Decree-Law 108/2026, published in the Official Gazette on 26 June and explained in an ANCI Puglia circular on 1 July, sets a final 3 August 2026 deadline for using the old paper carta d’identità as a travel document within the EU. After that date, only the electronic national ID card (CIE) or a passport will be accepted at borders. For domestic purposes—banking, health care, interaction with public authorities—the paper ID remains valid until its printed expiry or, in any case, no later than 31 January 2027.
![Paper ID cards lose validity for travel after 3 August 2026 as Italy issues decree on CIE rollout]()
VisaHQ can assist individuals and corporate mobility teams in navigating these upcoming ID transitions. Through our Italy services portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) we provide up-to-date guidance on CIE applications, emergency travel documentation, and any related visa or passport processing that travelers or HR departments may require as the paper ID is phased out.
To avoid bottlenecks, mayors are authorised to issue a six-month provisional document valid for travel if the CIE cannot be produced in time, though some foreign states may refuse it. Multinational HR teams should audit resident-permits and ID documentation held by locally hired foreign employees, many of whom rely on paper IDs linked to their permesso di soggiorno. Business travellers using national ID rather than passports for intra-EU trips must upgrade to the CIE well before the August cut-off. Companies may need to allocate paid leave for staff to attend municipal appointments, as demand for biometric enrolment is expected to spike. Airlines flying domestic and Schengen routes from 4 August will require CIE or passport at check-in; failure to present one could result in denied boarding even on domestic segments, because carrier liability rules mirror those applied at the external frontier.
VisaHQ can assist individuals and corporate mobility teams in navigating these upcoming ID transitions. Through our Italy services portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) we provide up-to-date guidance on CIE applications, emergency travel documentation, and any related visa or passport processing that travelers or HR departments may require as the paper ID is phased out.
To avoid bottlenecks, mayors are authorised to issue a six-month provisional document valid for travel if the CIE cannot be produced in time, though some foreign states may refuse it. Multinational HR teams should audit resident-permits and ID documentation held by locally hired foreign employees, many of whom rely on paper IDs linked to their permesso di soggiorno. Business travellers using national ID rather than passports for intra-EU trips must upgrade to the CIE well before the August cut-off. Companies may need to allocate paid leave for staff to attend municipal appointments, as demand for biometric enrolment is expected to spike. Airlines flying domestic and Schengen routes from 4 August will require CIE or passport at check-in; failure to present one could result in denied boarding even on domestic segments, because carrier liability rules mirror those applied at the external frontier.
