From contracts to travelling abroad: what you’ll be able to do with your extended paper identity card
There are millions of paper documents still in circulation, and in recent months the rush for electronic identity cards has already put municipal offices under pressure, with queues of appointments that are unlikely to be cleared in the short term
From 3 August 2026, paper identity cards will no longer be valid. This is set out in EU Regulation 2025/1208, which has updated and replaced the previous Regulation 2019/1157, imposing uniform security standards across all Member States. The technical reason is simple: the Italian paper identity card does not have a machine-readable zone (MRZ) or a microchip containing biometric data, both of which are now mandatory requirements. The Ministry of the Interior had already clarified this in a circular: the 3 August deadline applies regardless of the date shown on the document. Anyone holding a card expiring in 2028 or 2030 is still out of time.
There are millions of paper identity documents still in circulation, and in recent months the rush to obtain electronic identity cards has already put municipal offices under pressure, with queues of appointments that are difficult to clear in the short term. It is precisely to address this issue that Decree-Law 108/2026, in force since 26 June, has introduced an extension to the expiry date of paper identity documents. However, these will be subject to certain restrictions. Let’s take a look at how they will work.
Contractual relationships
The first point concerns contractual relationships. If a paper document was used to enter into a contract – whether public or private – by 3 August 2026, that document retains its validity as proof of identity for the duration of that relationship, until its original expiry date. No action is required: the rule applies automatically.
From the PA to the banks
The second is broader. Paper documents may continue to be used for a specific set of purposes: the exercise of fundamental rights; access to healthcare, social security and insurance benefits; dealings with the public administration and public service providers; the delivery of post and court documents; and the withdrawal or deposit of money at banks, financial institutions or post offices.
Living Abroad
However, it is not valid for travel abroad. Anyone who still only has the paper version and needs to travel abroad has no alternative: they will need the Cie, a passport or the new provisional document, which, however, is only issued in certain cases and may not be accepted abroad.
