Vai al contenuto The Italian passport is one of the most powerful travel documents in the world. According to the Henley Passport Index, as of March 2026, Italian citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 185 countries and territories, ranking the Italian passport 4th in terms of travel freedom. Beyond travel, it confers full EU citizenship rights: the freedom to live, work, and study in all 27 EU member states, access to consular protection worldwide, and the right to vote in Italian and European elections.
This guide covers everything you need to know: who qualifies, how to apply, current costs, renewal, and the latest regulatory changes that affect citizenship and passport applications in 2025–2026.
2025–2026 regulatory updates: two major reforms affect this topic. Law 74/2025 (in force from 24 May 2025) introduced significant changes to citizenship by descent. Consular reform Bill A.C. 2369-A (approved by the Chamber in October 2025) will centralise citizenship applications to a new office in Rome from 1 January 2028. If you are pursuing Italian citizenship, these changes may directly affect your timeline and eligibility — read the relevant sections below carefully.
What is the Italian passport and who qualifies?
The Italian passport is the identification and travel document issued to Italian citizens. Italy grants citizenship — and therefore the right to hold an Italian passport — on several grounds: birth on Italian territory, descent (jure sanguinis), legal residence, marriage to an Italian citizen, and other specific cases.
If you want to understand which pathway applies to your situation, read our in-depth article on Italian citizenship.
Italian passport strength and ranking
Italy’s passport is ranked 1st in 2026 according to some indices, and passport holders enjoy the privilege of traveling to 194 countries through visa-free or visa-on-arrival access. The Henley Passport Index, which is generally considered the most conservative benchmark, places Italy 4th.
In practical terms, Italian passport holders can:
- Travel visa-free or with visa-on-arrival to 185–194 countries and territories (varies by index)
- Move, live, work, and study freely in all 27 EU member states, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein
- Access Italian and other EU embassies and consulates worldwide for emergency assistance
- Use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for medical care across the EU
- Vote in Italian national, regional, and European elections
Holders can check the entry requirements for any destination country on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel portal.
While Italian citizens may be visa-free for short visits to many destinations, a relevant visa and residence permit is usually required for long stays or permanent relocations. For work assignments abroad, a specific short-term work visa must be obtained before travelling.
How to get an Italian passport: the four pathways
If you are not already an Italian citizen, the passport follows from citizenship. There are four main routes.
- Italianpassport by descent (jure sanguinis)
You can apply for Italian citizenship — and therefore an Italian passport — by descent if you have Italian ancestors: parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and beyond. This is also known as Italian Citizenship by Descent.
Important — Law 74/2025: this route was significantly reformed by Law 74 of 20 May 2025, which came into force on 24 May 2025. The new rules affect who qualifies for transmission through the maternal line, how minor children of Italian parents acquire citizenship, and introduce new deadlines and declaration requirements. Cases filed or with booked appointments before 27 March 2025 follow the old rules; later cases fall under the new framework. If you are pursuing citizenship by descent, check the current eligibility criteria before taking any action — a claim that was valid before May 2025 may need reassessment.
Please note that in cases of maternal descent, additional limitations apply with regard to verifying the maternal line. For current requirements, consult our article on Italian Citizenship by Descent.
- Italianpassport by marriage
Foreign nationals married to Italian citizens can apply for Italian citizenship by marriage. The application is subject to Italian language requirements and a minimum period of residence or marriage. The processing times vary from 1 to 3 years depending on where the couple lives and whether they have children.
For the full process and requirements, see our article on Italian citizenship by marriage.
- Italianpassport by residency (naturalization)
Citizenship by naturalization is available to foreign nationals who have been legally resident in Italy for a minimum number of years — generally 10 years for non-EU citizens, 4 years for EU citizens, and shorter periods for those with Italian ancestry or family connections.
For the full process and requirements, see our article on Italian citizenship by residency.
- Can Iholdthree passports? Italy’s dual citizenship rule
Unlike many countries, Italy allows multiple citizenship. Article 11 of Italian Law No. 91 of 5 February 1992 provides that Italian citizens who obtain or re-obtain a foreign citizenship retain their Italian citizenship and are not obliged to renounce it. This means applicants pursuing Italian citizenship do not need to give up their original nationality during the process. See our article on dual citizenship Italy for the full implications.
Italian passport application: step by step
Where to apply
The application must be submitted in person at the territorially competent office based on the applicant’s residence:
- Residents in Italy: at the Questura (Police Headquarters) or Commissariato di Pubblica Sicurezza competent for your registered residence, or at participating post offices under the Progetto Polis initiative. In major cities such as Milan and Rome, wait times for standard appointments can exceed 3 months — rural offices process faster.
- Residents abroad: at the Italian Embassy or Consulate competent for your area of residence. AIRE registration (see below) is a prerequisite. Appointments are generally booked via the Prenot@MI platform, though the process varies by consulate.
In special circumstances, a passport may be issued by an office other than the one competent for the applicant’s residence, subject to prior authorisation from the competent office.
AIRE registration for Italians abroad
Italian citizens who reside abroad for more than 12 months, or who obtain citizenship abroad (jure sanguinis), are required to register with AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero — Registry of Italians Residing Abroad). AIRE registration is a prerequisite for passport applications and renewals at Italian consulates abroad.
Registration is now done online via FAST.it, the official consular services portal. Failure to maintain a current AIRE registration can delay passport applications, renewals, and access to other consular services.
AIRE reform (2025): Bill A.C. 2369-A, approved by the Chamber in October 2025 and now in the Senate, will integrate AIRE more closely with Italy’s national population registry (ANPR). The reform also introduces financial penalties for unregistered citizens — up to €5,000 per person per year, meaning a family of four could face fines of up to €20,000 if unregistered for five years.
Urgent appointments: the Priority Agenda
For applicants who cannot wait for a standard appointment, the Italian police introduced the Agenda Prioritaria (Priority Agenda): a dedicated channel for those with documented urgent travel needs (work, study, health, or tourism). This allows appointment booking within 30 days. For extreme urgency with a departure within 15 days, applicants can present a specific form directly at the Questura counter, together with proof of the departure date (such as a flight booking).
Italian passport requirements: documents needed
To apply for an Italian passport, you must provide:
- Passport application form, duly completed and signed
- Identity document in accordance with Presidential Decree 445/2000
- 2 recent photographs — identical, frontal, in colour, format 35 × 40 mm
- Receipt of payment of the passport booklet fee and administrative fee (see costs below)
- For children under 18: an affidavit of consent to the issuance of the document, signed by both parents
For first passports for newborns, if the minor’s birth certificate has not already been transcribed in Italy, it is first necessary to register the birth with the Italian civil registry.
Is Italian required? Speaking Italian is not a legal requirement to apply for the Italian passport. It may, however, be a requirement for specific types of citizenship applications (particularly citizenship by marriage).
Italian passport cost
The total cost to apply for an Italian passport is €116, broken down as:
- Passport booklet fee: €42.50
- Administrative fee: €73.50
Payment method update (from 1 December 2025): payments for the standard passport issuance fee of €42.50 are no longer accepted via traditional postal bulletins (bollettini postali). Payments must now be processed via the PagoPA platform — at post office counters, participating banks, or authorised payment points (tobacconists, newsstands). Online payment via bank or postal portals is also available. Payments made via the old postal bulletin before 1 December 2025 are still honoured.
Free-of-charge cases
The passport is issued free of charge in specific circumstances, including:
- Applicants classified as emigrants under Consolidated Law No. 2205 of 13 November 1919
- Applicants living abroad who require consular repatriation or are returning to perform voluntary military service
- Ministers of religion and religious missionaries
- Other cases specified by law
Italian passport validity
The validity of an ordinary Italian passport depends on the holder’s age:
| Age | Validity |
| Under 3 years | 3 years |
| 3 to 18 years | 5 years |
| Adults (18+) | 10 years |
Important: Italian passports are never “renewed” in the traditional sense. Once a passport expires, it becomes invalid — applicants must apply for an entirely new passport following the same procedure as the first application. The same applies if the passport is lost, stolen, or has run out of blank pages: no duplicates are issued; only a new application is accepted.
Italian passport renewal
The procedure to obtain a new Italian passport after expiry, loss, or exhaustion of pages is identical to the first application. The cost is the same: €116.
Can I renew online? It is possible to book an appointment online via the Questura‘s portal or Prenot@MI for consulates. However, the applicant must attend the appointment in person with all required documents and submit to fingerprinting (children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting). Postal applications are available only in specific cases for Italians resident abroad — check with your competent consulate.
Italians registered with AIRE must usually book their appointment through Prenot@MI and attend in person at their Italian consulate or embassy.
Processing time after submission is typically 1 to 6 weeks, though this varies by office and demand. Do not book non-refundable flights before the passport has been received.
Emergency Travel Document (ETD)
An Emergency Travel Document is a temporary travel document with a validity of 5 days including the date of issue. It is issued when an applicant has no valid travel document and needs to return to Italy or to their EU member state of permanent residence (per AIRE registration). Issuance requires the applicant’s personal presence at the Consulate.
Italian citizenship changes: what you need to know in 2025–2026
Two legislative developments directly affect anyone pursuing Italian citizenship and therefore an Italian passport:
Law 74/2025 — citizenship by descent reform
In force from 24 May 2025, this law significantly changes citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis). Key changes include new rules on the transmission of citizenship through the maternal line, new requirements for declaring intent to transmit citizenship to minor children (with a deadline of 31 May 2026 for children who were minors on 24 May 2025), and updated eligibility criteria. The old rules still apply to cases filed or with booked appointments before 27 March 2025.
Consular reform and centralisation from 2028
Bill A.C. 2369-A, approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 13 October 2025 and now pending Senate ratification, will from 1 January 2028 transfer citizenship recognition applications away from Italian consulates to a new centralised office in Rome: the Servizio per la Ricostruzione della Cittadinanza Italiana. High-volume consulates will face annual caps on new applications. If you are planning to apply for citizenship by descent through a consulate, acting before 2028 may be strategically important.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need to apply for an Italian passport?
You need a completed application form, a valid identity document, two recent passport-size photographs (35 × 40 mm, frontal, in colour), and receipt of payment of the €116 total fee via PagoPA. For children under 18, a signed parental consent form is also required.
How much does an Italian passport cost in 2026?
The total cost is €116: €42.50 for the passport booklet and €73.50 in administrative fees. Payments must be made via the PagoPA platform (no longer via traditional postal bulletins since 1 December 2025). The passport is free of charge in specific cases (emigrants, clergy, military repatriation).
How long is an Italian passport valid?
3 years for children under 3, 5 years for minors aged 3–18, and 10 years for adults. Expired passports cannot be renewed — a new passport must be applied for.
What is the fastest way to get an Italian passport for a foreigner?
Citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) is generally considered the fastest route for those with Italian ancestry, as it does not require a period of residency in Italy. However, Law 74/2025 introduced new eligibility criteria — verify your case is still valid under the reformed rules before starting. See our service: Italian citizenship by descent.
Can I have dual (or multiple) citizenship with Italy?
Yes. Italy explicitly allows multiple citizenship under Article 11 of Law 91/1992. You do not have to renounce your original nationality to obtain Italian citizenship. See our article on dual citizenship Italy for the full implications.
How do I book an Italian passport appointment abroad?
Italian citizens residing abroad must be registered with AIRE and book their appointment through the Prenot@MI platform, or through the booking system used by their specific Italian consulate. For urgent cases, ask the consulate about the Priority Agenda (Agenda Prioritaria).
Does Law 74/2025 affect my existing Italian citizenship or passport?
If your citizenship was already formally recognized before 24 May 2025, it is generally unaffected. Renewals for existing citizens proceed normally. However, if you are transmitting citizenship to minor children, there are new declaration requirements with a deadline of 31 May 2026. Consult a specialist if you are unsure whether the reform affects your situation.
What is the Italian passport ranking globally?
According to the Henley Passport Index (March 2026), the Italian passport ranks 4th globally, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 185 countries and territories, making it one of the most powerful travel documents in the world.
How Arletti Partners can help
Whether you are applying for your first Italian passport, renewing an expired one, or pursuing Italian citizenship to obtain it, our immigration experts guide you through every step — from eligibility assessment to document preparation and submission.
Explore our related services:
- Obtain the Italian passport
- Italian citizenship by descent
- Italian citizenship by marriage
- Italian citizenship by residency
- Dual citizenship Italy
Book a consultation: Consultancy on the Italian passport