Marriages between Italians and foreigners contracted abroad have immediate validity and relevance in the Italian juridical system. According to national laws, they must be transcribed in the Registers of Civil Status of the Italian Municipality of interest (Office of transcription of weddings celebrated abroad). At least one of the spouses must be an Italian citizen and reside in the Municipality where the transcription must be registered. Transcription of the act of marriage has certification and publicity purposes. Same-sex marriages or civil unions celebrated abroad,
Read more →Foreigners who for any reason should be part of a trial before an Italian civil or criminal court have the right to fully understand every single act, document or what is happening at a hearing, and thus they have the right to an interpreter. In case of a civil trial, when people are unfamiliar with the Italian language, the court may appoint an interpreter, who, before exercising his duties, must take an oath in front of the court to fulfill faithfully
Read more →In order to buy a house in Italy there are some important steps to follow. Although there is no need to turn to a real estate agent, it is advisable for the parties to sign a preliminary contract with which they mutually agree to sell and purchase a property by signing a deed on a specific date. With the preliminary contract there is no transferring of ownership but only a promise to sell and to purchase in the future. After the preliminary phase, the parties must
Read more →Those who are under eighteen years of age cannot buy cigarettes but they cannot be sanctioned for smoking at home or outdoors. These rules apply also to foreigners visiting the Italian peninsula for any reason. However, violations are rarely sanctioned by the authorities. During night hours and holidays it is possible to buy cigarettes at the vending machines of the tobacco shops. Foreigners should be aware that the buyer must possess an Italian identity document (identity card/tax code/health card) which
Read more →TS, TEAM and TS/CNS cards, issued by the Inland Revenue Agency to whomever has a right to health care by the National Health Service (“Servizio Sanitario Nazionale – SSN”), allow holders to receive health care (medical attention from a doctor, buy drugs at the pharmacy, book a specialized examination at a laboratory or hospital, etc.) when in Italy or abroad. 1) The Italian Health Card – Tessera Sanitaria (TS) The Italian Health Card (TS) is a very useful card issued by the
Read more →The Italian tax code (“codice fiscale”) is the document of identification of individuals (newborns, foreigners, residents abroad) and entities other than individuals in all their relationships with the Italian public authorities and administrations. This document is required in order to obtain the Italian Health Card (Tessera Sanitaria), the “Residence permit” (Permesso di soggiorno), and also to undersign any kind of contract (loan, sale and purchase, bank account, rent, employment, household utilities, etc.,) or to start a business activity, to deduct medical expenses, to buy a mobile phone, or for
Read more →In general it is lawful to sell (under license)/buy or drink alcohol, even outdoors. However, it is forbidden to sell alcohol to minors and (in some specific cases) during night hours. Minors do not incur in any administrative penalty or criminal charges for drinking alcoholic beverages at home or in public, unless they are drunk. This rule also applies to foreigners visiting the Italian peninsula for any reason. 1) Minors (under the age of eighteen) buying and drinking alcohol in
Read more →In Italy, there are many common payment instruments (cash, bank/postal check, cashier’s check, bank/wire transfer, credit/debit/rechargeable cards, postal or bank order). It is possible to pay in cash sums not exceeding € 2,999.99 with reference to “transfers” made for any reason between different individuals or legal entities. The transfer of amounts equal to or greater than € 3,000 can be carried out through banks, Poste Italiane S.p.A., electronic money institutions and payment institutions. This rule applies to whoever (Italians/EU citizens)
Read more →The bank account contract is a real “atypical contract” stipulated under Italian law between the customer and the bank. It is governed by the specific provisions contained in the contract, by the Italian Civil Code, and by Legislative Decree 385/1993. The bank agrees to perform direct/indirect debit/credit operations on the customer’s direct/indirect orders, in exchange for a fee. The account holder can dispose of the sums at his disposition at any time, subject to compliance of the notice period as
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