AIRE registration

The Register of Italians Resident Abroad (AIRE) records Italian citizens who are permanently resident outside Italy. Registration is a legal obligation and a prerequisite for obtaining a passport, an identity card and other consular services from the consulate. The Firm handles registration and subsequent updates.

Obligation to register

An Italian citizen who transfers their residence abroad for a period exceeding twelve months is required to register with AIRE within 90 days of the transfer (art. 6 Law 470/1988). Registration is free of charge.

Penalty for failure to register

Since 1 January 2024, failure to register has been punishable by an administrative penalty of €200 to €1,000 for each year of non-registration, up to a maximum of five years (art. 1, para. 242, Law 213/2023). The penalty is imposed by the town hall and does not apply to periods prior to 1 January 2024.

Procedure

• The application is submitted to the competent consulate through the FAST IT portal.
• Proof of residence within the consular district is required (in Spain, as a rule, the certificado de empadronamiento).
• The consulate forwards the application to the Italian town hall, which registers the citizen and removes them from the register of the resident population.

Updating personal data

The registered citizen must notify the consulate of any change of address abroad and of civil status. Failure to update the address may result in removal from the register on grounds of untraceability and prevents, among other things, the receipt of electoral material. The Firm also handles changes of address and of civil status.

Required documentation

• Valid Italian passport or identity card.
• Indication of the Italian town hall of origin, of birth or of last residence.
• Proof of residence abroad dated no more than three months earlier.
• Documents of the other members of the household.
• Registration form, prepared by the Firm; registration on the FAST IT portal, if not already completed.

Timescales

Approximately three to six months, depending on the competent consulate.

Costs

The Firm issues a detailed, no-obligation quote for registration or for the monitoring of a registration already submitted.

Consular services

Sources: Law 470/1988, art. 6 · Law 1228/1954, art. 11 · Law 213/2023, art. 1 para. 242 · Law 11/2026, art. 3 · Information pages of the Italian consulates on AIRE. Information only, updated September 2026.