interviews by Nina Vaclavikova and Nastassja Martin
Italy’s traditional paper identity cards can no longer be used for international travel, following a change that took effect on Aug. 3, 2026.
The measure brings Italy’s identity documents in line with European security and identification requirements. Travelers leaving Italy must now carry either a valid electronic identity card, known as a carta d’identità elettronica (CIE), or a passport.
The change does not immediately eliminate the paper identity card altogether. The document remains usable as identification within Italy during a transitional period, but it is no longer accepted for crossing international borders or boarding international flights.
For Italians planning to travel abroad, the change means checking the type of identity document they hold before departure. Airlines and border authorities may refuse travel to passengers presenting an expired or otherwise invalid paper identity card.
How to obtain an electronic identity card
Those who still have a paper identity card can apply for a CIE through their municipality. In Rome, appointments can be booked through the Interior Ministry’s CIE online booking system or through the city’s municipal services.
Applicants generally need to bring their existing identity card, a recent passport-style photograph that meets the required standards and their codice fiscale.
The standard cost of the CIE is €22.21. Once issued, the card is generally produced centrally and either mailed to the applicant or made available for collection at the designated municipal office.
For travelers, the change represents the end of a document that Italians have used for decades to cross European borders. From now on, international trips require the electronic version of the identity card or a passport.
