Italian Passport After Citizenship: 2026 Step-by-Step

After months or years waiting for Italian citizenship recognition, many descendants discover there's still one more step: applying for the passport. The document isn't issued automatically and requires its own procedure, with an appointment, specific documentation, and timelines that vary depending on the consulate or comune responsible. This guide details the step-by-step process for 2026.

What changes after citizenship is recognized

Having Italian citizenship recognized — whether through the judicial route or through the consulate in cases still permitted for children and grandchildren — is different from being eligible to obtain a passport. Recognition is the act that declares the person an Italian citizen; the passport is simply the travel document that proves this status to third parties.

Before applying for the passport, the civil registration of citizenship must be complete. This means that the birth certificate (and, when applicable, marriage certificate) must be transcribed in the corresponding Italian comune, and the applicant must be properly registered with AIRE (Registry of Italians Residing Abroad), if living outside Italy, or with the Anagrafe of the municipality, if already residing in Italian territory.

Without this registration, the consular or municipal system does not recognize the person as eligible to apply for the document, even if citizenship has already been formally declared. For this reason, there is often a gap between the completion of the recognition process and the moment when the passport can actually be requested — a period that usually extends for weeks, since it depends on internal processing by the consulate or the Italian city hall. Those in the judicial or consular phase can track current timelines at Italian consulates to plan ahead.

Where to apply for the Italian passport

The place of application depends on where the applicant officially resides.

• In Brazil: those registered with AIRE must apply for the passport at the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over their region of residence. It is not possible to freely choose a consulate — jurisdiction is determined by the registered address.
• Already living in Italy: those who have moved and updated their residence with the local Anagrafe apply for the passport directly at the questura (police headquarters) of the city where they live, no longer at the consulate.

The difference in procedure between AIRE and Anagrafe is significant: abroad, the process goes through the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the consulates; in Italy, the passport is issued by the State Police, with its own timelines and appointment systems. Those considering the move can check the guide to life in Italy to better understand this transition.

Required documents

The list of documents may vary slightly between consulates, but generally includes:

• Italian birth certificate, already transcribed in the comune, or the apostilled and translated Brazilian certificate, when transcription is still in progress;
• Updated proof of residence, matching the address registered with AIRE or the Anagrafe;
• Recent passport-style photos, on a white background and meeting the biometric standard required by Italian authorities;
• Passport application form, available on the consulate's website or provided at the appointment;
• Valid identification document, generally an ID card or the previous passport (when available);
• Proof of payment of the consular fee, whose amount is set in euros and can be paid in local currency according to the current exchange rate, generally via bank slip, transfer, or in-person payment, depending on the consulate.

It's important to bring both originals and plain copies of all documents, since most consulates keep the copies and return the originals after verification.

Step-by-step scheduling process

Appointments for passport applications at Italian consulates in Brazil are made exclusively through the Prenot@Mi system, the official platform of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The process works as follows:

1. Create an account on the Prenot@Mi portal with your ID number and personal information;
2. Select the consulate of jurisdiction and the "Passaporto" service;
3. Choose an available date among the slots opened periodically;
4. Confirm the appointment and keep the confirmation to present on the day.

Average wait times vary considerably by consulate: high-volume offices, such as São Paulo and some consulates in southern Brazil, tend to have busier schedules than consulates with smaller jurisdictions. For this reason, a common tip among those who have gone through the process is to check the system at different times of day, since new slots are released in batches, not always on fixed days or times.

Those who prefer to delegate this monitoring can rely on specialized Italian citizenship assistance to track slot releases and organize documentation in advance.

Application day: what to expect

On the day of the appointment, the consulate or questura official will verify all original documents and copies submitted, checking for discrepancies in names, dates, and spellings — one of the most sensitive points in the process, especially for those whose certificate was translated from Portuguese.

Biometric data collection will also take place: digital signature and, in many cases, fingerprints, in accordance with the current electronic passport model adopted by Italy. Photos may be retaken on-site, depending on the required standard.

After verification, the applicant receives guidance on the estimated issuance timeline, which varies according to the volume of applications at the consulate or questura. Generally, the document is available for in-person pickup or, at some consulates, sent by mail, upon a previously arranged proof of postage.

Passports for minors

For children under 18 who have also had their citizenship recognized, the passport application requires additional documentation:

• The child's birth certificate, duly transcribed or apostilled;
• Authorization from both legal guardians, even when only one parent is the appointment holder — in cases of shared custody or separated parents, formal authorization may be required and, in some cases, with a notarized signature;
• Presence of the minor at the time of biometric collection, when required by age.

It's worth remembering that passports for minors have a shorter validity period compared to those for adults, requiring renewal at shorter intervals as the child grows, since their photo and physical features change significantly during this age range.

Common mistakes that delay the process

Some problems come up repeatedly among those seeking a passport after citizenship recognition:

• Outdated documents or missing sworn translation: Brazilian certificates used at Italian consulates or questure need to be translated by a certified translator, without abbreviations or corrections;
• Lack of prior AIRE registration: trying to schedule a passport appointment before AIRE registration has been processed is one of the most common causes of appointment cancellation;
• Expired or incorrect Hague Apostille: it's necessary to verify that the apostille was issued by the competent registry office and that it corresponds exactly to the document presented, since mismatches between the apostille and the certificate result in immediate rejection.

For those who haven't yet located all the necessary documents from their ancestors, it's worth considering support from Italian certificate search services, which help avoid delays caused by incomplete documentation.

Applying for the Italian passport is the final step in a process that, for many descendants, began years earlier with genealogical research and gathering certificates. Organizing documentation in advance, understanding the correct jurisdiction, and closely monitoring the appointment system are the factors that most influence how quickly the process moves in 2026. To keep up with changes in consular procedures, be sure to follow the Italian citizenship news published regularly by Raízes Italianas.