Passport in post offices, increasingly widespread service: now available in 4,500 locations. Requests at 145,000

The expansion of the service for issuing and renewing passports by Poste italiane continues: at present, it is possible to request the document in 4,574 post offices, of which 4,157 in municipalities with less than 15 thousand inhabitants and 417 in larger urban centres. The objective is to activate the service by spring 2026 in the almost 7,000 small towns and remote areas identified in the Polis project (the transformation of post offices into proximity one-stop shops capable of offering numerous public administration services).

So far, Poste has taken in 145 thousand requests with a remarkable progression since a little more than a year ago the service was launched (in January 2025 there were 18,100 files, in September last year the 100,000-passport milestone was crossed): in detail 106,060 concern Polis offices in small municipalities, 38,294 in large centres. Among the municipalities that are part of the Polis project, the largest numbers concern the province of Verona (11,876), Vicenza (11,250), Monza (7,556) and Bergamo (7,384). The start on a trial basis is 14 March 2024.

To apply, you must be resident or domiciled in one of the municipalities where there is a Post Office authorised to provide this service. To apply for a passport at post offices, you need a valid identity document, your tax code, two identical and recent (not more than 6 months old) colour passport photos, the 73.50 euro telematic passport sticker, which can be purchased at post offices or tobacconist's shops, and the receipt for payment of 42.70 euro made in the name of the person applying for the passport (you can pay directly from the Passport Bulletin section of the Online payments page of the poste.it website, from the Poste Italiane app, at the physical and digital channels of Payment Service Providers that adhere to the service, or directly at post offices).

In the case of renewal, the old passport or the report of loss or theft must also be handed in. Post office operators collect biometric data (fingerprints and photo) and send the documentation to the relevant police office.

In addition to simplifying bureaucratic steps, the issuance and renewal of passports guaranteed by the Italian Post Office reduces the gap between urban areas and lesser-served territories, bringing a significant contribution to the inhabitants of Italy's most isolated localities. The most frequently cited example is that of Terranova di Pollino, a small town (960 inhabitants) in the province of Potenza (Basilicata), where citizens were forced to travel up to 150 kilometres to obtain a passport. But the extension of the service has also made it possible to apply for a passport in the offices of many Alpine towns, on the Isle of Elba, in Capraia, in Favignana and in Pantelleria.