I am a US citizen wanting to marry an Italian girl in Hawaii. What documents do I need?

Question

I am a Soldier. I have post-deployment leave in August and then I PCS from my duty station. I will have to leave her in Italy if we can not figure this out in time.

Answer 1

I think you better step back and consider getting a Fiancee Visa K1. I've known people that have gone through h**l doing it other ways.  Also, if she comes to the states on a tourist visa and gets married, you might get jammed up and have even bigger problems on your hand.  They ask incoming foreign nationals that they suspect might be doing that, and will turn them away at customs.  Depending on where you file, it typically takes 9-12 months to get a K-1, and you have to marry within 90 days, but you would need to start getting your paperwork in order right away.  You can pay to have help and get it slightly expedited, but you can do it yourself by following directions from the local embassy, and the web.  Good luck!

Answer 2

An Italian citizen willing to marry a foreign citizen abroad need to get these two documents from the city office (Comune) where he/she resides.

a) A copy of her birth record (not a simple birth certificate but a copy of the actual recording of her birth). In Italy is called "Estratto dell'atto di nascita".

b) Another certificate that states that he/she is single and able to marry. This one (in Italian: "Certificato di capacità matrimoniale") is issued only after her intention to marry the foreign citizen has been made public at the city hall by posting on the bulletin board (aka "pubblicazioni di matrimonio").

To be of legal value in the United States, both certificates will have to be translated into English and have the "Apostille" applied onto them at the local "Prefettura".

For further information, please tell your future spouse to contact the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco (whose jurisdiction includes the State of Hawaii) and inquire there about the process to have her marriage registered in Italy as well. That will entitle the foreign spouse the right to reside in Italy by obtaining a "spouse visa".

Please note that any Italian citizen holding a recently issued passport can travel to the US and stay there up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa beforehand by availing him/herself of the "visa waiver agreement" in force between US and Italy.

Answer 3

Her passport and your Military ID and maybe your birth certificate.  You can get the marriage expidited and your number will be put at the front of the wait list when you've finished filing, but it will take 6-12 months to go through.  Good luck.

Answer 4

To marry takes a marriage license. Get that at the courthouse. Then, you have to get her Residency Papers for America. I think there is a fast-track for soldiers, but you still are looking at waiting a little bit. I've read other soldiers getting advice on this subject in this forum. I searched, can't find (drat). Link below gives more info.