# Marriage in Italy and UK



## Lanester (Jan 10, 2010)

Hello everyone, 

Next year I will be marrying my Italian girlfriend who is Catholic and I am Prodastant. I was wondering if there is a need or practice for my girlfriend to have to go through a ceremony here in England or something similar to be recognized as a couple of part England?
Sorry, I know its a vague question! 

Many thanks! 
Ian


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## adw (May 14, 2009)

No. Marriages recognized in one EU state (or pretty well any other country for that matter) are recognized in others. In some cases for official purposes (house buying, pensions, dare I even say divorces) you may need an offically certified translation of your marriage certificate. That's all.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Lanester said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> Next year I will be marrying my Italian girlfriend who is Catholic and I am Prodastant. I was wondering if there is a need or practice for my girlfriend to have to go through a ceremony here in England or something similar to be recognized as a couple of part England?
> Sorry, I know its a vague question!
> ...


If you are going to marry according to the Roman Catholic rite, then the priest marrying you has to obtain a permission from his bishop called dispensation for a mixed marriage, and she will have to make a promise in writing that she will do all in her power to retain her RC faith and to have any children baptised and brought up as RC, and you will be made aware of this undertaking. It will probably be easier to marry in England, where the RC church is used to mixed marriages than in Italy, where many priests have never had to deal with one themselves and may not want to be involved, and bishop's permission may be harder to obtain. You will both have to attend a course of pre-marital instruction called Pre-Cana. If you are marrying in Italy before an Italian priest, your Pre-Cana can take place in England with an English priest and you just have to hand a certificate to that effect in Italy. Formalities, both church and state, can be very complicated and time-consuming in Italy, while it's quite straightforward in England, which any priest can explain to you.
Whether you get married in Italy or England, in a religious ceremony or civil, your marriage will be recognised as valid by both governments, but if she marries in a civil ceremony your fiancée will not be seen as canonically married in the eyes of the RC church, which can cause problems for her and her family. It is possible for her to be married in your church (denomination), and it will be recognised as valid provided she first obtains dispensation through her priest's bishop. It is possible for a civil marriage to be later regularised in the RC church (called convalidation), but it does involve some procedures.


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## Lanester (Jan 10, 2010)

Thank You both for replying and giving very detailed replies which help me and my Fiancie very much! Also, when we both will be married, does this give either of us a, say, English/Italian Citizenship to each of ours country at all ? For example, as I am English, would marrying an Italian give me a sort of Italian Citizenship or something similar and vice-versca ?

Any help would be much appreciated!!

Cheers!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Lanester said:


> Thank You both for replying and giving very detailed replies which help me and my Fiancie very much! Also, when we both will be married, does this give either of us a, say, English/Italian Citizenship to each of ours country at all ? For example, as I am English, would marrying an Italian give me a sort of Italian Citizenship or something similar and vice-versca ?
> 
> Any help would be much appreciated!!
> 
> Cheers!


The days of automatic nationality with marriage seem to be pretty much over. Normally, you have a reduced period of time before you can apply for the other's nationality - either with or without a period of living in the country while married.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Bevdeforges said:


> The days of automatic nationality with marriage seem to be pretty much over. Normally, you have a reduced period of time before you can apply for the other's nationality - either with or without a period of living in the country while married.
> Cheers,
> Bev


Frankly, with both being EU citizens, there isn't much practical advantage in acquiring each other's nationality, even if it were straightforward (it isn't, as Bev correctly points out). You both have absolute right to live, work and settle in either country or anywhere else in EU. Italy normally demands that those who are naturalised give up their original citizenship, while UK doesn't.


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