Italian Government Extends Validity of Paper Identity Cards

The Italian cabinet decided to prolong the validity of paper identity cards beyond the planned 3 August 2026 deadline, allowing them to remain usable until their natural expiration. The move aims to prevent citizen inconvenience, reduce long queues at municipal civil‑registry offices, and ease the workload on local administrations during the summer months.

In Alghero, the local branch of Fratelli d'Italia criticised assessor Enrico Daga for blaming the national government over the same issue, accusing him of using the decision to deflect responsibility for organisational problems within the municipal offices. The party’s statement described the extension as “a sensible choice” and argued that Daga should instead focus on his delegated duties for personnel management and service efficiency.

The extension also permits municipalities that cannot immediately provide electronic identity cards to issue temporary documents, while the transition to the electronic CIE continues under EU digital‑identification standards.