How a Florida marriage certificate is used in Italy
The Miami consulate is strict about marriage certificates. For transcribing an Italian citizen's Florida marriage into the comune's records, it wants the original certificate with the apostille, in long form or exemplified; photocopies and certificates without an apostille are refused. If the certificate doesn't show both spouses' dates and places of birth, the consulate also asks for the marriage license, apostilled too. Any earlier marriage or divorce of the Italian spouse must be registered in the comune first. For Italian transcription, order the long-form certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, signed by the State Registrar — the Miami consulate's checklist points there, and a county clerk copy may be refused unless the consulate confirms it.
Translation for Italy
Italian offices need an official Italian translation of English records, and the Miami consulate states that it does not translate documents. Our general rule is a translation certified by the translator, notarized by a separate Florida notary and apostilled; ask the consulate whether it accepts that format or certifies translations itself. Courts and some comuni in Italy may instead require a translation sworn before an Italian court (asseverata). Translate after the apostille, including the apostille page.
What your Florida marriage certificate must look like
Two versions can be apostilled: a certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics (signed by the State Registrar; the $10 state apostille fee applies) or a certified copy from the Clerk of Court in the county that issued the license (the $20 state fee applies). The decorative certificate from the ceremony and church certificates cannot be apostilled. Vital Statistics copies certified before 2014 must be replaced; order a new one through VitalChek or the county clerk. The state fee is included in our price either way.
Step by step: marriage certificate apostille for Italy
- Order online — pick "Marriage certificate" and "Italy" on the order form; $220 per document, $380 for two, $160 each for three or more.
- Send a photo — reply to the confirmation email with a picture of the document. We check the certification before anything ships, so a defect is caught before it costs you a round trip.
- Drop it at FedEx — after approval, FedEx emails you a prepaid QR code; show it at any FedEx Office or Ship Center, no printer or label needed.
- Filed in person in Tallahassee — we walk the document into the Florida Department of State and ship the apostilled original back by FedEx within 5–7 business days of receipt — to your U.S. address, or to Italy with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for Italy. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.