Italy: Identity card error causes bureaucratic crisis for elderly woman

An 82-year-old woman, Anna Maria Tonazzini, is facing severe bureaucratic complications after her identity card was issued with an incorrect place of birth. While attempting to renew her document at the Lipari registry office, her birthplace was listed as ‘Apuania’ instead of the standard ‘Carrara’. ‘Apuania’ is a fascist-era toponomastic name used between 1938 and 1946.

The error has caused a cascade of systemic issues, as the change in birthplace altered her tax code. This discrepancy has rendered her unable to access essential services, including healthcare prescriptions, banking services, and domestic utilities. Tonazzini reported that she is effectively ‘non-existent’ to the state, noting that her driver's license is no longer valid and she is unable to withdraw money from her bank account.

She has sought legal counsel to resolve the conflict with the Revenue Agency. The mismatch between her historical records in the Carrara and Massa databases and the new ‘Apuania’ entry has prevented officials from locating her in the national system.