The carta d’identità elettronica (CIE) – electronic identity card is the new identity card in the bank card format.
The CIE is a multifunctional document: it is a proof of identity, a travel document, it bears the Italian personal tax code (Codice Fiscale) and it can be used on the Italian Public System of Digital Identity (Sistema Pubblico di Identitá Digitale – SPID) for accessing the services of the Italian Public Administration.
To obtain an electronic identity card, it is always necessary to book an individual appointment. Only Italian citizens who live in the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Italy in Edinburgh (Scotland and Northern Ireland), regularly registered with the Consulate and whose details are on the Ministry of the Interior’s A.I.R.E. (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero) can apply for an identity card.
At the moment, only people without a valid identity card, whose identity card is expiring (within the next 6 months), or in case of theft, loss or damage of the previous identity card, can apply for an electronic identity card.
1. BOOKING AN APPOINTMENT – PRENOT@MI
To obtain an electronic identity card, it is always necessary to book an individual appointment using Prenot@MI system. It is NOT possible to book multiple appointments.
Prior to booking an appointment, it is necessary to make sure that own registrations at the Consulate (address, marital status, etc) are regularly up to date.
On the appointment booking form, it is necessary to fill all the mandatory fields (marked with *), putting all the details of the person who needs the identity card, if different from the person who is registered on Prenota Online.
At least 15 days pass from the day you book an appointment to the date of the appointment itself. During this time, the Office will check your details, resolve possible inconsistencies between consular archives and the data hold by the Italian Municipality and acquire the police clearance for the issuance of the document.
2. INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED
The applicant must always attend the appointment, if aged 12 or above. Minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by at least one parent.
The applicant must bring on the day of the appointment:
- Previous identity card (if applicable; if not available, any other form of ID);
- 1 passport photo, which must meet ICAO rules. Please see photograph guidelines
- when the person who needs the identity card is a child under the age of 12, and they are not attending the appointment, photo authentication form MOD3 (see HERE), duly filled and signed by a professional counter signatory in the list of those accepted by this Consulate General;
- when the applicant is under the age of 18, act(s) of consent (see HERE) to the issue of the document by the other parent and copy of their ID. If the other parent is a non-EU citizen, the act of consent must be signed in person at the Consulate during the appointment.
- when the applicant has not the previous identity card anymore, due to loss or theft, it is necessary to submit a loss or theft report form (see HERE) on the day of the appointment.
On the day of the appointment, the officer will receive all the documents listed above, will identify the applicant and authenticate the photo and will acquire signature and fingerprints, that will be securely stored in the microprocessor on the new electronic identity card.
Moreover, the current valid identity card (in paper or electronic format) will be always revoked, even if the applicant does not hold any other ID.
3. COST AND VALIDITY OF THE IDENTITY CARD
The payment must be made on the day of the appointment (cash or UK debit card – unfortunately smartphone apps cannot be accepted). The cost of the electronic identity card is subject to quarterly fluctuations in the exchange rate between EUR/GBP. To find out how much an electronic identity card costs, please see consular fees HERE.
The validity of the identity card changes according to the age of the applicant:
– 3 years for children between 0 and 3 years old;
– 5 years for children between 3 and until reaching the legal age (18 years old);
– 10 years from 18 years old.
4. RECEIVING THE IDENTITY CARD
The electronic identity card is not issued on the day of the appointment. The electronic identity card is issued by the Ministry of the Interior and produced by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (Italian National Mint and Printing House), which will send it to the applicant’s address by tracked and signed mail. The electronic identity card usually arrives within 15 days from the day of the appointment.
CONTACTS
To contact the identity card office, write an e-mail to: ci_conedim@esteri.it