The Atto Notorio is a sworn declaration (technically a declaration under the applicant’s responsibility) required for U.S. and Australian citizens marrying in Italy, confirming there are no legal impediments to the marriage under the law of their home country.
It can be executed before an Italian court in about 15 minutes, and is valid for 90 days from issuance.
Last update: September, 2026.
Atto Notorio for Americans, Australians willing to get legally married in Italy.
📝 Atto Notorio for Americans and Australians, Getting Married in Italy
In this case, Italian law requires a key legal step known as the atto notorio.
For U.S. citizens, the procedure is based on:
- a “dichiarazione giurata” executed before the U.S. Consulate in Italy (which lawfully replaces the Nulla Osta), and
- an atto notorio executed before an Italian court, when required by the Municipality.
For Australian citizens, the Australian Consulate in Italy issues a formal Nulla Osta, which is then followed by the atto notorio when requested by the Town Hall.
From a legal standpoint, the atto notorio is a sworn declaration to be executed before the Italian authority, made under personal responsibility, stating that, under the law of the citizen’s country of nationality, there are no legal impediments to the marriage.
The atto notorio may be executed either:
- before an Italian court in Italy, or
- before the competent Italian Consulate abroad having “jurisdiction” over the citizen’s place of residence.
Please note that executing the atto notorio abroad is generally more time-consuming and may require additional steps, including translations, legalization (or apostille, where applicable) of your birth certificate, divorce documents or death certificate if applicable.
Legal References
United States of America
The law that governs the procedure of the U.S. citizens marrying in Italy is: Legge of 13 October 1965, No. 1195, which ratifies the exchange of Notes between the Government of the Italian Republic and the Government of the United States of America regarding marriages celebrated in Italy by U.S. citizens (signed in Rome, 29 July–18 August 1964).
This law provides execution of the Agreement between the Government of the Italian Republic and the Government of the United States concerning civil status records to be produced by U.S. citizens intending to contract marriage in Italy.
Australia
The Law Legge of 27 February 2002, No. 233, ratifies the Exchange of Letters constituting an Agreement between the Government of the Italian Republic and the Government of Australia on civil status records of Australia to be produced by Australian nationals intending to contract marriage in Italy.
Let’s break it down step by step.
👉🏻 Our advice if you have a tight timeline for your wedding in Italy
If you are working with a tight schedule and wish to avoid the time-consuming process of legalizing documents in your home country, translating multiple records into Italian, and dealing with appointment waiting lists at an Italian Consulate abroad, we strongly recommend completing the Atto Notorio directly in Italy.
Through our fast-track procedure, the Atto Notorio can be arranged without requiring you to provide supporting civil-status documents.
This approach is fully consistent with the applicable legal framework. The provisions governing both Australian and U.S. citizens require the applicants to declare, under their own responsibility, that they are legally free to marry under the law applicable to them.
Since the declaration is made under the applicants’ personal responsibility, there is no legal or practical reason for the authorities to request additional documentary evidence unless a specific circumstance requires further verification.
We consider it important to clarify this point because a great deal of information available online creates unnecessary confusion about the correct interpretation and application of these rules.
In practice, some authorities may still request supporting documents even when they are not expressly required by law. However, the courts and municipalities with which we regularly work apply a clear and streamlined procedure, allowing these difficulties to be avoided.
In practice, the procedure is fast and straightforward: it takes approximately 15 minutes, and a valid passport is usually sufficient.
⚠️ Validity
The Atto Notorio is valid for 90 days, so the wedding date must be scheduled within this timeframe.
📍 Atto Notorio in Italy: What to Expect
✔️ You generally need two witnesses, although the law technically requires four. Italian courts have adopted the practice of accepting two witnesses (we will provide witnesses if you do not have any).
This discrepancy exists because the four-witness requirement comes from the special bilateral agreements governing US and Australian citizens, while Italian courts generally apply the standard rule under Italian law on sworn declarations (atto notorio), which requires only two witnesses.
As the special legislation for US and Australian citizens should, in principle, prevail over the general rule, some courts may still request four witnesses depending on how they interpret the applicable law.
Witness requirements:
- They must be unrelated to you.
- They must have no interest in the marriage.
- They must hold a valid ID document.
Important: If you begin the marriage banns at an Italian Consulate abroad, it is likely that the Consulate will require four witnesses, since Consulates tend to apply the law on the Atto Notorio more strictly.
✔️ You will swear before an Italian Official of the Italian Court that:
- You are legally free to marry (i.e., single, divorced, or widowed);
- You meet the legal requirements under your national law .
Interpreter Required: If you don’t speak Italian fluently, an interpreter is usually required.
💡 Fast-Track Option: If you appoint us, we’ll handle everything directly with the court we collaborate with.
‼️All we need is your passport (no extra documents required).
We’ll make the process fast, stress-free, and 100% legal.
What Happens After You Get the Atto Notorio?
Once you have your Atto Notorio, you’ll need to:
- Swear a sworn statement at the U.S. or Australian Consulate in Italy confirming that there are no legal impediments to the marriage.
This statement may be sworn either before or on the same day as the appointment for the Atto Notorio at the Court. - Legalize the sworn statement at the competent Prefettura (Italian Government Office).
We will attend this office on your behalf without the need for any power of attorney
💼 We take care of everything for you!
📑 Atto Notorio (Italian Court)
- We prepare the Atto Notorio in advance.
- We provide the required witnesses.
- We pay the court taxes to obtain the Atto Notorio urgently, on the same day of your appointment.
- We book the Court appointment for you.
📄 Consular Dichiarazione giurata (U.S. citizens) and “sworn declaration”(nulla osta) for Australian citizens
- We properly draft the U.S. “dichiarazione giurata” and the Australian “sworn declaration”.
- We book the Consular appointment.
- We legalize the Consul’s signature at the competent Prefettura where it is registered.
📌 Result: You will have, all on the same day:
- The Atto Notorio issued by the Italian Court.
- The “Dichiarazione giurata (for U.S. citizens) and the sworn declaration (for Australian citizens) issued by the respective consulates.
- The legalization of the “Dichiarazione giurata” (for U.S. citizens) or the sworn declaration (for Australian citizens) by the competent Prefettura.
🚀 This means you are immediately ready to go to the Italian Town Hall for the final formalities and proceed with your marriage.
🏛️ Step-by-Step: Town Hall Procedure
📍 Declaration of No Impediments for non-resident foreign citizens
All non-resident foreign citizens must attend this appointment before the wedding. It’s a legal declaration confirming:
✔️ No legal barriers such as kinship, adoption, affiliation or affinity (Art. 87, Civil Code) ✔️ Compliance with Articles 85, 86, and 88 of the Civil Code
Interpreter required if either spouse doesn’t understand Italian.
Witnesses not needed for this appointment.
📍 Civil Wedding Ceremony in Italy
The actual civil ceremony usually takes place 1 or 2 days after the declaration of no impediment is issued for foreign non-resident citizens.
✔️ Two witnesses required
Interpreter required if one or both spouses don’t speak Italian
📌 Important: The Atto Notorio is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance, therefore plan town hall timing and your paperwork accordingly!
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.
Your Legal Advisors 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 abroad registered 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 need 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.
