An electronic identity card (in Italian shortened in CIE) is a card-size ID. It is a multifunctional document that certifies the identity of the citizen, serves as a travel document, contains the tax code, and can be used to request identity on the SPID (Public Digital Identity System) system, which grants access to services provided by Italy’s Public Administrations.
General information on CIE can be found on the Farnesina’s website. More details by emailing manchester.cie@esteri.it
WHO CAN APPLY
A CIE can be requested at the Consulate of Italy in Manchester only by AIRE-registered Italian citizens residing in Manchester’s consular district. Before applying, those who are not AIRE-registered must register through the FAST IT and wait for Italy’s relevant municipality to finalize their registration. The service is available only to those who do not already possess another valid identity card, have an identity card expiring (starting from 6 months before the expiration), or in cases of theft, loss, or damage to the previous identity card. To obtain the CIE, it is also necessary to have a validated tax code. If the fellow citizen does not have a tax code or if it has not been validated, the Consulate will request it through the Italian Revenue Agency.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications for a CIE can be submitted to the Consulate of Italy in Manchester only by appointment made through Prenot@Mi, by filling in the required fields (marked with *), and providing the data of the CIE holder, if different from the registered user. Appointments are individual and non-transferable. Multiple appointments are not allowed. At the time of the appointment, you must provide:
- A valid identification document.
- A passport-sized photo taken no more than 6 months ago, compliant with ICAO standards.
- For minors, the consent to issue the CIE by both parents (see below).
- For applicants with children under 18, a self-declaration of absence of obstacles to obtaining a passport (the appropriate form is available from HERE).
- Cash payment for issuing a new electronic identity card or a duplicate electronic identity card (see our fees here).
- The expiring, expired, or damaged identity card, if applicable.
- In case of IDs lost or stolen, a Police report (see the section below).
DELIVERY
On the day of the appointment, the consular officer will collect the photo, fingerprints, and signature of the applicant. The paper identity card or existing CIE, if valid, will also be invalidated, even if the applicant does not possess another identification document.
A CIE is not issued by the Consulate but by the Ministry of the Interior. It is sent by registered mail to the mailing declared by the applicant.
PARENTAL CONSENT (for under 18s)
To protect the minor, issuing a CIE requires the consent of both parents. This is necessary even in the case of unmarried, separated, or divorced couples, and even if the minor children already have an identity card. This consent must be presented with the Consent Form. You will need to provide an identification document of the parents with a photo and signature (e.g., a passport or identity card), which must match the information on the form.
If one of the parents is a non-European Union (EU) citizen, they must sign the consent in person at the time of the child’s application. If they cannot be present, they must sign the consent on the above-mentioned form at:
- An honorary consular network office, or
- any British notary public, whose authenticated declaration must then be legalized by sending it to the “Legalisation Office” of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO); or
- a Public Official in Italy; or
- an official of any Embassy or Consulate of Italy if the non-EU parent is neither in Italy nor the United Kingdom.
When the other parent’s consent cannot be obtained, a decree from the “Giudice Tutelare” (Consular Decree) will be required (see the link on the Passport page). The Consul of Italy in Manchester acts as the “Giudice Tutelare” for minors residing/registered within the Consulate’s jurisdiction. However, if the minor is residing in Italy, the Minor’s Court (Tribunale dei Minori) has jurisdiction.
In the case of a deceased parent, you must provide an original copy of the death certificate. If the death occurred in a country other than the United Kingdom or Italy, it must be submitted only with an authenticated translation into Italian or in multilingual format.
If the CIE applicant is a parent of minor children, the issuance of the document is subject to the absence of any impediments to obtaining a valid document for travel abroad. This circumstance can be self-declared by the applicant with the appropriate form available for download. If the applicant is subject to impediments, they can still request a CIE, but it will not be valid for travel abroad.
CIE LOST OR STOLEN
Theft or loss of an identity document must be immediately reported to the British police. We then need to receive the following:
- application form,
- A copy of the Police report,
- A copy of a non-expired identification document,
- proof of address dated in the previous 3 months (see HERE),
- A copy of the lost or stolen document
What precedes needs to be emailed to manchester.cie@esteri.it, filling the subject line as follows: applicant’s LAST NAME, first name, date of birth, + ID CARD LOST/STOLEN
Not all British Police forces accept reports regarding foreign documents. In such cases, you can report theft or loss via the Report My Loss website: https://www.reportmyloss.com/uk and send the form along with the receipt issued from the website.