THE PROCEDURE
The request for a Consular Marriage Celebration
If you wish to marry at an Italian Consulate, the first thing to do is to present the so-called “Request for consular marriage celebration” (form available here, in the “Civil Status” subsection). This is a document that you will both have to sign, and that you will have to present in person at the consular office, or send by post or e-mail to consolato.addisabeba@esteri.it with a photocopy of your identity documents attached.
There are certain cases in which your request may be refused (Italian Legislative Decree 71/2011 – the celebration of consular marriages may be refused when local laws oppose it or when the parties do not reside in the district). However, if, on the other hand, the consular office accepts your request (because the requirements of the regulations are met), you may proceed with the request for publications.
Publications
The celebration of the marriage in the Consulate must be preceded by publications carried out by a civil registrar.
The publications are valid for six months. You may therefore marry from the 4th day and no later than the 180th day following the publication. If you cannot appear in person to request the publications, you can still appoint a third person using a special power of attorney drawn up on plain paper and accompanied by a copy of your identity documents, which must, of course, be valid. If you are not a citizen of the European Union and are not resident in Italy, your signature must be notarised.
- If you are both Italian citizens and reside abroad, you must request the marriage publications from the diplomatic or consular representation where the marriage will be celebrated. If you reside in two different consular districts, the publications must be carried out at both diplomatic or consular missions).
- If one of you (Italian or foreigner) has his residency in Italy while the other (Italian citizen) has his residency abroad, you must request the marriage publications from the diplomatic or consular Representation where the marriage will be celebrated, which will, in turn, request them from the Commune of residency in Italy. The publications will therefore be carried out in both places of residence.
- If the Italian bride/groom has his residency in Italy while the other foreign national has his residency abroad, you may request the marriage publications:
- to the Commune of residency in Italy and carried out there. In this case, the Commune will issue a proxy (Art. 109 of the Italian Civil Code) for the celebration of the marriage at the diplomatic or consular Representation abroad;
- or to the diplomatic or consular Representation abroad, which will proceed as indicated in the previous point.
- If you are both residents in Italy, you must request the marriage publications from your Commune of residence, where they will be carried out. If you reside in two different Communes, the publications will be carried out in both of them. The Commune will issue a proxy in accordance with Article 109 of the Italian Civil Code for the celebration of the marriage at the diplomatic or consular Representation.
The ceremony normally takes 20 minutes and the bride and groom must be accompanied by two witnesses.