ELECTRONIC IDENTITY CARDS – C.I.E.
The electronic identity card (CIE) is an identity document and replaces the paper identity card.
The CIE also allows you to travel within the European Union, to go to states that are not part of the EU but join
to the Schengen agreement (such as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) and in other states with which bilateral agreements have been reached (see the individual “country sheets” on the website www.viaggiaresicuri.it).
The CIE also allows access to the online services of the Italian Public Administrations, through a code released during the issuing phase.
Starting from 30 November 2020, the Consular Chancellery of the Italian Embassy in Brussels issues the Electronic Identity Card (CIE).
By clicking on this link, you will be able to watch a short informative video
REQUIREMENTS
The CIE can be issued by this Consulate General only to Italian citizens resident in the consular district of Brussels and regularly registered with the A.I.R.E. (Registry of Italians residing abroad).
Although it is possible to obtain the conversion of a paper identity card into a CIE, in the initial phase priority will be given to requests from those whose identity card is expiring (less than 6 months) or has expired.
Those not registered with the A.I.R.E. you will first need to regularize your registry position, via the FAST-IT portal, and then wait for confirmation of your A.I.R.E. registration by the Italian municipality of last residence.
For newborns, parents will be able to request the CIE only once the process of transcription of the birth certificate and AIRE registration of their children by the competent Italian Municipality has been completed (for information on registration, please refer to the pages of this dedicated website to Civil Status and A.I.R.E.).
Please note: for the first issue of a CIE to minors, the presence of both parents is required.
NATIONALS’ ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE NEED TO HAVE THEIR CONSULAR DOSSIER UPDATED BEFORE REQUESTING A CIE (address, marital status, minor children regularly registered in the consular registry).
IN FACT, ELECTRONIC IDENTITY CARD REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED IF THE APPLICANT’S CONSULAR DOSSIER IS NOT UPDATED. TO CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR DOSSIER YOU CAN USE FAST-IT
A change of address not communicated to the competent Registry Office/AIRE of the Consulate General or failure to register any minor children prevents the issuing of the CIE.
Before the request, it will therefore be necessary to communicate the change of address and the birth of any minor children via the FAST-IT portal and wait for the relevant confirmation, which normally takes place via email, from the competent consular office.
PROCEDURE
The electronic identity card can be requested in two ways:
- By appointment, to be made online via Prenot@mi, our appointment booking system. Please note that, starting on Monday 8 September, appointments for the following week will be available every Monday afternoon at 2 p.m.;
- Without an appointment, by going to the Consulate in person (Rue de Livourne 38, 1000 – Brussels) during opening hours.
Please note that the number of walk-ins is limited (to 20 requests per day). We apologise in advance if we are unable to accommodate some users’ requests.
At the time of application, applicants must have the following with them:
- previous identity card (or any report of theft/loss of the same made to the competent police authorities) or, if you do not already have an identity card, another identity document; if the CIE is requested for a minor, the accompanying parents must also present an identification document
(preferably) valid Belgian residence document (E Card, E+ Card, Special Identity Card). - 1 color passport photo (recent, on a uniform background and with a neutral expression).
- if the applicant is a minor, his presence is essential for identification by the consular officer (unless an authenticated photo is presented, also by the local authorities); if the minor is accompanied by only one parent, the other parent must complete the required form of consent to release (if the person signing the consent is not an EU citizen, his signature must be authenticated or placed directly at the counter at the time of the CIE’s request). The presence of both parents (or one parent plus another witness) is always required if this is the first identity document requested.
- Euro 21.95 (in case of first issue or renewal) or Euro 27.11 (in case of duplicate due to damage, theft or loss of the previous identity card). Payment is preferably made by Bancontact card (Belgian national circuit; exceptionally, cards from international circuits such as Visa and Mastercard are also accepted)
- For those who have been registered with AIRE for less than 12 months (including newborns and those applying for a CIE for the first time): confirmation, preferably in writing, of registration by the competent Italian municipality.
On the day of the appointment, the consular operator acquires the documentation indicated in the previous point, carries out the recognition of the applicant, also verifying the passport photo and proceeds to take the fingerprints and signature (this collection is not foreseen for minors under the age of 12).
ATTENTION! ON THE DAY OF THE APPOINTMENT, THE IDENTITY CARD YOU HAVE, IF STILL VALID, WILL BE CANCELLED: YOU WILL THEREFORE REMAIN WITHOUT AN IDENTITY CARD UNTIL THE NEW ONE IS RECEIVED (usually within 2 5 weeks from the request: it will in fact be necessary to wait for the necessary authorizations from the competent Italian authorities before being able to send the identity card into production).
The sending of the CIE into production takes place by the consular office, once the application has been correctly submitted and all the necessary authorizations have been received.
The CIE is issued directly by the Ministry of the Interior, through the services of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato which takes care of its delivery by registered mail to the foreign address of residence of the applicant within the terms indicated above (from 2 to 5 weeks from moment of submission of the application at the consular office) together with the second part of the codes for access to the digital services of the Public Administration.
ATTENTION: in case of non-delivery, the identity card will be returned to the sender (the Polygraphic Institute in Italy) and subsequently redirected to this Consulate General; in this case it will be necessary to come and collect the identity card in person at the Consular Office, after having ascertained its actual availability via e-mail (the technical times to be considered for re-sending are on average a further 4-5 weeks from non-delivery)
At the time of the request, the compatriot is issued a receipt containing the first part of these codes, as well as an identification code for tracking the shipment.
Even for the CIE, the validity of the document varies depending on the age of the holder:
3 years of validity for minors aged between 0 and 3 years;
5 years of validity for minors aged between 3 and 18;
10 years of validity for holders who have already reached 18 years of age at the time of submitting the application.
For any further information, you can write to passaporti.bruxelles@esteri.it