Italian Divorce Decree Translation

**Separazione personale (legal separation):** The mandatory first step under Italian law (Art. 150–158 Codice Civile). It suspends the obligation of cohabitation but does NOT dissolve the marriage. Separazione can be **consensuale** (by mutual consent) or **giudiziale** (contested, decided by a judge). **Divorzio:** The subsequent proceeding that actually terminates the marriage.

We translate both the separazione and the divorzio documents when provided, clearly labeling each. USCIS requires proof that the marriage is fully dissolved — a separazione alone is insufficient. We flag this distinction prominently so the immigration officer can immediately identify the final divorce.

**Sentenza di divorzio:** The standard divorce judgment for civil marriages. **Cessazione degli effetti civili del matrimonio:** The equivalent judgment for concordat (religious) marriages — under Italian law, a concordat marriage is not technically "divorced" but its civil effects are "ceased." The practical result is identical: the marriage is dissolved for all civil and legal purposes.

We translate whichever operative term appears in the judgment and note the equivalence. USCIS treats both identically as proof of divorce. For concordat marriages, we also translate any references to the Sacra Rota (Vatican tribunal for annulment) or ecclesiastical proceedings when they appear alongside the civil cessazione.

**Addebito (fault attribution):** During separazione, the Tribunale may assign fault (addebito della separazione) to one spouse for violation of marital duties. This affects maintenance rights and inheritance claims. **Assegno divorzile (divorce maintenance):** The amount and duration of post-divorce maintenance, determined by the Tribunale based on the 2018 Corte di Cassazione guidelines (the "self-sufficiency" criterion).

We translate all addebito findings, assegno divorzile amounts, and property-division provisions from the dispositivo. These details may be relevant for U.S. court proceedings involving cross-border enforcement of Italian divorce terms.

**Affidamento condiviso (shared custody):** Since the 2006 reform (Legge 54/2006), shared custody is the default in Italy. The Tribunale specifies **collocamento prevalente** (primary residence) and **diritto di visita** (visitation rights). **Affidamento esclusivo (sole custody)** is ordered only in exceptional circumstances.

We translate all custody provisions, including the collocamento, visitation schedule, mantenimento dei figli (child support) amounts, and any restrictions. U.S. family courts may need these details when adjudicating cross-border custody matters under the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction.

Since 2014–2015 reforms, Italian divorce can proceed through three tracks: **(1) Tribunale** — traditional judicial proceeding, **(2) Negoziazione assistita** — lawyer-assisted negotiation without court appearance (Legge 162/2014), and **(3) Divorzio davanti all’Ufficiale di Stato Civile** — divorce at the Comune for couples with no minor children, no dependent children, and no property transfers.

We translate documents from all three tracks. The Comune-issued divorce produces a shorter document; the Tribunale sentenza is typically the longest. Regardless of track, we identify the section that constitutes the final dissolution (dispositivo) and translate it completely.