PASSPORTS
The passport is a travel and identity document. It can be issued by the Passport Office of the Consular Jurisdiction in which the Italian is resident. In reality, in order to reside and travel in the countries of the European Union a valid identity card for ex-patriots, issued by the Italian AIRE in which the person concerned is enrolled, is sufficient. It is, however, always advisable to have a passport in addition to an identity card.
In order to have a passport issued it is necessary to go in person to the Passport Office of the Consular Jurisdiction in which the Italian citizen resides with the following documentation:
- signed passport application
- identity card
- two recent photographs (identical, full-face and in colour)
- permit to be in the country or justification of residence in the jurisdiction
(N.B. For an Italian residing abroad to obtain a passport, it is necessary to be registered in the AIRE of an Italian municipality).
An Italian citizen abroad can request the issuance of a passport at a consular jurisdiction in which he/she is not a resident, but in that case it is necessary to wait for the "NULLA OSTA" (clearance) of the Office (Italian Consulate or Police Commissary) authorised for the area in which he/she resides. An ordinary passport can be renewed even before its expiration date and within and not more 6 months following that date.
PASSPORT VALIDITY
According to the new regulations, passports issued after 4 February 2003 are valid for 10 years (as opposed to the previous 5 years) and cannot be renewed upon expiration.
Theft or loss of passport (residents abroad)
The citizen must go in person to the Passport Office of the Consular Jurisdiction with the following documentation:
- claim of theft or loss of passport filed at the local police authority
- valid photo ID
- permit to be in the country or justification of residence in the jurisdiction
Theft or loss of passport (NON-residents abroad)
An Italian citizen in an emergency situation - e.g. a tourist in transit who must leave unexpectedly or who loses or is robbed of his/her passport - and has no time to apply for NULLA OSTA (clearance) for the issuance of a new passport from the Police Commissary or Consulate that issued the lost document, the Consulate General issues a document called a "Travel Document", which is valid only for re-entry in Italy. In order to obtain this it is necessary to go in person to the Consulate with the following documentation:
- claim of theft or loss of passport filed at the local police authority ;
- two photos (identical, full-face and in colour) ;
-
original airline ticket with confirmed departure date .
Stolen or lost passports, when found, are normally returned to this Embassy by the local Authorities. For those nationals who may have lost or had their passport stolen and who wish to know whether the document has been recovered, please contact the Embassy for more information. Collection of the passport may be arranged as follows:
- direct collection from the Consular Office;
- by post, with all mailing expenses being charged to the passport holder.
Should the passport not be collected within 12 months from the date of its return to this Embassy, the document will be destroyed.
Link to the relevant section of the Italian Foreign Ministry’s web site
EMERGENCY TRAVEL DOCUMENT (E.T.D.)
