Italy allows overseas residents to obtain electronic ID cards at any municipality

From 1 June, Italian citizens registered with the Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero (AIRE) can request a Carta d’Identità Elettronica (CIE) at any Italian municipal office, not only through consular services. Applications are filed via the Ministry of the Interior’s platform, with the card either collected locally or mailed to the applicant’s foreign address. This change facilitates travel and administrative ties for Italians living abroad as paper identity cards will cease to be valid after 3 August 2026.

To ease the transition, the Comune of Acqui Terme will open a dedicated desk for electronic ID issuance each Tuesday from 14:30 to 15:30 between 9 June and 11 August 2026. The service targets residents who lack other valid photographic ID documents and aims to reduce congestion at regular offices before the paper‑based cards are withdrawn.