Getting Italian citizenship comes with a number of non-negligible advantages, including the right to move and reside freely within the EU and shorter queues when travelling in and out of the country.
If you've weaved your way through the red tape and have been granted Italian citizenship, you’ll have one (small) step left to take before you can enjoy all of the perks of being a cittadino italiano: getting an Italian passport.
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But how soon can you apply for a passaporto after your citizenship claim has been approved, and how does the process work?
In order to complete the process, new citizens are required to swear an oath of allegiance to the Italian Republic (known as giuramento), which must be taken within six months of receiving the citizenship concession decree.
After taking the oath, applicants become Italian citizens to all intents and purposes and are eligible to apply for an Italian passport from the very next day.
(For those who have instead had birthright citizenship recognised, the process may differ. In this case it's advisable to check with the authority which approved your citizenship claim to find out when and how you should begin the passport application process.)
Where and how to apply:
New Italian citizens living in Italy are asked to apply at the Ufficio Passaporti (passport office) of their local Questura (police headquarters), whereas Italian citizens living abroad are required to submit their application with the relevant Italian consular authorities in their countries of residence.
In some cases, it’ll be possible to book your passport application appointment at the Questura online by logging into the State Police portal with SPID or electronic ID card credentials.
As for how long it will take, within Italy last year many applicants reported long waits for passport application appointments in cities including Milan, Turin and Bolzano, with some waiting up to seven months for their appointment at the Questura.
The government later said this issue was due to problems with the online booking portal, and there have been no more recent reports of continued delays.
What will I need?
You’ll be asked to provide the following documents:
- A completed passport application form
- A valid identity document along with a photocopy
- Two recent photographs (identical, frontal, in colour, of 35 x 40mm format). Further instructions are available here.
- Receipt of payment of the cost of the passport booklet and administrative fees. Issuance fees and payment instructions vary depending on the issuing authority (Questura or foreign consulates), so it’s strongly advisable to check these with the relevant issuer beforehand. In Italy, the booklet currently costs 42.50 euros, while administrative fees come to a total of 73.50.
For citizens residing abroad, proof of residence may also be required.
It's important to note that some requirements can vary from one consulate or Questura to another, and may be subject to change.
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If for any reason you don't already have an Italian carta d'identita (for applicants in Italy) or another form of required ID document then you will of course need to obtain this before submitting the passport application.
How long will I have to wait?
The waiting time to receive your passport will depend on where the application was made and the level of demand at the moment you submitted.
In Italian Questure, an ordinary passport is generally issued within 15 to 30 days from the request date.
In some particular circumstances, including urgent work, study, health or family matters, applicants may be able to ask that the process be sped up, though they will be required to back up the request with documentation.
You’ll be directly notified by the issuing authority when your new passport is ready to be picked up.
Note: This article is focused on the process of applying for an Italian passport. For information about obtaining other documents or completing the application process for Italian citizenship, see our Italian citizenship section.
For advice on how the rules may apply in your personal circumstances, contact your local Questura or the Italian consulate in your country.
This article was amended on February 5th to clarify that the process may differ for those who have had birthright citizenship recognised.
Clare Speak, Editor, The Local Italy
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