Italian government extends paper ID card validity beyond Aug 3 deadline

The Italian Council of Ministers, meeting on 16 June 2026, decided to postpone the planned end of the paper identity card. Non‑expired paper IDs will remain valid until their natural expiry, for “certain purposes and in relations with public administration and public service providers”. The measure addresses delays in issuing the electronic identity card (CIE) by many municipalities, which have struggled with high demand. Municipalities may also issue a provisional identity document when a CIE cannot be provided. The extension does not affect travel abroad: paper IDs are still not recognised for border crossing, requiring a CIE or passport. The CIE costs €16.79, with validity of three years for children under three, five years for ages 3‑18, and ten years for adults, or twelve months if fingerprint capture is not possible. The decision aims to reduce pressure on registry offices, especially in large cities such as Rome, where about 230 000 paper documents remain in circulation.