Last update: August 30, 2025.
What documents does a Mexican citizen need to marry in Italy?
Certificates issued by the civil registry in Mexico are the only ones allowing Mexican citizens to contract marriage in Italy.
As legal consultants for the foreign offices of the Italian government, we bring extensive expertise in international law and consular affairs.
We specialize in assisting foreign couples who wish to marry in Italy and secure full legal recognition of their marriage in Mexico or in any other country where they intend to establish their future life.
In relation to the requirements and procedures to get married in Italy, specifically about the “Nulla Osta” to marriage as mentioned in Article 116 of the Civil Code, it is to be noted that according to the Italian “circolare” number 11, dated September 22, 2015, the Italian Ministry of Interior has instructed the civil status officials to accept certificates issued by the Civil Registries of the Mexican States, recognizing them as the sole certificates proving a person’s civil status.
Particularly, the new certificate of “Constancia de Inexistencia de Registro” confirms that there are no records in the name of the individual concerned.
The Consulate is not authorized to issue the “Constancia de Inexistencia de Registro” or the “Certificato di Stato Libero”.
The Federal Civil Code dictates that a person’s civil status can only be verified with certificates issued for this purpose by the Civil Status Office (from each state of the Republic) in Mexico.
This document can be requested by a relative if there’s no opportunity to do so independently, from the Civil Status Office of the state of the Republic where the person was born or resided. The name of the certificate or document may differ depending on the State.
Please note that under the Italian law the document will be valid for no more than six months from its issuance.
Furthermore, the certificate issued by the Mexican Civil Registry must bear an Apostille under the Hague Convention, issued by the competent authorities in Mexico.
It must then be translated by a sworn interpreter before an Italian Court, either arranged through our office or with the assistance of your legal counsel or wedding planner in Italy.
This is because all Mexican documents, in order to be officially valid in Italy (both Mexico and Italy signed the Hague convention), must have an apostille.
‼️Please note that, in order to be translated in Italy before the Italian Court, the Constancia de Inexistencia de Registro or the Certificato di Stato Libero must first be legalized with the Apostille in Mexico, and only afterwards translated — not the other way around.
The apostille is a certification that authenticates the signature, seal, or stamp on a document for countries that are party to the Hague Convention, to which both Mexico and Italy belong.
For this reason, the apostille for Mexican documents can only be provided by the relevant authorities in Mexico, since the Consulate is not authorized to do so.
Written by Alessandro Pirrò
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.
Who will be your Legal Counselors 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.
- International divorce cases, including recognition and enforcement of foreign divorce decrees in Italy, legal support for binational couples facing jurisdictional challenges, and assistance in cases involving different legal systems.
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