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 The front cover of a contemporary Italian biometric passport | |
 The biodata page of an Italian biometric passport | |
| Type | Passport |
| Issued by | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation |
| First issued | 1946 (First Republic) 1 January 1985 (first EU format) 26 October 2006 (biometric passport) 27 September 2023 (current version) |
| Purpose | Identification |
| Eligibility | Italian citizenship |
| Expiration | 10 years after issuance (for adults); 5 years (for minors aged 3–17); 3 years (for children aged 0–3) |
| Cost | €116 |
An Italian passport (Italian: passaporto italiano) is issued upon request to an Italian citizen for the purpose of international travel. It is valid for 10, 5 or 3 years, depending on the applicant's age. Its biometric version has been available since 2006.
Every Italian citizen is also a citizen of the European Union. The passport, along with the national identity card, allows for free movement and residence in any EU member state, in the European Economic Area and in Switzerland.
According to the Henley Passport Index, by 2024, with 194 countries with "Visa-free" access (including "Visa on arrival" and "Electronic Travel Authorization" - eTA) it is the strongest passport in the world tied with France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and Spain.
Physical appearance
Italian passports share the common design of EU Passports: they are burgundy-coloured, with the Emblem of Italy emblazoned in the center of the front cover. The word "Passaporto", meaning passport, is inscribed below the emblem and "Unione Europea" (English: European Union), "Repubblica Italiana" (English: Italian Republic) above. The biometry symbol appears right below "Passaporto" in the centre. The current version of the passport contains 48 pages.
Identity information page
The biodata are on page 2 of the passport, and include the following:
- Photo of Passport Holder
- Type
- Code of Issuing State (ITA)
- Passport No.
- Surname (1)
- Given Names (2)
- Nationality (3)
- Date of Birth (4)
- Sex (5)
- Place of Birth (6)
- Date of Issue (7)
- Date of Expiration (8)
- Authority (9)
- Holder's signature (10)
The information page ends with the Machine Readable Zone.
Languages
The data page is printed in Italian (Mandatory), English and French. Further translation is provided on page 6, in all 23 official languages of the European Union.
Visa requirements
Main article: Visa requirements for Italian citizens
Visa requirements for Italian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Italy. As of January 2024, Italian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 194 countries and territories, ranking the Italian passport 1st in terms of travel freedom (tied with France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and Spain) according to the Henley Passport Index.
Issuing
The Italian passport is issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, through
- Questure (State Police provincial offices) in Italy
- Italian consulates and embassies abroad
Italian citizens can only apply online on the official Police website. Since the introduction of biometric passports in 2006, applicants should appear in person at the Police offices to have fingerprints collected; children under 12 are exempt, but should appear in person nonetheless.
The current fee for a standard 10-year biometric passport is €116. The requirement to attach an annual revenue stamp inside the passport was canceled in 2014.
Multiple passports
Italians are allowed to have two passports if they have a valid reason, such as having a stamp from a country like Israel, which may cause trouble with other countries (some countries do not accept passports that contain stamps issued by Israeli authorities).
One passport will have to be stored in a Questura (provincial headquarters of the State Police) or consulate.
Gallery of historic images
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Cover of passport issued in 1901
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Cover of passport issued in 1938
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1938 Italian regular passport changed during the war to a SERVICE passport
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1947 Italian Diplomatic passport used for Moscow
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Cover of passport issued in 1953
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Cover of passport issued in 1966
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Cover of passport as issued from 1985 to 1998
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Cover of passport as issued from 1998 to 2006
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Cover of passport as issued from 2010 onwards
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An image of an Italian passport with "VISTI/VISAS/VISAS" in bold. The passport number has been blurred to protect the individual's identity.
See also
- Passports of the European Union
- Italian nationality law
- Italian electronic identity card
- Visa requirements for Italian citizens
- Visa policy of the Schengen Area
References
- Publications, Europa (1999). The European Union Encyclopedia and Directory (3rd ed.). Psychology Press. p. 63. ISBN 9781857430561.
- "Passaporto per i minori". Poliziadistato.it. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
- "Passport Index". Henley & Partners. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
- "Passaporti: sul sito tutte le novità | Polizia di Stato". www.poliziadistato.it. Archived from the original on 2019-07-15. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
- "The Official Passport Index Ranking". Henley & Partners. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- Law n. 1185 of 1967 (Norme sui passaporti)
- "Passport". Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione internazionale. Archived from the original on 2014-11-02. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
- "Doppio passaporto | Polizia di Stato". www.poliziadistato.it. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
External links
- Italian Police official site
- Passport process site
- Benefits of an Italian passport for Italian dual citizens
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