I wish to get married abroad under local jurisdiction, what shall I do?
If you wish to get married in a foreign country, you shall follow the legal marriage procedures of the State in question, which should provide all the necessary information.
After you are married, remember to register your marriage in the Registry of Marriages in your Municipality of residence in Italy. Registration is not only an obligation but it is also a step necessary – for citizens residing abroad – to access consular services, to have recognised your spouse’s rights (if a foreigner) pursuant to the marital status, and to complete the data recorded on your children’s files, etc.
For more information see Wedding.
May I get married at an Italian consulate?
Yes, although residence in the consular jurisdiction is generally a prerequisite for at least one of the marrying couple. The Head of the consular office can refuse to celebrate the marriage if the local laws prohibit it.
For more information see Wedding.
Can I establish a civil partnership at the Italian Consulate?
Yes, you can. Italian citizens residing abroad and registered with the AIRE registry can turn to the competent Italian Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of residence, to establish a same-sex civil partnership.
On establishing the civil partnership, the two parties may state their choice of a common surname and/or their choice of a matrimonial property regime.
Any civil partnership established at the Italian Consular Office will be registered in the ad hoc Provisional Civil Union Registry of the Municipality in which the persons concerned are listed in the AIRE registry.
For more information, see Civil Partnerships?
I have entered into a same-sex civil partnership/marriage abroad according to local legislation. Can I register it in Italy?
Yes, you can. The request to register the same-sex partnership/marriage established or celebrated abroad in Italian Registries (according to local legislation) may be submitted to the competent Consular Office with jurisdiction over the Italian citizen’s place of residence (if residing abroad) or to the competent Consular Office with jurisdiction over the place where the civil partnership/marriage was established or celebrated, or directly to the office of the Registry of the relevant Municipality. Certificates issued by foreign authorities shall be legalised and translated into Italian.
The obligation to register the partnership/marriage in Italy also includes certificates issued prior to the coming into force of Law No. 76/2016.
The aforesaid certificates will be registered as “civil partnerships” under Italian law and listed in the Provisional Civil Partnership Registry of the relevant Municipality.
At the request of the persons concerned, the expression “united in a partnership” will be used in documents and deeds requiring the indication of marital status.
For more information, see Civil Partnerships and Translation and legalisation of documents.
How do I register in Italy a marriage celebrated abroad?
You can bring the foreign marriage certificate, duly translated in Italian and legalised by the competent local authorities, to the relevant Italian Consulate with jurisdiction over the place where the marriage took place or over your place of residence, so that it may be transmitted to your competent Italian Municipality to be registered in the Registry of Marriages.
You can also ask the Municipality concerned to register the certificate directly, which shall nonetheless be first translated in Italian and legalised.
For more information, see Marriage and Translation and legalisation of documents
I am a foreigner and wish to marry an Italian citizen in Italy. What documents shall I submit?
In order to marry in Italy, foreigners whether resident in Italy or not, shall submit a statement of no impediment to marry, issued by the authorities of their own country, to the Italian Municipality in which they intend to marry.
For more information see Wedding.
I studied for one year abroad and was issued a certificate of attendance. How can I have that certificate recognised in Italy?
You shall request information from the authorities of the country that issued the certificate of attendance as to how to legalise it, and then consult the Italian school system for further information on recognition of the period of study abroad. Foreign documents shall also be translated into Italian (for information on translations and legalisations click here ).
How can I apply for equivalence of academic credentials for studies completed abroad?
Some information can be found on the page Riconoscimento titoli di studio
For more information see CIMEA – (Centro Informazioni sulla Mobilità e le Equivalenze Accademiche).
How can I have professional credentials recognised in order to practice my profession in Italy?
In Italy, professions are divided into “non-regulated” and “regulated” by law. In the former case there is no need to obtain legal recognition, but in the latter this is necessary in order to practice the profession in Italy.
You can find all necessary information on the page CIMEA
If I am living abroad temporarily for work purposes, may I vote in Italian elections?
Italian citizens residing abroad and enrolled in AIRE may exercise their right, in their place of residence, to absentee voting in the case of national elections, referendums on the abolition of laws and constitutional issues and for the European Parliamentary elections.
Law No. 52 of May 6, 2015 (known as “Italicum”) also extends the right to request to vote by mail from abroad to citizens who are temporarily abroad for a period of at least three months for work, study or medical reasons.
Additional information can be found in the section Voto all’estero
How may I obtain a passport?
Passports are issued in Italy by the Police (Questura) and abroad by the Italian diplomatic Missions. Application is normally submitted to the applicant’s territorially competent office, in Italy or abroad.
Italian citizens may, in any case, apply for a passport at any issuing agency in Italy or abroad, but shall first obtain authorisation from the Police (Questura) or Consulate competent for the place of residence.
If you are abroad and need more information, contact the Italian consulate with jurisdiction in your area of residence.
List of Italian Embassies and Consulates Abroad
For further information on passports see Passports.
Where do I go to renew my identity card?
Consular offices abroad are authorised to issue electronic identity cards (CIE) only to Italian citizens who are legally resident in their consular district and enrolled in the AIRE (Registry of Italians Resident Abroad).
To check whether the CIE issuance service is already active at your Consulate, please consult the relevant website.
For more information see Identity Card
Where can I apply for obtaining a Tax Number?
Italian citizens of legal age who are registered with AIRE can request a tax number for themselves and their minor children through the Fast-it online portal by accessing the relevant service and following the instructions.
For more information, including information for foreign citizens not resident in Italy, see Tax Number.
My driving licence has expired. Can I renew it at the Consulate?
Holders of Italian driving licences who are resident or staying for a period of at least 6 months in non-EU countries can obtain confirmation of the validity of their Italian driving licence from the competent Italian diplomatic-consular authorities, provided that it has not expired for more than five years and does not fall within the cases provided for in Article 119, paragraphs 2-bis and 4 of the Highway Code (driving licences for drivers with diabetes or whose mental and physical fitness must be certified by special medical commissions). Those interested shall undergo the required medical examination to assess their mental and physical fitness, after which the diplomatic-consular Mission will issue a special renewal certificate.
For more information, see Driving Licence.
How can I receive my pension abroad?
For all information on pensions abroad see Social Security and for further details contact the INPS website directly.
How can I legalise a document issued abroad for use in Italy?
Legalisation shall be made by an Italian diplomatic Mission. Normally, you shall make an appointment with the consulate to submit the document (original) to be legalised.
For more information see Translation and legalisation of documents or contact the locally authorised consulate directly.
List of Italian Embassies and Consulates Abroad
How can I obtain power of attorney for a family member abroad?
You shall grant proxy to an Italian notary (or have your signature authenticated at the bottom of a privately written proxy), have it legalised (or apostilled, as appropriate) by the territorially competent Procura della Repubblica, and have it translated.
After legalisation by the Procura, if the document shall have validity in a country that has not signed the Hague Apostille Convention, a second legalisation may be required by the diplomatic-consular Mission of the destination country in Italy. For this reason, it is advisable to check in advance with the relevant foreign diplomatic or consular Mission in Italy.
List of foreign embassies and consulates in Italy
For further information see Translation and legalisation of documents.
I am abroad, and need to obtain power of attorney for a relative in Italy, how can I do that?
If you are an Italian citizen you can obtain power of attorney at the authorised diplomatic-consular Mission, with the exception of some European countries, the list of which can be found on the website, or from a local notary.
Otherwise, if you are a foreign citizen you may consult a local notary.
Power of attorney issued by a local notary shall always be translated into Italian and legalised. See Translation and legalisation of documents.
For more information see Powers of attorney
How can I obtain an official translation of a document valid for use in Italy?
You may request a certificate of conformity from your competent Italian consulate.
In order to do so you shall submit the document in the original language and its translation. Consulates abroad normally have a list of official translators to recommend.
For further information see Translation and legalisation of documents
I am abroad, how do I go about giving up an inheritance from a relative in Italy?
If you are an Italian citizen you may do so at the Italian diplomatic-consular Mission (embassy and consulate websites have forms for downloading). If you are a foreign citizen you may do so by means of a sworn declaration with a local notary, which shall then be translated and legalised for use in Italy.
For more information see Successioni
Registration of certificates issued abroad: how can I have a birth/death certificate of a relative registered in Italy?
All information relating to the registration in Italy of civil status records and documents issued abroad is available in the section Civil Status.
I have returned to Italy after working abroad. How can I have the pension contributions I paid abroad recognised in Italy?
For all information relating to the acknowledgement of social security contributions paid abroad, see the INPS website.
To whom shall I send a request for notification abroad of a legal judgement in Italy?
See the page Notifiche all’estero where you can download the Guida alla notifica all’estero degli atti giudiziari ed extragiudiziari in materia civile e commerciale, which provides all relevant information in this regard.
How can I obtain recognition in Italy of the divorce decree obtained abroad?
International Private Law Act No. 218/1995 sets forth that, as a general rule, the divorce decrees issued abroad be automatically valid and effective in Italy, as long as they comply with basic prerequisites of compatibility with Italian law.
Foreign decrees, however, need to be registered with the relevant Italian Municipality. n order to request the registration of the divorce decree obtained abroad, you can turn to the Consular Office competent for the Country that issued the decree or directly to your Italian Municipality of residence. In any case, it is advisable to first contact the territorially competent Consular or Diplomatic Mission in order to obtain information on any further requirement possibly provided for in bilateral or multilateral Agreements, or arising from local customs or procedures.
To register divorce decrees issued in a EU Member State, reference is made to the provisions of Regulation (EC) 2019/1111.
For more information, see Recognition of foreign divorce decrees.
I would like to adopt a child, whom should I consult?
For international adoption you need to follow specific procedures established by Italian and international laws.
You can find some information on the steps to be taken on the page Adozioni internazionali.
My former husband/partner has taken my child abroad without my consent: what must I do and who may I turn to?
In this section you will find much information on the international abduction of minors:
https://www.esteri.it/MAE/IT/servizi/italiani-all-estero/Minori/SottrazioneInternazionaleMinori.htm
Please also read the brochure “Bambini Contesi. Guida per i genitori“, carefully, which provides useful information regarding this painful phenomenon.
My luggage/documents/money have been stolen: what should I do?
First report the theft to the local police (remember that every EU country has the dedicated phone number 112 for this purpose).
Embassies and first-class consulates issue a temporary travel document (ETD – Emergency Travel Document), as provided for in Article 23, paragraph 3, of Legislative Decree No. 71/2011, in the event of theft, loss, destruction or temporary unavailability of a passport or other travel document. This document is issued by Italian diplomatic and consular Missions in European and non-European countries and is valid for a single return trip to Italy or to the country of permanent residence or, in exceptional cases, to another destination. In the Schengen area, as part of their commercial policies, some airlines may allow boarding upon presentation of a report of theft or loss made to the local police authorities.
For further information see:
Documento di viaggio provvisorio – ETD – Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale
Loss or Theft of Documents
Financial Assistance Abroad
If there is no Italian diplomatic Mission in the country where I am who may I turn to?
If you are in a country where there is no Italian embassy or consulate, you may request consular protection from the diplomatic Mission of any European Union Member State.
For more information see Consular Services.
What shall I do if I am arrested abroad? What are my rights as an Italian citizen?
To find out what a diplomatic Mission can do to help you if you are arrested in a foreign country, see Assistance to detainees.
I graduated abroad. Will my degree be recognised in Italy?
Foreign educational credentials are not automatically recognised in Italy. For more information see CIMEA (Centro Informazioni sulla Mobilità e le Equivalenze Accademiche).
My identity card has been lost or stolen, who can tell me whether it has been found or recovered?
If you have lost your identity card, or it has been stolen, and you are interested in getting it back, you should contact the consulate with jurisdiction in the place where it was lost/stolen.
It may be returned to you directly at the consulate or sent to you by mail at your expense upon request.
Recovered identity cards not claimed within a period of one year will automatically be destroyed.
List of Italian embassies and consulates
Where can I find up-to-date information on the main customs regulations governing luggage, personal belongings, pets and animals accompanying travellers?
The Customs Agency has drawn up a customs card for travellers containing the information necessary for customs clearance of the goods most frequently carried by travellers, which can be consulted on the Agency’s website.
It is an easy-to-use guide to the main customs regulations governing travellers’ luggage, personal belongings, pets and animals. It is a useful tool for those arriving in or departing from our country, enabling them to prepare any necessary customs documents in advance. It also provides useful information for those who purchase products online.