Getting married in Italy can be a complicated business. We recommend the use of a wedding agent to manage pre-wedding arrangements with the local authorities on your behalf. Marriage requirements can also vary from town to town. Your wedding agent is best placed to inform you of local requirements including if you need to stay in town for a minimum period of time before the wedding ceremony.
Applying for a Nulla Osta
To marry in Italy, Italian authorities require a document called a Nulla Osta to be issued by the New Zealand Embassy in Rome. This document is similar to the New Zealand Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage. Once issued, the Nulla Osta will need to be taken to a Prefettura Office in Italy for legalisation. Once it has been legalised, the final step will be to present it to the town hall, church or marriage celebrant for completion of pre-wedding requirements.
In order to request a Nulla Osta, at least one of the applicants must be a New Zealand passport holder. Residents of New Zealand who are not New Zealand citizens will need to contact the relevant embassy for the Nulla Osta Requirements.
To issue the Nulla Osta, we require:
- A cover letter with your contact details including the address where to send the document, the date you intend to get married and any other information you consider useful;
- An original Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage(external link) issued by the Department of Internal Affairs. It does not require an apostille;
- Certified copies of the biodata pages of the passports of the bride and groom;
- A completed and signed “Particulars for Inclusion in a Nulla Osta [PDF, 46 KB]" form – see below;
- The original, or a certified copy, of the decree nisi or order of dissolution if either or both the bride or the groom are divorced (N.B. If the bride is divorced, 300 days must have passed from the issue date of the dissolution/decree nisi) or the original, or a certified copy, of the death certificate of the deceased spouse if either or both the bride or groom are widowed.
- The fee for processing the Nulla Osta is Euro 60; payable by bank transfer to: New Zealand Embassy, IBAN: IT45U0356601600000125634028, SWIFT: CITIITMX, Purpose: Nulla Osta for Marriage and your full name.
- When you have all the necessary documentation, please send it to:
New Zealand Embassy Rome
Via Clitunno 44
00198 - Rome (RM)
Italy
- Once the Nulla Osta is ready it can either be collected in person or couriered to you or your marriage agent at a cost of Euro 30:
- If you choose to have the document couriered, a single bank transfer of Euro 90 is acceptable.
- If you lodge your application in person we can accept the cash equivalent.