;
whether your CNI must be translated;
whether any UK document needs an apostille;
whether your divorce document needs extra evidence;
whether your documents must be issued within a certain period;
how the marriage or civil partnership will be registered.
This step matters because local requirements may vary.
If you are a woman who has been divorced for less than 300 days, you should contact the Italian authorities before making plans. They can confirm whether you can marry or form a civil partnership under Italian law.
Marriage Registration in Italy
If you marry in Italy, your marriage will be registered in Italy.
It will not be added to UK marriage records.
You cannot register the marriage later at a UK register office, British Embassy or British Consulate.
You should keep your Italian marriage certificate as evidence of your marriage.
If you want to use the certificate outside Italy, you may need a translation or apostille.
Certificate of No Impediment for Italy
British nationals can usually apply for a CNI through the British Embassy Rome.
You can apply in two ways:
by attending an appointment at the British Embassy Rome;
or by signing documents before a notary in Italy and applying by post.
Both routes start with an online application.
The UK Government guidance states that the CNI fee is £100. This includes £50 for receiving notice and £50 for issuing the CNI.
If you choose postal return, the guidance lists an additional postage fee:
£19.00 for Italy;
or £47.00 for the rest of the world.
Once issued, the CNI will usually be accepted by Italian local authorities for 6 months.
CNI at the British Embassy Rome
If you choose the embassy appointment route, you need to apply online and attend the British Embassy Rome.
At the appointment, you give notice of your intention to marry or register a same-sex civil partnership.
You will:
check the information in your notice;
make corrections before signing;
sign the declaration;
bring the original documents you uploaded;
provide proof that you have been in Italy for the required period, if you do not live there.
Your notice will then be displayed for 7 days.
If no one raises a legal objection, the British Embassy Rome will issue your CNI after the notice period.
You can collect the CNI or ask for it to be posted to you for an additional fee.
CNI by Post Through a Notary in Italy
You can also apply for a CNI by post.
For this route, you first download the affirmation and notice forms.
You should fill in your details by hand, but you must not sign the documents yet.
You then book an appointment with a notary in Italy.
At the notary appointment, you sign the notice and affirmation in front of the notary. The notary will sign and stamp the documents.
The guidance says you should ask the notary to use the Vera di Firma procedure.
After the notary appointment, you apply online, pay the CNI fee and post the required documents to the British Embassy Rome.
Your notice will be displayed for 7 days.
If no one raises a legal objection, the embassy will issue your CNI.
You can collect the CNI or ask for it to be posted to your chosen address.
The 3 Whole Days Rule
If you do not live in Italy, you must be in Italy for 3 whole days before your embassy or notary appointment.
The count starts the day after you arrive.
For example, if you arrive in Italy on Thursday, the earliest day you can give notice is Monday.
You need evidence showing:
when you arrived in Italy;
and where you stayed in Italy.
You may use:
a hotel or accommodation booking;
a passport stamp;
a ticket;
a boarding pass;
or a signed statement from the person you stayed with.
If your evidence is digital, print it and bring it to your appointment or upload it for the postal route.
Documents Needed for the CNI Application
To apply for a CNI, you usually need:
your UK passport;
proof of address;
your partner’s passport or national identity card;
your partner’s proof of address;
proof that any previous marriage or civil partnership has ended;
your parents’ full names;
your partner’s proof that any previous marriage or civil partnership has ended;
proof of your permanent address if you live outside Italy;
a credit or debit card for payment.
For the postal route, you also need:
the notarised affirmation;
the notarised notice;
and your chosen address for CNI delivery in Italy.
If any document is not in English or Italian, you may need a certified translation.
Prepare everything before you start. The online application may time out if you are inactive for 20 minutes.
Proof of Address for Italy CNI
If you live in Italy, you need proof of your Italian address.
The name on your proof of address must match the name on your passport.
You may use:
a residence permit, residence certificate or residence card;
a bank or mortgage statement;
a letter from your bank;
a utility bill;
a council tax bill or local equivalent;
a tenancy agreement;
a housing association rent card or equivalent;
a tax demand;
or a self-assessment statement.
Your proof of address must usually be dated within the last 3 months, unless it is a residence permit.
If You Were Previously Married or in a Civil Partnership
If you have been married or in a civil partnership before, you must show that the previous relationship has ended.
The UK Government guidance lists documents such as:
a Decree Absolute or Final Order;
a death certificate for your husband, wife or civil partner;
an annulment certificate.
For England and Wales divorce cases, you will usually need a Decree Absolute or Final Order.
A Decree Absolute is the older final divorce order. It usually applies to divorces completed before 6 April 2022.
A Final Order is the current final divorce order. It usually applies to divorce cases issued on or after 6 April 2022.
Both documents prove that the previous marriage has legally ended.
If You Do Not Have the UK Divorce Document
Many British nationals no longer hold their original Decree Absolute or Final Order.
Some only have:
an old scan;
a downloaded PDF;
a court email attachment;
a blurred photo;
an electronic divorce order;
or an unclear copy from an old file.
The UK Government guidance says you can order a UK Decree Absolute or Final Order from a divorce, dissolution or annulment record.
This matters because your Italy CNI application may require proof that a previous marriage or civil partnership has ended.
Ginkgo Advisory can help with this UK document stage.
Digital Divorce Documents Need Extra Evidence
The Italy guidance includes an important point.
If you only have a digital document showing that the marriage or civil partnership has ended, you can upload it when you apply online. However, you may also need further evidence.
For example, you may need an email, letter or other court document confirming that the court issued the divorce document.
This is important for modern UK divorce records.
Many Final Orders now exist as court PDFs or electronic documents. A loose printout may not show the full source trail.
A stronger route may include:
reviewing the UK court document;
checking whether it is a court PDF, HMCTS copy or paper order;
obtaining supporting court evidence where available;
preparing solicitor certification;
arranging a UK FCDO apostille where needed.
This gives the document a clearer chain before you use it for Italy marriage or civil partnership paperwork.
Do You Need an Apostille for Italy?
You should check this with the Italian local authority or the person conducting your ceremony.
The guidance states that some documents may need to be legalised with an apostille or translated by a qualified translator.
For a UK divorce document, the common route may be:
UK divorce document → solicitor certification → UK FCDO apostille → Italian translation if required → use in Italy
This route can help where the document is a court PDF, electronic Final Order, unclear scan or certified copy.
Ginkgo Advisory handles the UK side. You should confirm any Italian translation or local acceptance rules with the Italian authority.
If the Divorce Took Place Outside the UK
If your divorce or dissolution took place outside the UK, you may need extra evidence.
You may need to show that you or your ex-partner were a national of that country or resident there when the divorce took place.
If you have a paper document, you may need to send or bring the original document to the embassy. You may also be able to use a copy certified in the country where it was issued.
If you only have a digital document, you may need further evidence from the issuing court or authority.
Check this before you apply. Missing evidence can delay the CNI process.
UK Death Certificate Warning
If your former husband, wife or civil partner has died, you may need the original UK death certificate.
The guidance states that it is against copyright law to make a copy of a UK death certificate. A certified copy will not be accepted.
If the death certificate does not show your relationship to the deceased, you may also need your marriage or civil partnership certificate.
All original documents will be returned if you apply by post.
If You Want to Marry Your Civil Partner
You cannot get a CNI while you are still in a civil partnership.
If you want to marry your civil partner, you must either:
convert the civil partnership into a marriage;
or end the civil partnership before getting married.
If you registered a same-sex civil partnership in the UK, you may be able to convert it into a marriage.
If the civil partnership was registered elsewhere, check the law of that country.
How Ginkgo Advisory Helps
Ginkgo Advisory is a London-based legal service provider.
We assist with the UK document side of marriage and civil partnership preparation for Italy. This is especially useful if a British national has been divorced in England or Wales.
We can help with:
UK Decree Absolute retrieval;
UK Final Order retrieval;
UK divorce document review;
supporting court evidence review where available;
solicitor certification;
UK FCDO apostille;
2 working days UK apostille service, where suitable;
document preparation for Italy marriage or civil partnership use.
We do not replace the British Embassy Rome, an Italian notary or the Italian local authority.
You should always check the Italian marriage or civil partnership requirements directly.
Our role is focused. We help ensure that the UK divorce document is obtained, reviewed, certified and apostilled correctly before you use it overseas.
British National Getting Married in Italy: UK Divorce Document Support
If you are a British national getting married in Italy and you were previously divorced in England or Wales, your Decree Absolute or Final Order may form part of your CNI or Nulla Osta paperwork.
Ginkgo Advisory can help you obtain the UK divorce document, prepare solicitor certification and arrange a UK FCDO apostille in suitable cases.
Contact Ginkgo Advisory for UK Decree Absolute / Final Order certification and apostille support for marriage in Italy.
Contact Us
Address
Suite 161, 30 Red Lion Street, Richmond, London