Expat Guides

How to Get a Carta d’Identità (ID Card) in Italy

How to Get a Carta d’Identità (ID Card) in Italy

Once you are registered as a resident of Italy, you can obtain your Italian ID card. It isn’t necessarily a requirement to complete this process if you are studying, but if you plan to live in Italy long-term you should complete the process sooner than later. Here are the steps on how to get a Carta d’Identità in Italy.

Register Your Residence

You need to first complete your residency registration before you can apply to receive for your Italian ID card. This process can take a few weeks or a few months depending on which city you live in.

Book an Appointment

Most Italian cities will require you to book an appointment to request your Carta d’Identità. Check your town’s municipality website or Anagrafe to get yours booked. Depending on the city, the availability of the earliest appointment can vary.

For instance, I live in Milan and booked my appointment through the Comune di Milano website.

Documents Needed

If you’ve read my other How-To Guides, you know that it is very important to keep a file of all your original documents and extra photocopies on-hand. I bring this file to every appointment I have just in case additional documents are requested.

Before the appointment, ensure you have the following documents ready to go:

Appointment

I always suggest heading to your appointments in Italy slightly early to ensure you know exactly where to go. Considering you are in Italy, be prepared you may be sitting and waiting for a while.

Depending on your appointment location, waiting can look different. In Milan you receive a ticketed number for the waiting room you stay put until your number is on the screen. Then, head to the desk, let the clerk know you are here for your Carta d’Identità, and they will start to assist filling out forms and asking for your documents.

You’ll be asked if you want to be an organ donor, to double-check if all of the information is correct (Codice Fiscale, Date of Birth, etc.), and to provide fingerprints.

At the appointment, you will also pay a processing fee for the card. In Milan, the fee about €22; this may vary in other Italian cities.

You’ll receive a temporary card (that is a piece of paper with your personal details) until your physical card is ready. You’ll also receive a document that includes the first half of your PIN and PUK – this will come in handy later. Make some copies, file, and do not lose it.

Receive Identity Card

Your physical card will be mailed to your address once it is ready. However, given the card contains a lot of personal information, you must be home to sign off the delivery.

If you are not home, you receive a receipt in the mail with instructions. You can either reschedule the delivery for the next few days or after a week it will be available for you to pick-up at the specified Poste Italiane location on the receipt.

In your envelope with the delivered card, there is the second half of your PIN and PUK. These are linked to your ID card, so do not lose them.

Set Up IDE

Once you receive your physical card, you will now set up an account for your electronic ID card. 

Head to the website and select the “Activate” tab. You’ll login with your Codice Fiscale and ID Card code (on the top right portion of your card starting with CAXXXXX). 

You can either setup online or with your smartphone. The difference will be the level of security. You’ll need to reference your PIN and PUK numbers (previously mentioned above) to complete the setup. 

This will allow you to securely sign-in to websites (ex: the Comune) to file requests or other paperwork.

There you have it! You know exactly how to get a Carta d’Identità in Italy! You have another item checked off the list of things to do after moving to Italy.

Are you studying, working, and/or living in Italy? You may be interested in these additional how-to guides for building your life in Italy!


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