Civil wedding for Polish Citizens Marrying in Italy
Where should the Polish citizen submit the request
According to Circular No. 33 of 11 July 2005, issued by the Italian Ministry of the Interior, Polish citizens are subject to the provisions of the Polish Law of 29 September 1986 on Civil Status Acts, which establishes in Article 71 that only the head of the Polish Civil Registry Office is the competent authority for issuing the certificate of no impediment (“nulla osta”).
However, in cases where a Polish citizen residing abroad has never had a place of residence in Poland, is unable to determine their last place of residence in Poland, or left Poland before reaching the age of 16 and has since been permanently residing abroad, the certificate must be issued by the Polish Consulate in Italy.
‼️ Please note: The certificate of no impediment (nulla osta) issued by the Polish Civil Registry Office must be legalized with an Apostille in accordance with the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961.
After legalization, the document must be translated into Italian by a sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły) or by an official translator recognized in Italy.
Only documents bearing the Apostille and an official translation are valid for use in Italy.
After completing these steps, the document can be sent to us in Italy, and we will submit it to the Municipality where you intend to get married.
📄 If the special circumstances mentioned above apply
—that is, if the Polish citizen residing abroad has never had a place of residence in Poland, cannot determine their last place of residence in Poland, or left Poland before the age of 16 and has since been permanently residing abroad—
the documents to be provided to the Polish Consulate in Italy are as follows:
- A valid Polish passport or Polish identity card
- A request for the issuance of the certificate of no impediment
- A declaration stating that there are no impediments to marriage under Polish law
- A document proving the civil status of the other spouse-to-be
- A certificate of civil status (if issued in a foreign language other than Polish or Italian, it must be accompanied by a translation made by a sworn translator or by the Consul, and legalized unless otherwise provided by law)
⚠️ Please note that Polish law does not recognize the phrase “single status” (stato civile libero).
According to the Polish civil registry system, the document must specify the exact marital status: single, divorced, or widowed.
Therefore, documents referring only to “free status” will not be accepted.
🕒 Processing time
The Polish Consul issues the certificate without delay, within a maximum of 14 days from the date of application.
📌 If the Consul refuses to issue the certificate, the refusal will be provided in written form.
After receiving this notice, you have 14 days to appeal to the competent court for the Civil Registry Office of the Capital City of Warsaw, which will decide whether the refusal is justified.
🇵🇱 Frequently Asked Questions – Polish citizens marrying in Italy
Is the presence of the future husband or wife required when submitting the application for the certificate of no impediment?
No, the presence of the other spouse-to-be is not required. However, the content of their civil status certificate must be clear and complete, allowing the Polish authority to include all necessary details for the issuance of the certificate of no impediment — such as the gender of the spouse-to-be.
What is the difference between the certificate of no impediment and the certificate of civil status?
The certificate of no impediment specifies the name of the applicant and includes the personal details of the future husband or wife.
When applying for this certificate, the applicant must sign a declaration confirming the absence of any legal impediments to the marriage (for example, not currently being married, no prohibited degree of kinship or affinity, no health conditions preventing marriage, etc.).
In contrast, the certificate of civil status contains fewer details — it refers only to the applicant and states their current marital status: single, married, divorced, or widowed.
Can the Consul issue the certificate of no impediment for a same-sex civil union under Italian law?
No. The certificate includes the personal details of the other spouse-to-be, and under current Polish law, it is not possible to enter into or recognize same-sex civil unions, even if they are legally constituted abroad.
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.
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 procedure such as:
- Marriage Nulla osta process, legalization procedure, Court hearings for the refusal of the town hall when there documents 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 that come from countries where divorce is not allowed;
Italians living abroadregistered at A.I.R.E. that need to recover their document to start the marriage banns in the Italian Consulate. - Assistance with people that come from countries that do not release the nulla osta.
- American and Australian couples who needs assistance with “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.
