Chinese citizens can legally marry in Italy by obtaining a Marriage Nulla Osta from the Chinese Consulate in Italy, both spouses attending in person. Once issued, the Nulla Osta must be legalized at the Italian Prefettura before the civil marriage can take place, and it typically takes up to 10 days to obtain.
🇨🇳 Paperwork and Legal Requirements for Chinese Citizens Getting Married in Italy 🇮🇹
Getting married in Italy as a Chinese citizen requires careful preparation of legal documents and adherence to specific procedures.
To ensure your wedding is recognized both in Italy and China, it’s essential to follow each step correctly.
Here’s a complete guide to the required paperwork, the Nulla Osta process, and the registration of your marriage in China. 🇨🇳🇮🇹
Documents Required for Chinese Citizens to Get Married in Italy
To legally marry in Italy, Chinese citizens must prepare the following:
- Copy of your original passport (photo page and renewal page).
- Copy of your Italian residence permit (If unavailable, submit a copy of your VISA page).
- Notarized birth certificate (domestically certified).
- Notarized unmarried certificate (domestically certified).
📌 If the applicant was born in Italy or entered as a minor, the Certificato di Stato Libero (Free Marital Status Certificate) and Residenza Storica can be issued directly by the local Comune (Municipality) and legalized by the Prefettura.
📌 If previously married:
✔ Divorced applicants must provide an original notarized divorce certificate or a civil judgment with a validity statement (domestically certified).
✔ Widowed applicants must submit an original notarized marriage certificate + death certificate of the spouse(domestically certified).
Documents Required for Italian Citizens Marrying a Chinese Citizen
If an Italian citizen is marrying a Chinese citizen in Italy or at an Italian Consulate abroad, they must prepare:
- Copy of passport (or Italian ID card).
- Birth certificate (Estratto di nascita) with parents’ names certified by the Prefettura.
- Unmarried certificate (Certificato di Stato Libero) legalized by the Prefettura.
🛂 Obtaining the Nulla Osta for Chinese Citizens
📌 Key Steps:
✔ Personal Appearance Required: Both the Chinese bride and groom must personally attend the appointment at the Chinese Consulate in Italy to request the Nulla Osta.
✔ Legalization Process: After obtaining the Nulla Osta, it must be legalized at the Prefettura to be officially recognized by Italian authorities.
✔ Processing Time: The Chinese Consulate may take up to 10 days to issue the Nulla Osta (excluding public holidays).
🏛️ Civil Wedding Process in Italy for Chinese Citizens
1️⃣ Declaration of No Impediment
If neither of you are residents in Italy, you must make a Declaration of No Impediment, as required by Article 109 of the Italian Civil Code and to Articles 10–12 of D.P.R. 3 November 2000, n. 396
✔ This declaration ensures that no legal obstacles exist regarding kinship, adoption, or previous marital status under Article 87, 85, 86, and 88 of the Italian Civil Code.
✔ It must be made one or two days before the wedding at the Comune (Town Hall).
✔ No witnesses are required at this stage, but an interpreter is necessary if either partner does not speak Italian.
2️⃣ Civil Wedding Ceremony in Italy
✔ The wedding ceremony is officiated by the Mayor or a designated official.
✔ Two witnesses and an interpreter (if needed) must be present.
✔ The legal marriage certificate is issued immediately after the ceremony.
🇨🇳 Recognition of the Marriage in China
Since Italy and China are both signatories of the Hague Convention, your Italian marriage must be legally recognized in China through the following steps:
Step 1: Obtain the Apostille
Once the marriage certificate is fully legalized, we will be submit to Chinese authorities for official recognition.
We will request the Prefettura to affix the Apostille on the Italian marriage certificate.
✔ Step 2: Translate the Marriage Certificate into Chinese
The document must be translated through a legal procedure called “Asseverazione” at an Italian court.
The translation must be done by a certified translator with a legal background.
✔ Step 3: Final Legalization for China
A second Apostille must be placed on the translated document.
This step is performed at the Prosecutor’s Office of the Court where the Asseverazione was conducted.
✔ Step 4: Submit for Recognition in China
About the Author
Alessandro is a former legal advisor to the Italian Government and has worked with top law firms in Rome, focusing on international marriage and recognition abroad. He now supports foreign couples getting legally married in Italy, offering expert guidance on paperwork, consular requirements and legal recognition in their home country.
We will be your Legal Counselors for your Civil Wedding in Italy
Due to our experience in law firms and the foreign offices of the Italian public administration, we gained significant expertise in Consular affairs, and we are trained to solve the most complicated procedures such as:
- Marriage Nulla osta process, legalization procedure, Court hearings for the refusal of the town hall when documents are missing, legal translation, apostille procedure, emergency procedure for legalization.
- Immigration law services and consular support for non-EU citizens applying for a Schengen visa.
- Family reunification and family cohesion.
- Same-sex couples that want to celebrate a civil union in Italy when in their country the union is forbidden.
- Couples from countries where divorce is not allowed.
- Italians living abroad registered at A.I.R.E. who need to recover their documents to start the marriage banns in the Italian Consulate.
- Assistance for people from countries that do not issue a nulla osta.
- American and Australian couples who need assistance with the “atto notorio” in an Italian Court or the Italian Consulate in the USA or Australia.
- People with refugee status who have requested asylum in Italy.
For all other matters, please visit our FAQ section.
