Italy has published Decree-Law 108/2026 (Gazzetta Ufficiale of 26 June), setting a hard deadline for the retirement of the old paper identity card as a travel document. From 3 August 2026 the document will no longer be accepted for crossing EU borders or entering non-EU states that previously recognised it. The move accelerates a transition that began in 2016 with the rollout of the biometric Carta d’Identità Elettronica (CIE). Under Article 11, paper IDs remain valid for domestic identification and for contracts signed before the 3 August cut-off, but only until their natural expiry. Crucially for mobility, mayors are empowered until 31 December 2027 to issue a six-month, non-renewable provisional document—dubbed the “mini-CIE”—for citizens who need to travel urgently while awaiting appointment slots for the electronic card. The Interior and Finance Ministries have 30 days to publish the security template and anti-fraud specifications for the interim document.
![Decree 108/2026 Ends Paper ID Validity for Travel After 3 August—Emergency ‘Mini-CIE’ Introduced]()
For those navigating the shift from paper IDs to electronic cards—or seeking other travel documents altogether—VisaHQ offers an easy way to check requirements and start applications online. Its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) guides users through visa, passport, and document services, helping travelers, HR teams, and expatriates avoid last-minute surprises as the 3 August 2026 deadline approaches.
For employers the decree removes lingering uncertainty about acceptable travel IDs for posted workers and seconded staff. HR departments should audit personnel files to ensure expatriates and frequent travellers book CIE appointments well before early August; many municipalities report booking lead-times of 45-60 days during summer. Airlines and rail operators are updating conditions of carriage: Trenitalia notes that from 3 August paper IDs will still suffice for domestic journeys but not for cross-border high-speed services to France, Switzerland or Austria. The National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) is asking the government for extra funding to handle a forecast “peak demand of three million new CIEs” in July alone. Consular sections abroad must also adapt. Italian citizens living overseas who still hold a paper ID will have to secure a CIE at their consulate or rely on a valid passport. Travel advisors recommend that dual citizens travelling on Italian internal flights carry at least a photocopy of a valid passport until the transition stabilises.
For those navigating the shift from paper IDs to electronic cards—or seeking other travel documents altogether—VisaHQ offers an easy way to check requirements and start applications online. Its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) guides users through visa, passport, and document services, helping travelers, HR teams, and expatriates avoid last-minute surprises as the 3 August 2026 deadline approaches.
For employers the decree removes lingering uncertainty about acceptable travel IDs for posted workers and seconded staff. HR departments should audit personnel files to ensure expatriates and frequent travellers book CIE appointments well before early August; many municipalities report booking lead-times of 45-60 days during summer. Airlines and rail operators are updating conditions of carriage: Trenitalia notes that from 3 August paper IDs will still suffice for domestic journeys but not for cross-border high-speed services to France, Switzerland or Austria. The National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) is asking the government for extra funding to handle a forecast “peak demand of three million new CIEs” in July alone. Consular sections abroad must also adapt. Italian citizens living overseas who still hold a paper ID will have to secure a CIE at their consulate or rely on a valid passport. Travel advisors recommend that dual citizens travelling on Italian internal flights carry at least a photocopy of a valid passport until the transition stabilises.
