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Divorce for expatriates living in Italy

How we can help: Our firm advises British expats overseas and those expats with links to England on divorce and family law.

This article sets out the applicable law and procedures for expats wishing to divorce in Italy. The article includes details the financial provision available for expatriates divorcing in Italy, as well as the provisions available for children. Melanie Bataillard-Samuel, a senior associate based in our London offices is able to advise clients in Italian as required.

Where to divorce if you live in Italy

If you are a British expat living in Italy and you are considering divorcing or separating from your spouse or partner, you will be wondering where to begin and what law will apply to you. You may think that you need to divorce in the country in which you were married; this is not the case. If you or your husband/wife were born in England, or have connections to England, you may be able to divorce through the English courts. You can read more about whether you can divorce in England on our jurisdiction advice page. If you contact us, one of our lawyers will telephone you without charge to give advice whether you can divorce in England.

We advise British clients across Europe, and assist them to divorce through the English courts, and achieve a financial settlement under English law.

Family Law in Italy for Unmarried Couples

We have also assisted many unmarried clients in Italy to seek financial support from their partner. These claims can include maintenance, provision of school fees for a child, provision of a home and other capital claims. Unmarried expatriates can make use of the Schedule 1 claim procedure through the English courts. These claims can include an order that one parent provide the legal fees for another parent.

Child Disputes and Abduction in Italy

Our lawyers advise on a range of children disputes involving British expat families living in Italy. Our lawyers can advise on and draft a parenting plan for families requiring assistance post separation, or can assist to implement safeguards for children visiting or relocating to Italy. We have assisted clients whose children have been abducted to England from Italy, and have secured the children’s safe return.

Using the Family Laws in Italy to Resolve Disputes

Sometimes, British expats living in Italy may not have jurisdiction to divorce in England, or they may be advised that divorcing in Italy will lead to a more favourable financial outcome. For those expats considering divorce in Italy, it is important to note that financial claims can be made in England after a divorce abroad under Part III Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984. When choosing to divorce abroad, careful advice should be taken about the potential claims that can be made in other countries, so that the right protective measures can be taken.

Separation and Divorce

In a majority of cases, divorce in Italy follows a one-year separation period (only 6 months for consensual divorce: “fast track” divorce reform of April 2015). The law provides for few cases of immediate divorce (marriages involving incestuous relationships; total incapacity of the spouse(s); change of sex, life imprisonment etc.) but these seldom occur.

As a matter of fact the dissolution of a marriage is a result of two separate proceedings taking place one after the other: the separation and the divorce.

The divorce is often a mere copy of the separation, although as far as legal fees are concerned, there are often doubled! Hence, this may be one more reason to choose to negotiate a divorce in Italy.

Unlike other countries, an expat couple that wishes to divorce in Italy needs to seek an Order from the President of the local Court (Tribunale) in order to live in a state of separation, regardless of the presence of children, properties or length of the matrimony. De facto separation can never justify a divorce.

This application for separation must be filed with the Local Court (art. 706 Civil Procedure Code).

Separation and divorce in Italy is based on a no-fault system. However successfully blaming one party for the marriage breakdown may still be important in order to establish the right to and amount of ancillary relief (maintenance) available.

Collaborative Divorce

The recent Legislative Decree 2014/1323 which came into force on February 6, 2015 provides ‘Assisted Negotiation’ for separation and divorce. This is essentially divorce through mediation rather than the courts, although lawyers are present to represent each party. A settlement reached through this type of collaboration need only be rubber-stamped by an officer of the court and no hearing is required.

Financial Aspects

Since the 1975 Family Law Reformation Act, community property has become the default legal state unless otherwise agreed to in writing between the spouses (art. 159 of the Civil Code).

This (not-so-recent) Reformation Act is aimed at protecting the weaker party, who may be susceptible to the other’s demands such as entering a separation of assets agreement despite the possibility of this being unconscionable, unreasonable or unfair.

However, a considerable number of couples now opt for the Separation of Assets at the moment of marriage. This contract takes place during the marriage ceremony and is legally binding; thus it cannot be challenged before the Court in case of divorce under any circumstances, so long as the marriage itself is valid.

This Separation of Assets is a contract that we may define as a nuptial agreement, as opposed to a pre-nuptial agreement referred to in common law countries. In the event of a separation of assets all estates, legacies and donations belonging to one spouse will not be included in communal property unless otherwise specified by the will or donation contract (179 cc.): which seldom happens.

Thus, in the event of a divorce, if one spouse is richer than the other, that spouse may also be ordered to pay a high amount of spousal maintenance and child support. However if the wealthier spouse had instated a nuptial agreement, they would be protected from paying as much as they would in Common Law Countries, where equitable distribution is the norm.

Consent Orders

Joint applications for “Consent to separate” can be filed with the Court in the same way as listed above, without the need to list a specific reason for the marriage breakdown. Generally speaking, the approval of the separation from the Court will follow within two or three months.

So long as there are no children, the law does not set any minimum standards for dispersal of property when a joint application is filed. The parties can submit any legal arrangement whatsoever.

The court may overrule a consent order following the separation agreement if it is contrary to the best interests of the children.

Only a few and very recent decisions have allowed parties to change their minds. In all other cases, the court will issue the consent order as required, and the parties must accept the consequences of what they have freely and knowingly agreed to.

When matters do not proceed by joint application, and the separation or divorce order results in contentious proceedings, the average length of such proceedings are two to three years, and sometimes longer.

Housing & Alimony

Children must be supported until they become financially independent (25% of  the annual income of a spouse for one child is generally considered a good level of support).

There is no age limit for financial independence although conventionally a maximum age of 26 (in case of University studies) is considered appropriate.

The family home will normally stay with the children until they become independent (art. 337 6th of the Civil Code). Full ownership of the family home must be passed to the original owner as soon as the children become independent, unless the custodial parent is also the owner such as it happens in case of “community property”; when the financial independence of children is reached the house is normally sold and the proceeds shared.

Shared custody of children is standard, except when there are serious grounds for challenging this request (e.g. when one spouse is addicted to alcohol, drugs or behaves dangerously).

There are still remnants of the  “fault based” divorce in Italian law. The partner who is ‘not to blame’ for the family breakdown is entitled to personal maintenance. This implies not only alimony but a higher monthly amount for her/his support (normally hers). This ancillary relief can be paid as a lump sum known as ‘alimony in gross’.

When alimony in gross is paid, no further financial redress can be awarded by the court for any reason whatsoever. The Civil Code provides further important regulations regarding the estate succession of divorced couples.

De Facto Families, Cohabitation And Civil Unions

Civil partnerships and civil unions are now regulated by the Statute issued in Italy in 2015.

Civil Union: applies only for same-sex couples. It produces nearly the same rights and obligations as a marriage. Spouses can choose joint ownership of assets. A divorce is needed to dissolve a civil union. No adoption is formally allowed, save for a case by case decision from the courts.

Registered Civil Partnership: this is for heterosexual and homosexual couples. Residency must be declared to the Registrar of the Municipality. A contract of cohabitation may be drafted by a (private) lawyer. In case of separation, the party in need is entitled to receive survival alimonies (a smaller form of support).

De facto couples: Those living under unregulated cohabitation receive little protection under Italian Law unless there are children involved. Legislative Decree n. 154/2013  equalised the legal position of all children regardless of the marital status of their parents. An example is the social housing regulation described earlier and is applied equally to children of de facto and married couples. Few other regulations, mainly local administrative regulations, grant basic aid to unmarried and unregistered couples in the absence of children.

With thanks to the attorney Marco Calabrese for the preparation of this article. Mr Calabrese can be contacted for legal advice at:

Marco Calabrese | Avvocato, Attorney
Owner | Family Law Italy
Website | www.familylawitaly.com
Family Law | Estate| Collaborative Practice
20,  via Domenico Chelini | 00197 ROMA (ITALY)
Mobile +39.328.9112809 | Office +39.06.8075014

Divorce in Italy

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Divorce and Family Law

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