Italian passport

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Italian passport

The front cover of a contemporary Italian biometric passport

The biodata page of an Italian biometric passport
Date first issued October 26, 2006 (biometric passport)
May 20, 2010 (current version)
Issued by  Italy
Type of document Passport
Purpose Identification
Eligibility requirements Italian citizenship
Expiration 10 years after issuance (for adults over 18); 5 years for applicants aged 3-17; 3 years for applicants under 3[1]
Inside cover of an Italian biometric passport issued in 2006

Italian passports are issued to Italian citizens for the purpose of international travel. For travelling within European Union and EEA countries, Italian citizens can use their ID card. Biometric passports have been available since 26 October 2006, are valid for 10, 5 or 3 years (depending on the applicant's age).

Physical appearance

Italian passports share the common design of EU Passports: they are burgundy coloured, with the Emblem of Italy emblazoned in the center of the front cover. The word "Passaporto", meaning passport, is inscribed below the coat of arms and "Unione Europea" (English: European Union), "Repubblica Italiana" (English: Italian Republic) above. The biometry symbol appears right below "Passaporto" at the center. The current version of the passport contains 48 pages.

Identity information page

The biodata are on page 2 of the passport, and include the following:

  • Photo of Passport Holder
  • Type (P)
  • Code of Issuing State (ITA)
  • Passport No.
  • Surname (1)
  • Given Names (2)
  • Nationality (3)
  • Date of Birth (4)
  • Sex (5)
  • Place of Birth (6)
  • Date of Issue (7)
  • Date of Expiry (8)
  • Authority (9)
  • Holder's signature (10)

The information page ends with the Machine Readable Zone.

Languages

The data page is printed in Italian, English and French. Further translation is provided on page 6, in all the 23 official languages of the European Union.

Visa free travel

Main article: Visa requirements for Italian citizens
Visa requirements for Italian citizens

Visa requirements for Italian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Italy. In 2013, Italian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 171 countries and territories, ranking the Italian passport 3rd in the world.[2]

Issuing

The Italian passport is issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, through

  • Questure (State Police provincial offices) in Italy[3]
  • Italian consulates and embassies abroad

However, Italian citizens can apply also through Carabinieri (Stazioni dei Carabinieri) and Police (Commissariati) offices. Since the introduction of biometric passports in 2006, applicants should appear in person at the Police offices to have fingerprints collected; children under 12 are exempt, but should appear in person nonetheless.

The current fee for a biometric passport is €42.50. A revenue stamp costing € 40.29 is to be renewed every year. However, this fee has to be paid only in years during which the passport is used for travel outside of the European Union.[4]

Gallery of historic images

  • Cover of passport issued in 1901

  • Cover of passport issued in 1953

  • Cover of passport issued in 1966

  • Cover of passport as issued from 1998 to 2006

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.poliziadistato.it/articolo/view/191/
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Law n. 1185 of 1967 (Norme sui passaporti)
  4. ↑ https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.poliziadistato.it%2Fdocs%2Fchiarimenti_contrassegno.pdf

External links

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