Italy grounds paper ID cards for foreign travel amid switch to electronic card

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Only electronic identity card or passport is now accepted for trips abroad, though the paper document remains usable at home until January 2027. Italy's paper identity card can no longer be used to travel outside the country as of 3 August 2026, the government has confirmed, amid a continued shift to the electronic Carta d'Identità Elettronica (CIE). The change stems from an EU regulation that updated and replaced the previous 2019 rules, imposing uniform security standards across all member states. The reasoning is technical: Italy's paper card lacks the machine-readable zone and biometric microchip now required at borders. Anyone wishing to travel abroad from Italy must therefore now carry a valid CIE or a passport. Still valid at home, for now While no longer usable for travel, the paper card has not yet been withdrawn from circulation entirely. During the transition period, the government aims to guarantee continuity of essential services, protect existing contracts, and introduce a provisional emergency travel document. Unexpired paper cards remain valid inside Italy, for specific purposes, until 31 January 2027. These include dealings with public administration, access to essential public services, healthcare, welfare and insurance procedures, banking and postal transactions, pension collection, delivery of correspondence and judicial documents, and business at Italian consulates abroad. Contracts already signed using the paper card as identification, such as bank accounts or tenancy agreements, also remain unaffected. For urgent cases, municipalities can issue a temporary identity document valid for up to six months, usable for travel abroad, though some foreign countries may not recognise it. Part of a wider shake-up The travel ban is one of several recent changes to the carta d'identità system. From 30 July 2026, residents aged over 70 no longer need to renew their carta d'identità at all. The change removes a requirement that previously saw cards renewed every 10 years, with officials saying it would spare older citizens repeated trips to municipal offices. Until recently, Italian citizens could also use the identity card to fly in Italy and within Europe's Schengen border-free travel area, however this was scrapped last summer, with air travellers now required to just show their boarding pass. Anyone still holding an expired or soon-to-expire paper card is advised to book an appointment with their local registry office, or with an Italian consulate if resident abroad, to apply for the CIE as soon as possible. Paper versions of the identity card will become obsolete - for all purposes - after 31 January 2027. Photo credit: Angela Bragato / Shutterstock.com