Identity card (carta d’identità)

The carta d’identità (identity card) is the official document that confirms the holder’s identity and is used as a means of identification in Italy. It contains the citizen’s personal details, photograph, fingerprints, information on citizenship and place of residence, and other details that allow the person to be identified accurately.

Today the document is issued in two formats:

• Paper version (traditional);
• Plastic card with an electronic chip – CIE (Carta d’identità elettronica).

The switch to the electronic CIE

Since 1 January 2019 all Italian citizens have been required to hold only the electronic card. The paper version remains valid until it expires, but on renewal only the CIE is issued. The CIE is valid for 10 years, after which it must be renewed.

How to apply for the CIE

Where to apply for the CIE: how the application and issue work

• Book an appointment online at the registry office (Ufficio Anagrafe) of the municipality (Comune) where you live.
• Go to the registry office where you live with the required documents.
• Have your fingerprints taken.
• Sign the statement consenting to or refusing organ and tissue donation.
• Sign the final data-check summary.
• Pay the fee for producing the CIE. Some municipalities may not accept cash – in that case you have to pay by card at a POS terminal or by transfer to the municipal treasury’s postal account.
• Receive and keep the payment receipt (needed to collect the CIE once it is produced) and the temporary identity certificate (which can be used as a temporary document).
• Collect the document in person or wait for it to be delivered by post. In small towns you will be given a date when you can come and collect it; in big cities you will be asked for an address so that the document can be delivered straight to your home.

If the applicant is a minor

Minors can get their own CIE. Both parents must be present both when the application is submitted and when the document is collected; their names will be printed on the back of the document once it is produced (in the past there have been cases where these details were left out through carelessness, so it is advisable to ask the official to include the parents’ names).

The document is issued by the Italian Ministry of the Interior. You need to provide:

• 3 passport-size photographs;
• a valid passport;
• your residence permit (Permesso di soggiorno); if it has expired, the receipt (ricevuta) for its renewal;
  Important: every renewal of the residence permit must be registered with the municipality
• a registered residence (residenza) in Italy.

What the CIE contains

The card has a contactless microchip that stores:

• The holder’s personal details (full name, sex, citizenship, address);
• The photograph and fingerprints (the index fingers of the right and left hands);
• The holder’s signature (in digital format);
• The tax code (Codice fiscale) in text and barcode formats;
• Details of the issuing municipality and of registration in AIRE (the register of Italians resident abroad, if the person lives abroad);
• For minors, the first names and surnames of the parents;
• Security features – holograms, special inks, laser engraving and other anti-counterfeiting protections.

The codes issued with the CIE: what are they for?

Together with the electronic identity card, you are given an envelope or a letter with important codes:

• Codice PIN (personal identification number) – for authentication;
• Codice PUK (unblocking code) – in case access is blocked.
  ⚠️ Be sure to keep these codes! They cannot be recovered through the municipality, and to get new ones you will have to apply for a complete replacement of the CIE.

Using the CIE online

With the PIN code, the CIE can be used for:

• INPS (National Social Security Institute) – social services;
• Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico (FSE) – electronic health record;
• Agenzia delle Entrate (Italian Revenue Agency) – the tax authority;
• App IO – public services, bonuses, notifications;
• SPID/CIE login – an alternative to a digital signature for identification.
• Ministero dell’Interno (Ministry of the Interior) – applying for citizenship

Other uses:

• Using the CIE as a travel document within Italy; for travel to EU countries, Ukrainians must use a valid passport;
• Signing digital documents;
• Using it as a digital access key to municipal, legal and administrative services;
• Submitting applications through online accounts without having to appear in person.

Cost of the CIE

As of 1 February 2023:

• 16.79 euros – state fee;
• 4.21 euros – fixed municipal charge.

The Carta d’identità elettronica (CIE) is more than just an identity card. It is a modern digital tool that opens up access to many public services, simplifies red tape and lets you live a full life in Italy. The PIN and PUK codes issued with the card are the key to the online world of public services, so keep them somewhere safe!