ITALIAN PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS

APPLYING FOR AN ITALIAN PASSPORT OR PASSPORT RENEWAL

For most people, Italian passport requirements can seem rather confusing but obtaining an Italian passport is fairly straightforward when you know the proper procedure. You need to meet certain criteria, gather the right documents and schedule an appointment at an Italian consulate. There are detailed steps outlined below that must be followed to ensure your application is not denied. It is critical you pay very close attention to to these steps to ensure you meet the Italian passport requirements necessary for you to be approved.

You must be granted citizenship before applying for an Italian passport. For this reason, applying for an Italian passport requires that you first meet the requirements of dual citizenship and have your paperwork in-hand.

Whether your Italian citizenship is obtained by marriage or by descent, the necessary documents are sent by your local consulate to the relevant government agency in Italy. After the Italian government has reviewed these documents and approved your dual citizenship, you can then focus on the steps necessary to get an Italian passport.

Getting an Italian Passport with Dual Citizenship

When applying for dual citizenship, the primary Italian passport requirement is that you must be granted citizenship before you can apply for an Italian passport. Therefore, you must apply for Italian dual citizenship prior to applying for an Italian passport. Once you’ve obtained your Italian citizenship, you can work on obtaining an Italian passport which allows you to travel around the world and back into the country.

Whether your Italian citizenship is obtained by marriage or by descent, the provided information is sent by an Italian Consulate to the pertinent Italian governmental agency. Once the Italian government acknowledges your citizenship registration, the Consulate will inform you on how to get an Italian passport.

A passport is an official government ID document AND a travel document. With this in mind, you can only apply to the Italian consulate which has jurisdiction over the area in which you reside. You must contact the nearest consulate to your most permanent residence

At the same time, you must also schedule an appointment with this consulate through an online reservation system. Electronic passports now require fingerprinting which means that the entire process cannot be completed online and you will need to visit the consulate at some point. Furthermore, passports can no longer be issued by mail and collection at the consulate is required in every instance.

You can determine the right jurisdiction for sending your application by checking this page for a list of the Italian consulates in the United States. However, keep in mind that those who need to renew Italian passport or apply for a new one must contact the same consulate. For this reason, the average wait time can be several weeks and sometimes over than a month for an appointment.

Passport Renewal for Adults (Over 16 Years)

We are a private firm – If you already have an Italian passport and are looking for assistance to renew it click here to contact us by phone or email. One of our official representatives will contact you to gather the proper documents and assist you with your passport renewal.

For passport renewal, you must first register with AIRE and then schedule an appointment on the Prenota OnLine system with your local Italian Consulate. You must schedule and confirm each appointment to ensure it has been properly submitted. Below are a list of what documents are needed to renew passport:

Here is a list of requirements you will need to renew the passport which is expiring:

Your current passport (even if it has expired)
Your driving license, national ID card or equivalent form of valid photo identification
One passport photograph taken within the previous six months (Check with your local consulate for their Italian passport photo requirements)
If you were over the age of 16 and your passport was issued within the previous 15 years, you will also need to complete a DS-82 form. Alternatively, you must complete a DS-11 form and ensure that you include a specific emergency contact rather than selecting a “country”.
A parental awareness form is also necessary for those who are 16 or 17 years of age.

When your application for passport renewal is completed, you can collect your new passport at the relevant office. Most often, this will be the place in which you submitted the application. You can also pick up your passport through a private shipping company (Postal Annex, Mail Boxes Etc, UPS, etc)

How To Submit Your Application In Person (in Italy)

Once you have completed your application for passport renewal, you can schedule an appointment with your local Italian Consulate or US Embassy. Below are the links to schedule your appointment in Italy:

Click here to arrange an appointment for your passport in Milan, Italy
Click here to arrange an appointment for your passport in Naples, Italy
Click here to arrange an appointment for your passport in Rome, Italy
Click here to arrange an appointment for your passport in Florence, Italy

How To Submit Your Application Through Mail

In Italy, you will need a mailing address in order to submit your application by mail and will need to be in Italy at the time of submission.

You must be in receipt of a passport that was issued within the previous 15 years and you must have been at least 16 years of age at that time.

You will need to complete a shipping order form on the following link.

When you have met all of the above requirements, you can send your passport application by mail to your local consulate. Most often, this process will take 3 or 4 weeks. However, it’s important to re-check all information to avoid any unnecessary delays with the issuance of your new passport.

Warning About Applying for an Italian Passport

When you need to renew Italian passport or submit a new application, keep in mind that the consulate needs time to process these documents. Please plan accordingly and allow sufficient time to process and receive your passport on time. If you are planning a trip, it is highly recommended to submit your application for passport renewal prior to the travel season when availability for appointments are few and far between.

It is best not to wait until your passport expires to renew it. You can submit an application to renew an Italian passport up to six months before it expires. This will prevent you from finding yourself in a difficult situation as some countries will not allow you entry without at least six months of validity on your existing passport.

Note: Don’t leave your application until the last minute.

Quick Summary – Aside from making an appointment online, you must have dual citizenship to apply for an Italian passport and be fully registered with the registry of Italian nationals living abroad (What is the AIRE?).

Attending Your Appointment at the Consulate

For your appointment, you will need to take all the following supporting documents to the consulate:

Passport Fee – You can only pay via two USPS money orders. The first of these is for administrative tax ($83.90) and the second pertains to the actual passport booklet ($48.60).
Completed Application for an Italian Passport
2 x Passport photos with white background (4.5cm x 2.5cm)
Either US Visa or Green Card showing permanent residence in the United States.
United States Passport
United States Driver License
Naturalization Certificate
Italian Passport (If renewing your passport)
2 x Consent Agreement (If you have children making an application)

Note About Children – Can I get an Italian passport for my child? If you have any children, a consent agreement is required by both parents. Also, passports for children under 12 years of age can be issued by mail.

Note About Travel for Minors Under 14 – Minors under 14, traveling without a guardian or parents, must obtain travel authorization from their local consulate. This application Must be signed by both parents or guardians at the consulate and this authorization is only valid for one trip.

Note About Naturalization – As part of the Italy passport requirements, US citizens must present a copy of their naturalization certificate with their application.

Italian Passports for Citizens Non-Resident in the Consulate Jurisdiction (Emergency)

In the event of an emergency, non-residents can submit passport applications in the very same manner as outlined in step one. However, these individuals will need to obtain clearance from the Consulate/Embassy which is responsible for the jurisdiction of their home residence.

In this instance, an online appointment needs to be made and the same documents outlined above are required. However, there must also be a prepaid and self-addressed envelope provided so that the consulate can return the passport via priority mail or express mail with the United States Postal Service.

Italian Passports for Minors Over 12 Years of Age

Appointments are also needed for minors as they must be present at the consulate to give their fingerprints. At the same time, at least one parent must accompany the minor to this appointment and all the same documents must be submitted as you will find with applications for adults. However, minors can submit proof of birth cert registration in Italy in place of the drivers license and other identification.

As with the non-residence option, there must also be a prepaid and self-addressed envelope provided so that the consulate can return the passport via priority mail or express mail with the United States Postal Service.

Finally - Lost or Stolen Italian Passports

To see the details and benefits of what the Italian passport click here.

You might already have your dual citizenship and Italian passport but there might come a day when you need to notify the consulate about a lost or stolen passport. In this instance, the consulate can sometimes issue an emergency travel document to get you back to Italy but it’s always best to make contact for better advice.

How to get an Italian passport is fairly straightforward, however if you would like a free consultation on how you can go about getting an Italian passport, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Our team at IDC can help those of Italian descent or those married to an Italian citizen obtain citizenship. Contact us for a free phone consultation to learn if we can help you obtain Italian citizenship – be it through marriage or descent.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How can I get Italian passport?

If you have Italian ancestors such as parents, grandparents or great grandparents, you may be entitled to apply for an Italian passport. Alternatively, if you were born in Italy or got married to an Italian citizen, you are also entitled to apply for citizenship and an Italian passport after a specified amount of time.

Can I apply for an Italian passport?

You can apply for an Italian passport if you were born in Italy. On the other hand, it’s also possible to apply for an Italian passport by marriage to an Italian citizen. Finally, you might be entitled to apply for an Italian passport if your parents, grandparents, great grandparents or other ancestors were born in Italy.

How long does it take to get an Italian passport?

For citizens of Italy, the passport renewal time frame generally takes between one and six weeks to obtain a new passport. However, some consulates offer a “fast-track” service which will quicken the process but this also means it’s always best to inquire directly with your local consulate for the most accurate time frame.

How do I check the status of my Italian passport?

You can check the status or progress of your Italian passport application by visiting this website. After clicking on “Citizenship”, you should see a link on which you can check your application. At this points, you will need to enter your email address and some personal details for a status update.

How much does an Italian passport cost?

An Italian passport should cost $145 and this will be valid for up to five years. This fee is not included in the costs associated with Italian citizenship and all fees for an Italian passport must be covered by the person applying for the passport.

This page was last updated with with help by Marco Permunian

Additional Resources: