REGISTRY OF ITALIANS RESIDENT ABROAD (AIRE)
Italian citizens residing abroad must register with the Registry of Italians Resident Abroad (AIRE). In addition to being a citizen’s duty and right, AIRE registration provides access to various consular services. This also applies to Italian citizens residing in the constituency of the Consulate of Italy in Manchester, who can register as detailed below. Registration is free of charge, and the physical presence of the concerned parties is not necessary.
For information, you can write to: manchester.anagrafe@esteri.it
More information about AIRE can be found on the Farnesina website. On this page you can find information about:
– What AIRE registration involves
– How to register with FAST IT
– How to register in AIRE or update your position by regular post?
– How do I register an Italian minor born in the United Kingdom?
– How do I change my address for an Italian minor living with only one parent?
– How does cancellation from AIRE take place
Italian citizens who must register with AIRE are:
– those already resident abroad (born abroad, or in possession of Italian citizenship by acquisition); or
– citizens who move their residence abroad for periods longer than 12 months.
Who does NOT have to register with AIRE:
– workers with seasonal contracts; or
– citizens going abroad for a period not exceeding one year; or
– permanent State employees serving abroad (under the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations of 1961 and 1963); or
– Italian military personnel serving in detached NATO offices and facilities.
AIRE registration is mandatory even if holding more than one nationality (for example, an Italian-British citizen is still required to register with AIRE).
What AIRE registration involves
Registering with AIRE involves the cancellation from the Anagrafe Popolazione Residente (ARP), and it allows to take advantage of a number of services provided by Consular Offices abroad, as well as to exercise important rights such as:
– the possibility of voting via post for the Italian political elections and national referendums in the country of residence, and for the election of Italian representatives at the European Parliament in the polling stations established by the diplomatic-consular network in the countries belonging to the EU;
– the possibility to access various services offered by this Consulate.
The AIRE registry is managed by the Italian municipalities on the basis of the data and information received from the Consular Offices abroad. Each municipality has its own AIRE registry. There is also a national AIRE registry, established at the Ministry of Interior Affairs, which contains the data transmitted by all municipal registry offices. In addition to the registry data, the AIRE records the citizen’s registration to the electoral rolls of their municipality.
In order to register with AIRE, the involved party must declare their interest to the relevant Consular Office (for Northern England, the Consulate of Italy in Manchester), no later than 90 days after moving abroad.
It is through the FAST IT online portal that one can apply for AIRE registration. Once the Consular Office has successfully completed the relevant checks, the request is forwarded to the relevant municipality. The user will be able to view on the portal the successful transmission to the relevant Italian municipality, at the end of the phase that is of the Consulate’s competence. Once the status of the file on the portal shows as “Transmitted to the Municipality,” the work of this Consulate has to be considered successfully concluded. Until the municipality does not confirm the registration directly to the concerned party, one cannot be considered correctly enrolled in AIRE.
The only alternative to register with AIRE via Fast It is via post, in line with the procedures detailed below. Applications received by e-mail cannot be accepted.
Before proceeding with the registration via FAST IT, it is necessary to ensure that you have:
– copy of an ITALIAN identity document (passport or ID card), including the page with the photo and the signature and the one with the stamp of the authority that issued the document;
– copies of the identity documents of all resident family members who are minors and/or foreigners (for foreign family members / non-EU citizens, it is necessary to send a copy of their national passport including the page with the stamp of the entry in the UK, and the copy of a valid “UK Residence Permit”);
– proof of residence bearing the name and address of the person(s), which may be:
– utility bill (electricity, gas, etc.) not older than three months, or
– council tax not older than one year, or
– bank statement not older than three months, or
– registration from NHS doctor not older than three months, or
– NIN confirmation letter not older than three months, or
– official letter from a British institution (Job Centre, HMRC, etc.) not older than three months, or
– letter of confirmation of university attendance not older than three months.
If you do not have at least one of the above documents, you will not be able to proceed with your AIRE registration. Proof of pre/settled status (EUSS) is not valid in order to register with AIRE, as the residential address is NOT stated.
To follow the procedure, we recommend having a printer and a scanner available – to print and scan the signed application form. If the application is incomplete, the necessary documents and any additional information will be requested by this Consulate directly to the interested parties, preferably by e-mail. It is therefore advisable to make sure that you have advised your e-mail address correctly.
How do you register with AIRE or update your residential address by regular post
You can request or change your AIRE registration via post by sending the same documentation listed above, along with the relevant form accompanied by an identity document, to the following address:
Consulate of Italy – Anagrafe
The Chancery, 2nd floor
58 Spring Gardens
M2 1EW Manchester
How can I register an Italian minor born in the United Kingdom?
At the time of the birth of a new-born child, Italian citizens residing abroad must request the transcription of the birth certificate at the Consular Office (Link to: Registry Office): the AIRE registration will be carried out by the Consulate at the same time as this procedure.
In case of relocation to the UK, the AIRE registration of a child living with both parents is done via FAST IT. It is still necessary to have the identity documents of the entire household, proofs of residence of the entire household, and a single application form for the entire family with the signatures of both parents.
How do you change address for an Italian minor living with only one parent?
In the case of a minor cohabiting with only one of the two parents, the change of residence must be done by post, sending the relevant form to:
Consulate of Italy – Anagrafe
The Chancery, 2nd floor
58 Spring Gardens
M2 1EW Manchester
As both parents hold parental responsibility and by mutual agreement establish the child’s habitual residence, the request must in any case be signed by both parents, and be accompanied by the copies of their identity documents.
If the expression of will of both parents is missing, the application must be supplemented with:
– the missing consent, by presenting the appropriate form completed and signed no more than 6 months after the request was made by the other parent, with attached a copy of a valid ID (Note: the signature of a non-EU citizen parent must be notarized according to the law. More information is available here); or
– supporting evidence in case the applicant declares the non-existence of the consent of the other parent (e.g., death of the other parent; a Court order disqualifying their parental status; the child has been recognized by only one parent); or
– if it is impossible to obtain the consent of the other parent (due to unavailability or mere disinterest), the Form “AIRE Enrolment or Transfer of Child without Consent of Other Parent”, completed and signed – accompanied by a copy of a valid identity document of the declarant attached and stating the last known address and contact details of the other parent.
It should be noted that the AIRE registration of a minor has the sole purpose of certifying the actual residence (i.e., habitual residence) of the citizen abroad and is therefore independent of any disputes arising from Italian or local court orders.
Once registered with AIRE, it is necessary to keep one’s position up-to-date by notifying the Consular Office of any changes in residence abroad (e.g., change of address or repatriation), in order to avoid inefficiencies (e.g., non-delivery of electoral packets or court notifications).
In case of a change of address within the same consular district, it is possible to notify the new address using the FAST IT online portal, attaching a copy of a valid identity document (Italian, if applicable), the completed application form generated by the portal, and a proof of residence on behalf of all AIRE members involved in the same change of address. The proof of residence must have an issue date not older than three months prior to the day the request is being made.
In case of transfer to another consular district, it is necessary to register as specified by the relevant Consular Office.
How does cancellation from Aire take place
– After being registered in the Resident Population Registry (A.P.R.) of an Italian municipality as a result of moving back to Italy or repatriation; or
– Death, including judicially declared presumed death, of the citizen; or
– As a result of presumed unavailability, unless proved otherwise, one hundred years after birth or after two successive detections have been made, or when the foreign address previously advised is no longer valid and it is not possible to get ahold of the new one; or
– as a consequence of the loss of Italian citizenship.
If the citizen returns/moves to Italy, they will have to register at the relevant Italian Municipality. Said Municipality will be responsible to inform this Consulate of the change in address, so that the citizen’s name can be cancelled from the national AIRE registry and the Consulate’s file and entered in the Municipality’s register.