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Getting Married in Italy When You Don't Speak Italian

When Italian law requires an interpreter, what they do at the ceremony, and how documents like the Nulla Osta work.

A civil wedding ceremony in an Italian town hall

Wedding in Italy Guide

Why an interpreter is legally required

Planning a wedding in Italy when you don't speak the language is legally more involved than many couples expect. Italian law requires interpreter assistance (or other suitable means) whenever a spouse or witness does not understand Italian, and in practice comuni require an interpreter. This guide explains the legal basis, what the interpreter does at the ceremony, what documents you need, and how the process unfolds. It also explains how civil, Catholic, and symbolic ceremonies differ.

The legal requirement: when is an interpreter mandatory?

Under Art. 66 of DPR 396/2000 (the Ordinamento dello Stato Civile, Italy’s civil-registration code), where a spouse does not know Italian the Ufficiale dello Stato Civile (civil registrar) must celebrate the marriage “con l’ausilio di un interprete” (with the assistance of an interpreter) or other suitable means. The registrar uses this assistance to put the statutory questions, receive each spouse’s declarations, and read out Arts. 143, 144, and 147 of the Codice Civile (the articles concerning the mutual rights and duties of spouses).

Art. 107 of the Codice Civile sets out the form of the civil marriage ceremony: the registrar reads Arts. 143/144/147 before two witnesses and receives each spouse’s declaration of consent. Art. 107 does not itself mention an interpreter; the interpreter requirement derives from Art. 66 (and Art. 13) of DPR 396/2000, which governs how the registrar handles parties who do not understand Italian. The interpreter is the means by which valid, informed consent under Art. 107 becomes possible when a party does not speak the language.

In practice, Italian comuni treat an interpreter as a firm requirement. Without one, the ceremony cannot lawfully proceed where a spouse does not understand Italian. The law permits “other suitable means” in theory, but an interpreter is the universal solution and the one comuni require.

Who triggers the requirement?

The requirement arises when either spouse does not understand Italian. If one partner speaks fluent Italian but the other does not, an interpreter is still required for the non-Italian-speaking partner. There is no half-measure: the registrar must be satisfied that both parties understand the proceedings before consent can be recorded.

What the interpreter does: oath, ceremony, and the atto di matrimonio

The interpreter’s role at an Italian civil wedding is a formal legal one: they swear an oath, render the statutory questions and answers, and are recorded in the marriage act.

The oath (giuramento): a national requirement

Before performing their function, the interpreter must take an oath (giuramento) before the registrar, swearing to carry out the task faithfully and accurately. This obligation derives from Art. 13 of DPR 396/2000, which governs the use of interpreters in civil-registration proceedings generally; Art. 66 applies that provision to marriage ceremonies. National law requires the oath; every registrar across Italy is bound by it. Comune guidance pages from Greve in Chianti, San Casciano Val di Pesa, and Mirandola all restate this requirement.

During the ceremony

The interpreter renders in real time from Italian into the language the spouse (or witness) understands, and back again. This covers: the reading of Arts. 143, 144, and 147 c.c.; the registrar’s questions to each spouse; and each spouse’s declaration of consent. The registrar must be satisfied at each step that the party has genuinely understood.

The atto di matrimonio: what goes on the record

Art. 66(2) of DPR 396/2000 requires that the atto di matrimonio (the marriage registration act) include a “menzione dei mezzi usati” (a mention of the means used to communicate with the non-Italian-speaking party). In widely-followed comune practice, the interpreter’s personal details are entered in the body of the act and the interpreter signs alongside the spouses, witnesses, and registrar. This signing is standard comune practice. Arts. 64 and 12 of DPR 396/2000, which govern the content of civil acts and the list of signatories, do not specifically name the interpreter; how registrars record the means used varies slightly between comuni. You should confirm the exact formalities with your specific comune in advance.

Who arranges the interpreter?

The couple must bring their own interpreter; the comune will not supply one. Formally, the registrar appoints and verifies the interpreter’s competence under Art. 13: the couple proposes a person, and the registrar administers the oath and confirms suitability on the day. In practice this means you identify and engage your interpreter in advance, and the registrar formalises the appointment at the ceremony.

Can a friend or family member act as interpreter?

Italian law (Art. 66 DPR 396/2000) does not require the interpreter to hold a professional qualification or be registered with any body. The legal floor is that the interpreter must be an adult, with sufficient language ability to carry out the function, and willing to take the statutory oath.

The critical constraint is impartiality: the spouses themselves, the witnesses (testimoni), and the registrar cannot serve as the interpreter. These exclusions exist precisely because the interpreter must be an independent third party whose sole function is faithful rendering, not a participant in the ceremony.

Beyond those exclusions, the question of whether a bilingual friend (who is not a witness and not one of the spouses) can serve as interpreter depends on the specific comune. Many comuni in practice insist on an independent or professional interpreter rather than a guest, exercising their discretion under Art. 13 to assess the interpreter’s suitability. Others may accept a capable, impartial, non-participating bilingual friend who is willing to swear the oath. You should ask your specific comune directly before assuming a friend can serve in this role. Relying on a guest who may not be accepted puts the ceremony at risk. For a professional wedding interpreter in Italy, see our weddings and events page.

Witnesses who don't speak Italian

Two witnesses (testimoni) are required at an Italian civil wedding under Art. 107 c.c. They do not need to be Italian citizens and may be close relatives of the couple, but they do need to follow the proceedings.

If a witness does not understand Italian, the interpreter extends their function to cover the witness as well. The registrar must be satisfied that the witness understands what they are attesting to when they sign the atto di matrimonio. A witness cannot serve simultaneously as the interpreter; both roles require separate, independent individuals.

If both witnesses are non-Italian-speaking, the interpreter may need to render for all four people (both spouses and both witnesses) during the relevant parts of the ceremony. This is not unusual for international weddings in Italy; simply ensure your interpreter is briefed on who will need assistance.

The preliminary declaration also requires an interpreter

Before the wedding ceremony itself, non-resident couples in Italy who are not subject to the pubblicazioni (banns) system typically sign a sworn dichiarazione/verbale (declaration of intent) at the comune, usually a few days before the ceremony. This is a formal civil-registration proceeding.

Under Art. 66 DPR 396/2000, the interpreter requirement applies to civil-registration proceedings generally; it is not limited to the wedding ceremony itself. If a spouse does not understand Italian, an interpreter is therefore required at the preliminary appointment as well. A different interpreter may be used for the preliminary declaration and for the ceremony; there is no requirement that the same person serve both roles, though in practice many couples use the same interpreter throughout for consistency.

Note also that the role of a sworn document translator (the person who produces an Italian sworn translation of your Nulla Osta or birth certificate) is entirely separate from the role of an in-person ceremony interpreter. These are different services requiring different people.

Civil, Catholic, and symbolic ceremonies: what are the differences?

Ceremony Legally binding in Italy? Interpreter required?
Civil (matrimonio civile) Yes, celebrated by the registrar under Art. 107 c.c. Yes, if either spouse or witness does not understand Italian (Art. 66 DPR 396/2000)
Catholic with civil effects (matrimonio concordatario) Yes, with civil effects under the 1929 Lateran Accords (as revised 1984) Usually handled by a bilingual/English-speaking priest; non-residents also make a preliminary declaration at the town hall, which may require a civil interpreter
Symbolic (matrimonio simbolico) No legal value under Italian law No legal requirement; a bilingual celebrant is typically used for the guests’ experience

The couple must be legally married somewhere (either via the Italian civil ceremony, via the Catholic concordatario ceremony, or in their home country) for the union to have legal effect.

Documents you will need: translation requirements

The document requirements for a foreign national marrying in Italy are set by Art. 116 of the Codice Civile and the instructions of the specific comune. Requirements vary; always confirm with your comune (and, for the Catholic route, your diocese) well in advance.

Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) / Nulla Osta

Each foreign spouse typically needs to produce evidence from their home country that there is no impediment to the marriage. The document is called a Nulla Osta or Certificate of No Impediment (CNI).

  • UK residents: the CNI is issued by your local register office in England/Wales (or equivalent in Scotland/Northern Ireland). You must give at least 28 days’ notice before the CNI is issued. Gov.uk provides a Nulla Osta application pack specifically for Italy. The CNI must then be apostilled and accompanied by a sworn Italian translation.
  • US citizens: the process is different. There is no single CNI document for US citizens. Instead, two separate documents are required: (a) an atto notorio, a sworn affidavit of no impediment made before four unrelated adult witnesses, sworn either before an Italian consul at the US consulate in the US, or before a tribunale in Italy; and (b) a separate sworn declaration or nulla osta before a US consular officer at the US Embassy or Consulate in Italy. The atto notorio is not sworn at the US Embassy in Italy; it is sworn before an Italian consul in the US or before an Italian court. Confirm the exact current requirements with the US Embassy in Rome (it.usembassy.gov/getting-married-in-italy/) and the relevant Italian consulate in the US.

Sworn translation of your documents

Foreign documents presented to Italian authorities (including your CNI, your birth certificate, and any divorce decree) must be apostilled (if required) and accompanied by a traduzione giurata (sworn Italian translation). The apostille is obtained first, then the whole package (document + apostille) is translated and sworn before an Italian court. This sworn translation function is entirely separate from the interpreter role at the ceremony. For a full explanation of how sworn translations work, see our guide on certified and sworn translation of Italian documents.

What the process looks like: a practical timeline

The exact steps and timings depend on your comune and nationality, but the following is a realistic sequence for a civil ceremony in Italy involving at least one non-Italian-speaking spouse.

Six months or more before the wedding

  • Contact your chosen comune to confirm their requirements for foreign nationals and for an interpreter. Some comuni have specific interpreter policies; ask about them early.
  • Begin obtaining your home-country documents: birth certificate, any divorce decree, and the CNI/Nulla Osta paperwork. UK residents should note the 28-day notice period at the register office before the CNI is issued.
  • Engage your interpreter, and confirm with the comune whether an independent professional is required or whether a bilingual non-witness can serve. Do not leave the interpreter to the last minute: good English–Italian wedding interpreters book up well in advance.

Several weeks before the wedding

  • Have your foreign documents apostilled (UK: via the FCDO Legalisation Office; US: via the relevant US state authority for the document).
  • Commission sworn Italian translations of the apostilled documents from a qualified translator. The translator will attend an Italian court to swear the translation; this takes time and the pubblicazioni/verbale is typically valid for 180 days, so plan accordingly.
  • Arrange the preliminary declaration appointment at the comune. Remember that if you don’t speak Italian, you will need your interpreter (or a different interpreter) at this appointment too.

On the day of the ceremony

  • Arrive with your interpreter. The registrar will administer the interpreter’s oath (giuramento) before the ceremony begins.
  • The civil ceremony itself typically takes 30–60 minutes. The registrar reads Arts. 143, 144, and 147 c.c.; the interpreter renders each section into the relevant language; each spouse declares consent; and the atto di matrimonio is signed by both spouses, the witnesses, the registrar, and, in standard comune practice, the interpreter.
  • After the signing, the registrar will typically provide a summary extract of the marriage act. A full certified copy of the atto di matrimonio can be requested from the comune for official use abroad.

Key terms: Italian ↔ English

  • Matrimonio civile: civil wedding
  • Matrimonio concordatario: Catholic wedding with civil effects (under the 1929/1984 Lateran Accords)
  • Matrimonio simbolico: symbolic ceremony (no legal value)
  • Ufficiale dello Stato Civile: civil registrar (the official who celebrates the marriage)
  • Comune / Ufficio di Stato Civile: town hall / civil registration office
  • Interprete: interpreter
  • Giuramento dell’interprete: interpreter’s oath (required under Art. 13 DPR 396/2000)
  • Atto di matrimonio: the marriage registration act (the official civil record of the marriage)
  • Testimoni: witnesses (two required at an Italian civil wedding)
  • Pubblicazioni: banns (the traditional public notice of intent to marry; often not required for non-residents)
  • Dichiarazione / verbale: preliminary declaration of intent (signed at the comune before the ceremony)
  • Nulla osta: Certificate of No Impediment (CNI), the home-country document confirming there is no bar to the marriage
  • Atto notorio: sworn affidavit of no impediment (the US equivalent of the CNI, sworn before an Italian consul or Italian court)
  • Traduzione giurata / asseverata: sworn translation (the Italian-law translation sworn before a court official; required for foreign documents presented to Italian authorities)
  • Apostille / legalizzazione: apostille (the Hague Convention certificate that authenticates the signature of a public official for international use)
  • Prefettura: the administrative authority that issues apostilles for civil-status documents in Italy
  • DPR 396/2000: Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 3 novembre 2000, n. 396, the Italian civil-registration code
  • Art. 107 c.c.: Article 107 of the Codice Civile (form of the civil marriage celebration)
  • Art. 66 DPR 396/2000: the provision requiring interpreter assistance when a spouse does not understand Italian

Important: requirements vary between comuni

Italian comune requirements for foreign nationals vary significantly (in the documents they require, the interpreter policies they apply, and the administrative procedures they follow). The information in this guide reflects verified national law and widely-observed practice as at June 2026, but always confirm the specific requirements directly with your chosen comune well in advance. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; the comune’s instructions are the binding ones, not anything you read online.

Frequently asked questions

Do you legally need an interpreter for a civil wedding in Italy if you don't speak Italian? +
Yes. Under Art. 66 of DPR 396/2000, where a spouse does not understand Italian the civil registrar must celebrate the marriage with the assistance of an interpreter (or other suitable means). In practice, an interpreter is the universal method and comuni require one. Without an interpreter, the registrar cannot lawfully proceed with the ceremony where a spouse does not speak Italian.
Is an interpreter mandatory at an Italian civil ceremony, or just recommended? +
It is mandatory under Art. 66 DPR 396/2000, which makes interpreter assistance a condition of the ceremony when a spouse does not understand Italian. This is a requirement of national civil-registration law.
What happens if we don't have an interpreter? Is the marriage still valid? +
If a spouse does not understand Italian and no interpreter is present, the registrar cannot lawfully proceed with the ceremony under Art. 66 DPR 396/2000. The ceremony would need to be rescheduled. Attempting to proceed without an interpreter where one is legally required would create serious questions about the validity of the consent recorded in the atto di matrimonio.
Do we need an interpreter at the town-hall appointments before the wedding, or only on the day? +
Both. The interpreter requirement under Art. 66 DPR 396/2000 applies to civil-registration proceedings generally, not just the ceremony itself. The preliminary declaration (dichiarazione/verbale) at the comune also requires an interpreter if a spouse does not understand Italian. A different interpreter may be used for the preliminary appointment and the ceremony if needed.
If one partner speaks fluent Italian, do we still need an interpreter? +
Yes, if the other partner does not understand Italian. The requirement under Art. 66 DPR 396/2000 is triggered by either spouse not understanding Italian; it is not limited to cases where both parties are non-Italian-speaking. The registrar must be satisfied that each spouse understands the proceedings and is giving informed consent.
Do our witnesses need to speak Italian, and can they act as the interpreter? +
Witnesses do not need to speak Italian, but if they do not understand Italian an interpreter is needed for them too (so they understand what they are attesting to). A witness cannot double as the interpreter; these are separate, independent roles. If both witnesses are non-Italian-speaking, the interpreter renders for them as well as for the spouses during the relevant parts of the ceremony.
Can a friend or family member translate at our wedding instead of a hired interpreter? +
Possibly, but it depends on your specific comune. Italian law requires the interpreter to be an impartial adult who is willing to take the oath; the spouses and the witnesses are excluded. A bilingual friend who is not a witness and not one of the spouses may satisfy the legal floor, but many comuni in practice insist on an independent or professional interpreter. Ask your comune directly before relying on a guest.
Will the comune allow a bilingual friend to interpret instead of a professional? +
Some comuni will; others will not. There is no national rule requiring a professional qualification, but comuni exercise discretion in assessing an interpreter's suitability under Art. 13 DPR 396/2000. To avoid the risk of your friend being refused on the day, confirm in writing with the comune before the wedding whether a bilingual non-witness guest is acceptable, or engage a professional interpreter to remove all uncertainty.
Does the wedding interpreter have to take an oath before the registrar? +
Yes. Under Art. 13 DPR 396/2000 (applied to marriage ceremonies via Art. 66), the interpreter must swear an oath before the registrar before performing their function. This is a requirement of national law, not local practice. The registrar administers the oath at the start of the proceedings.
Does the comune provide an interpreter, or do we hire our own? +
You must provide your own interpreter. The comune will not supply one. Formally, the registrar appoints the interpreter under Art. 13 DPR 396/2000: the couple proposes a person and the registrar verifies their competence and administers the oath. In practice, you find and engage the interpreter; the comune formalises the appointment on the day.
How far in advance should we book a wedding interpreter? +
As early as possible, ideally when you confirm the wedding date, which for Italian civil ceremonies is typically at least six months ahead. Professional English-Italian wedding interpreters are in limited supply in popular Tuscan and Italian wedding destinations and book up well in advance. Leaving it late risks being unable to find a qualified interpreter for your date.
Can our ceremony be conducted in English instead of Italian? +
No. Italian civil ceremonies are conducted in Italian; this is a legal requirement, not a custom. The registrar must read the statutory articles of the Codice Civile and receive each party's declarations in Italian. The interpreter ensures that a non-Italian-speaking spouse understands these proceedings; the ceremony itself remains in Italian.
Do we need an interpreter for a symbolic or Catholic wedding, or only the civil one? +
A symbolic ceremony has no legal value and no Italian-law interpreter requirement; a bilingual celebrant is typically used for the guests' benefit. A Catholic concordatario ceremony (which does have civil effects) usually addresses the language issue through a bilingual or English-speaking priest; however, non-residents still make a preliminary civil declaration at the comune which may require an interpreter. For any ceremony that creates a legal marriage under Italian law, the relevant proceedings must be comprehensible to both spouses.
Do our documents (birth certificate, Nulla Osta / CNI) need official Italian translation? +
Yes. Foreign documents presented to Italian authorities (including your Certificate of No Impediment (CNI), birth certificate, and any divorce decree) must be apostilled (where required) and accompanied by a sworn Italian translation (traduzione giurata/asseverata). This is a separate requirement from the in-person interpreter at the ceremony. See our guide on certified and sworn translation of Italian documents (/guides/certified-translation-italian-documents/) for how the sworn translation process works.
As a US citizen, do I need a CNI (Certificate of No Impediment) to get married in Italy? +
No. US citizens do not obtain a CNI. Instead, two separate documents are required: (a) an atto notorio, a sworn affidavit of no impediment made before four unrelated adult witnesses, sworn before an Italian consul in the US or before a tribunale in Italy (not at the US Embassy in Italy); and (b) a separate sworn declaration before a US consular officer at the US Embassy or Consulate in Italy. Confirm the current requirements directly with the US Embassy in Rome (it.usembassy.gov/getting-married-in-italy/) and the relevant Italian consulate.
How do I find an English-Italian wedding interpreter in Italy? +
Look for a professional interpreter with specific experience of Italian civil wedding proceedings : someone who knows the statutory articles, the oath procedure, and the format of the atto di matrimonio. Stefania Gobbi provides professional English-Italian interpreting for civil weddings in Tuscany and across Italy: see our weddings and events page (/industries/weddings-events/) for details.

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