The Registry of Italian citizens residing out of Italy

Established in 1990 on the basis of a 1988 law, A.I.R.E. is managed by municipalities on the basis of data and information from Consular Representations abroad. It should also be considered that registration with A.I.R.E., for the Italian citizen moving abroad, is a right but it is also a duty: in fact, penalties are provided for those who fail to register with A.I.R.E.

Who has to register for AIRE and who does not?

Those who must register with the A.I.R.E. are:

• Italian citizens who establish their habitual residence abroad
• Italian citizens who already reside abroad either because they were born abroad or by subsequent acquisition of Italian citizenship for any reason

Those who do not have to register with A.I.R.E. are:

• Italian citizens traveling abroad for a period of time of less than 12 months
• seasonal workers
• permanent State employees serving abroad who are notified under the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic Relations and Consular Relations of 1961 and 1963, respectively
• Italian military personnel serving in NATO offices and facilities deployed abroad

The procedure in a nutshell

Registration with A.I.R.E. should be done through the Consular Services Online portal (FastIt - www.serviziconsolari.esteri.it) by filling out the appropriate application form, attaching the required documentation, which may vary slightly from Consulate to Consulate. Currently, it is necessary to be in possession of SPID (which stands for “Sistema Pubblico di Identità Digitale” and is a digital identity).

Enrollment will take place at the last Municipality of residence in Italy. It is possible to notify Municipality of residence in Italy of one's intention to move abroad prior to the move itself, but A.I.R.E. enrollment will be finalized only once the Municipality receives notice from the relevant Consulate.

Benefits or registering with the A.I.R.E.

Key benefits include:

• the possibility of voting by mail on the occasion of political elections and referenda, referred to in articles 75 and 138 of the Constitution, as provided for by Law 459/2001
  
  
• the possibility of voting in elections of Italian representatives to the European Parliament at polling stations established by the diplomatic-consular network in EU countries
  
  
• the possibility of obtaining the issuance of identity and travel documents
  
  
• the possibility of requesting the issuance of certifications within the competence of the consular Representations abroad
  
  
• the possibility of renewing driving licenses (only in non-EU countries)

Your Way to Italy: our assistance

Our team is available to provide support and assistance throughout the process! Contact us to book your first consultation with us and to start the process to register with the A.I.R.E.! #YourWaytoItaly

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

Article written by Alessia Ajelli, Managing Associate of LCA Studio Legale, Italian lawyer specialized on Italian immigration and citizenship law, and Paolo Grassi, Trainee of LCA Studio Legale.